GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Class AAAA Championship Preview: Jonesboro vs. Liberty County

Class AAAA

Did You Know: MJ Walker Jr. was a football standout at Jonesboro before deciding to focus on basketball his junior and upcoming senior season.

R4 #1 Jonesboro (28-4)

Potential pitfalls checkered No. 1 Jonesboro’s path to Macon but it hasn’t stopped the Cardinals from soaring to a potential three-peat. Jonesboro opened the year with a bumpy start, dropping its first two games of the season to AAAAAA No. 3 Norcross and Wesleyan Christian Academy (NC). With Austin Donaldson (GSU) and Tracy Hector (KSU) both graduated it looked as if the Cardinals’ reign of dominance was finally coming to an end. MJ Walker Jr. had different ideas. The star junior brought his game to the next level and has averaged 22.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists while leading Jonesboro to a perfect mark in Region 4. Talented teams such as No. 6 Walnut Grove, No. 7 Eagle’s Landing and Henry County all had chances to knock the Cardinals from their perch but were unable to as Jonesboro turned them all back. Playing the best of the best has helped mold Coach Daniel Maehlman’s tough-nosed team into a machine. Jonesboro took third-place in the MaxPreps Holiday Classic, their only loss coming to the nation’s No. 1 ranked team, undefeated Chino Hills (CA) 124-93. In the state tournament, potential matchup problems proved to be no worries. They blasted Worth County 81-47, who was led by 6-foot-8 Auburn signee Anfernee McLemore and Brandon Moore. In round two, an emotional state championship rematch presented itself. The Cardinals dispatched of Carrollton last year 55-50 in the title game and this year broke the Trojans’ heart again with a 51-50 win. Looking like Carrollton finally exposed a vulnerability in the Cardinals, instead Jonesboro drilled No. 8 St. Pius in the Sweet 16. Last year the Golden Lions fell 67-57 in round two, this year the Cardinals left no doubt by doubling their margin of victory, winning 57-37. No. 3 Grady was the next Region 6 team to test the Cardinals in the Final Four powered by Bucknell-commit Avi Toomer averaging 23.6 points per game but again it was Jonesboro beating Grady at their own game by outscoring them 77-49, holding Toomer to 17. Walker and Tariq Jenkins both pumped in 22 points while Eric Lovett added 10.

R3 #1 Liberty County (27-1)

The Panthers were one of the many teams that fell at the hands of Jonesboro last season, losing 71-43 in the Final Four. This time, it’s No. 2 Liberty County trying to turn the tables and break No. 1 Jonesboro’s spell over the rest of Class AAAA. Coach Julian Stokes sees Coach Daniel Maehlman’s MJ Walker Jr. and he raises him with a star junior of his own, Davion Mitchell. Mitchell, an Auburn-commit, is an electrifying guard netting over 24 points per game and more than seven assists. He and junior Richard LeCounte, a five-star UGA football-commit, power a devastating Panther offense that jumped out on No. 4 Lithonia 16-0 in their 81-68 Final Four victory. Mitchell dropped game-high 33 points while LeCounte tacked on 19. A key to their evolution from being a good team to a great team has been the development of Will Richardson as a reliable third option. He scores 13 points per game as a sophomore, leaving the future looking extremely bright for Liberty County. They have won 25-straight games including playoff wins over Columbia (78-60) and Monroe (71-61) in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight. Their only loss came back on Dec. 5, the third game of the season losing to Statesboro 75-74 in double overtime. Last year in their semifinal loss to Jonesboro, the Panthers held a 19-18 lead after one but were outscored 53-24 the rest of the way. Mitchell was kept in check by the stifling Cardinal defense. He finished with 11 points on 4-of-15 shooting while committing four turnovers. LeCounte didn’t fare much better, tacking on 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting. On the other side, Walker torched the Panthers for 30 points and five assists. Coach Stokes is in his first year as the head man after Coach Willie Graham resigned following last season. He will need to devise a game plan to get Mitchell open looks while slowing down Walker on the other end.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Class AAAAA Championship Preview: Miller Grove vs. Allatoona

Class AAAAA

Did you Know: Miller Grove hasn’t lost a region game in four years, while it has been five years since Allatoona last lost.

