Basketball: Knights roll over Chestatee; Lady War Eagles win 4th straight <b> (VIDEO) </b>

OAKWOOD -- The Johnson boys basketball team is just two wins from completing something never before done in program history: an undefeated season.<br /> <br /> The Knights took their latest step toward the record books Friday with a 76-46 win over Chestatee at home in Region 8-AAAA action.<br /> <br /> More importantly for Class AAAA No. 2-ranked Johnson (22-0, 6-0 Region 8-AAAA) is that the Knights now need just one win to clinch the top seed in the upcoming Region 8-AAAA Tournament. If they can get that one win they will play host to a first round game in the region tournament. They are a perfect 12-0 at home.<br /> <br /> "We talk about having four seasons -- non-region, region, region tournament, and hopefully state tournament -- and we're in the second season," Johnson coach Jeff Steele said. "We just try to take things one game at a time. It would be nice to get that top seed, though."<br /> <br /> Johnson will travel to Stephens County on Tuesday and then close out the regular season on the road against Monroe Area next Friday. Both are 8-AAAA contests.<br /> <br /> Steele said any talk of undefeated seasons and region titles makes him nervous.<br /> <br /> "We still have two tough road games and we haven't won anything yet. We lose both and we probably don't win the region after all our hard work," Steele said. "We never seem to play well at Stephens County so we're not taking anything for granted. It's far from over."<br /> <br /> Johnson used its outside shooting ability to grab the lead and then extend it in the second half. Overall the Knights were 12-for-24 on 3-pointers -- but they hit 10 of their first 15 while building a 55-23 lead midway through the third quarter.<br /> <br /> "We shot the ball well. But we shoot a lot in practice so I feel like we should be getting better at this point in the season," Steele said.<br /> <br /> The teams traded baskets early with Chestatee (12-12, 3-4) taking a 4-3 lead on a Mikey Petraroi basket with 6:27 left in the first quarter. The Knights got their 3-point shooting going after that.<br /> <br /> Johnson hit three of its first four 3-pointers to spark a 9-0 run, taking a 12-4 lead. Chestatee rallied to cut the lead to 14-10 on a Hunter Creamer layup but the Knights closed out the period with an 11-2 run for a 25-12 advantage. Chestatee never got closer.<br /> <br /> Johnson continued to bomb away in the second quarter to blow the game open with four more treys. The Knights forced three straight turnovers at one stretch and used a 17-2 run over the first five minutes of the second quarter to pull away for a 42-14 lead. Chestatee closed out the first half with a 5-2 run to trail 44-19. <br /> <br /> In the first half, Johnson was 7-for-13 from 3-point range while Chestatee was 0-for-8. Ty Cockfield was 4-of-5 on 3-pointers while Mitchell Dunham was 2-for-3 on 3-pointers for the Knights in the first 16 minutes. Johnson hit its first three 3-pointers to open the third quarter, pushing its lead to 55-23. Chestatee responded with a 12-4 run to get within 59-35 but could get no closer.<br /> <br /> Turnovers were a key as well. Chestatee had 18 giveaways while Johnson managed just four, two in each half. However, the Knights were out-rebounded for the game, a point of contention for Steele.<br /> <br /> "Chestatee went to the boards and got some points off of that. If we hadn't shot the ball so well it might be a different game," he said. "Also, we need to be more disciplined at the end of games when we have leads."<br /> <br /> Cockfield finished with 28 points, including four 3-pointers, to lead Johnson. Roderick English added 16 points and Ladarius Odem had nine for the Knights.<br /> <br /> Creamer paced Chestatee with 20 points. Petraroi had 12 for the War Eagles.<br /> <br /> Despite Friday's loss, Chestatee is still 5-4 on the road this season. The War Eagles will close out their regular season at home against North Hall on Tuesday.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>CHESTATEE GIRLS 57<br /> JOHNSON 28</b><br /> <br /> The Lady War Eagles ran their region win streak to four with a win on the road.<br /> <br /> Chestatee (15-10, 5-3 Region 8-AAAA) held the Lady Knights (5-19,0-6) to just 10 second half points to pull away for good.<br /> <br /> Johnson jumped out to the early 4-0 lead on a Kimmie Brady basket and a pair of Sarah Williams free throws. But Chestatee answered with a 5-0 run, capped by a Brooklyn Pophan basket.<br /> <br /> Johnson reclaimed the lead 6-5 on another Brady basket, but the Lady War Eagles closed out the first quarter with a 13-2 run, highlighted by four points and two assists from Tyler Bennett, for an 18-8 lead. They never trailed again.<br /> <br /> Chestatee extended the lead to 21-10 on a 3-pointer by Eramiss Hernandez and took a 28-18 into halftime. Johnson pulled within 32-21 midway through the third quarter on a Williams 3-pointer but Chestatee responded with a 16-2 run to blow the game open for a 48-23 lead early in the fourth quarter.<br /> <br /> Tyler Bennett paced Chestatee with 13 points. Popham added 11 points and Macey Jarrard had seven points for the Lady War Eagles.<br /> <br /> Brady, Williams, and Katie Wiese each had six points for Johnson.