PANAMA CITY — Rutherford delivered a statement win Friday night, knocking off longtime rival Bay High 59–44 at Gulf Coast State College for its first victory over the Tornadoes since January 2024.
Head coach Tony Davis credited focus and belief for the Rams’ dominant second-half performance.
“Just lock in, man, and be who you are,” Davis said. “Our record doesn’t identify who we are. I’ve got a great group of kids in that room. They believe in me, I believe in them. They’re family, and they play hard.”
Rutherford trailed by just one point at halftime before exploding in the second half behind strong defensive pressure and a green light three-point barrage.
Quinitin Grady led the Rams with 20 points, while Justice Watts added 17. Though he finished with 8 points, point guard Micah Bouie made the biggest impact defensively and as a facilitator.
“Micah Bouie is one of the best point guards in the Panhandle,” Davis said. “He covers a lot of court, he sees a lot of court, and his vision is phenomenal. I can’t say enough about his leadership.”
Bouie consistently created space, disrupted Bay’s offense, and set the tempo, helping Rutherford control the game after halftime.
Rutherford’s defensive intensity proved decisive against a Bay team known for its size and strength.
“It was a great team win defensively,” Davis said. “Bay’s a good ball team — they’re strong, they’re tall, they’re solid. We located their shooters, beat them defensively and hit some shots offensively.”
Zabeyon Morgan led Bay High with 13 points, but the Tornadoes struggled to find consistent offense as Rutherford pulled away.
The night carried added significance as Coach Rhondie Ross, who led Rutherford for 22 seasons and now serves as an assistant at Bay High under Michael Memmen, watched his former program defeat his new team.
The win improves Rutherford to 8–10, while Bay High drops to 13–9. More importantly for the Rams, it marked a breakthrough moment in the county’s oldest rivalry.
“They don’t back down,” Davis said. “They know how to meet the challenge — and when you have great leadership, guys will follow.”
Banji Bamidele is a sports reporter for the Panama City News Herald. He can be reached at abamidele@gannett.com or through X, formerly known as Twitter, @AdebanjiBamide1.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Big time shots lift Rutherford boys basketball past rival Bay High
Reporting by Banji Bamidele, Panama City News Herald / The News Herald
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