R6 #1 Miller Grove (29-2)

Be careful what you wish for. Even though their string of six straight titles was snapped last year with an Elite Eight loss at Warner Robins, the No. 1 ranked Wolverines are still the team to beat and have held onto the No. 1 ranking in Class AAAAA the entire year. Miller Grove hasn’t lost to an in-state opponent all year long and are on a mission to grab their seventh title in eight years. Overseeing the Wolverines is none other than Sharman White who has compiled a 243-41 record over his last nine seasons. The catalyst for the Wolverine offense is McDonalds All-American and UConn signee Alterique Gilbert. From his point guard position he is averaging over 20 points, five rebounds, six assists and four steals per game. He finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds in their 66-41 Elite Eight win over No. 8 South Paulding and stepped up even more when the light shined the brightest. In the Final Four against No. 3 McIntosh, Gilbert got the best of Will Washington putting together 21 points, eight rebounds, three assists and four steals. The X-factor however was 6-foot-7 UAB football signee Raylon Richardson who tacked on 17 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks. Miller Grove’s depth wore down the Chiefs like so many teams before them. Aaron Augustin, Tae Hardy, Colin Young and Joshua Jackmon all played their roles to perfection as Augustin poured in 18 points alongside Gilbert in the backcourt. So far, Richmond Academy in the Sweet 16 has given the Wolverines their toughest test, holding a 47-44 lead heading into the fourth quarter before bowing out 64-57. Illinois State signee Madison Williams gave the Wolverines fits with a team-high 22. Not to be outdone, Gilbert netted a game-high 24 to go with his nine rebounds. Measuring up to No. 2 Allatoona, both teams have played Southwest DeKalb and South Paulding as like opponents. The Wolverines beat Southwest DeKalb three times: 76-69, 53-45 and 86-68 in the Region 6 championship, while Allatoona eliminated them in the Elite Eight 56-44. The Buccaneers beat South Paulding three times: 65-46, 53-44 and 63-49 in the Region 5 title game.

R5 #1 Allatoona (31-0)

At a perfect 31-0, No. 2 Allatoona is the only undefeated team left in the state looking to put an exclamation point on a fairy tale season. The Bucs are back after losing to Brunswick in the state championship last year 49-32 and are hoping for a better shooting performance this time in Macon. Allatoona’s calling card is defense led by Coach Markus Hood. The Buccaneers won’t have the sex-appeal or flying acts like Miller Grove does. Instead they look to grind teams to a halt and hold them under 50 points, a feat they have accomplished 24 times. Even more impressive, five times they have held opponents to under 40 points, highlighted by holding 1A-Private No. 3 North Cobb Christian to a season low 30 points in a 20-point victory at the Lake City Classic. Allatoona will play steady defense regardless of its opponent, the question is whether they will be able to score enough. Sophomore Trey Doomes and senior Ephraim Tshimanga make up one of the most underrated backcourts in the state, but even they have never seen the likes of Alterique Gilbert and Aaron Augustin. Doomes is the team’s leading scorer at over 14 points per game and holds a Kennesaw State offer while Tshimanga is good for 12 a night. The two are known more for their defensive prowess, collecting seven steals combined to lead the team’s 13 in their 48-46 Final Four victory over No. 4 Cedar Shoals. In that game Coastal Georgia signee Kevin Perry scored a game-high 15 points while Michael Johnson added 10 off the bench including the game-winning free throws with five seconds left. If the Bucs can keep the game in the 40’s, it will be towards their advantage. Even though they are undefeated, Allatoona enters their championship game with the most dominant program of the past decade as underdogs, which could play into their favor if Miller Grove isn’t ready for a grueling and methodical defensive war.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Class AAAAAA Championship Preview: Westlake vs. Pebblebrook

Class AAAAAA

Did You Know: Three teams from Region 3 advanced to the Elite Eight this year (Westlake, Pebblebrook, Campbell).

R3 #1 Westlake (26-4)

New faces littered Coach Darron Rogers’ roster this season and has helped turn a 13-15 team a year ago into a statewide power contending for its first state title since winning in 1999 and 2002. In 2009-10 the Marcus Thornton-led Lions fell to Milton in the championship 56-46 after Thornton, a recent UGA graduate, injured his ankle in warmups and had to sit out after the pain was too much to bear. This year’s version of No. 2 Westlake is anchored by another forward who has made an impact in his first year as a Lion, Chuma Okeke. The talented junior forward scored 22 points in their win over No. 8 Newton in the Final Four, 64-59. The Lions have been tested all year long coming out of Region 3, the state’s best. They will attempt one of the hardest feats in sports, beating a team not three times but four times in a single season. They have beaten No. 7 Pebblebrook 76-70, 82-72 and 79-57 in the Region 3 championship. Outside of the region, the Lions peppered their schedule with some of the nation’s best. Two of their four losses have come to teams out of state, No. 3 in the country Montverde Academy (FL) 76-54 and Memphis East 69-58. The road to Macon has been a treacherous one and the most difficult in Class AAAAAA. Westlake has had to survive No. 3 Norcross (61-50), No. 6 Shiloh (44-43) and No. 8 Newton (64-59) in rounds two through four. Throughout the tournament Westlake’s superior guard play and size has worn on opponents. Jamie Lewis is one of the best sophomore guards in the country while Danny Lewis is no slouch himself. Ronald Bell has brought a toughness inside to pair with 6-foot-9 Michael Durr and 6-foot-6 Raquan Wilkins. Jamie scored 18 points and hit clutch free throws down the stretch to beat Newton. He and Danny will have their hands full trying to slow down the highest scoring backcourt in the state.

R3 #2 Pebblebrook (23-9)

Coach George Washington hopes the fourth time is a charm and that they can soothe the fresh wounds from a year ago when a controversial call went in Wheeler’s favor to help the Wildcats win the state title 59-58 after two Jaylen Brown (Cal) free throws with 0.6 seconds left stunned the Falcons. Though they lost standouts Derek Ogbeide (UGA), Ty Hudson (Clemson) and Trhae Mitchell (South Alabama), the dynamic duo of Collin Sexton and Jared Harper (Auburn) have the No. 7 ranked Falcons back on the attack in Macon. The two form the highest scoring backcourt in the state. The diminutive Harper is a fearless flamethrower willing to shoot threes from anywhere on the court which has helped him average close to 28 points and even 10 assists per game. Sexton, a junior, has been a key addition and has seen his recruitment sky rocket as he too averages over 28 points a night.  As explosive as Coach Washington’s backcourt is, others have stepped up their play as of late to take some pressure off their shoulders. Junior JJ Smith is a new face to the Georgia circuit and is an Ole Miss-commit. His high-flying aerial maneuvers makes him one of the state’s most entertaining players to watch whether he is catching alley-oops from Harper and Sexton, or grabbing rebounds and blocking shots. In their 77-70 win over Milton in the Final Four it was Smith who scored nine of his 20 points in the fourth quarter. Sexton hung 35 on the Eagles and enters the state championship red-hot. Uncharacteristically, Harper has been slowed down, held to 11 points in each of his last two games. Stepping up has been sophomore Dwight Murray who scored a career-high 23 in a 78-71 Elite Eight victory over No. 5 McEachern.  The Falcons took their lumps early in the year going 8-6 with a national schedule, but have found their footing in-state winning 15 of their last 18 games.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Recaps

Final Four Recaps

Class AAAAAA

R3 #1 Westlake 64, R2 #1 Newton 59: No. 2 Westlake trailed No. 8 Newton for most of the game before a 12-5 run closed out the Rams. Chuma Okeke was the difference maker down the stretch for Westlake scoring a team-high 22 points. Jamie Lewis scored 18 points and made big free throws while Danny Lewis (11) and Ronald Bell (10) both cracked double figures. Junior JD Notae led Newton with 22 points. Freshman Ashton Hagans and Jaquan Simms scored 12 apiece while Josh Tukes netted 11. Newton loses just one key starter to graduation and will return big man Dre Butler who missed the second half of the season with a knee injury after leading the team in rebounding.

R3 #2 Pebblebrook 77, R5 #2 Milton 70: Collin Sexton went off for a game-high 35 points to lift No. 7 Pebblebrook to their second straight state championship game where they will meet No. 2 Westlake for the fourth time this season, losing their previous three meetings. Jared Harper for a second consecutive night was keyed in on by the opposing defense and held to 11 points, but this time it was Ole Miss-commit JJ Smith stepping up big with nine of his 20 points in the fourth quarter while Dwight Murray scored 10 on the night. Kenderick Summerour led Milton with 18 points. Harvard signee Chris Lewis finished his high school career with 16 points. Sophomore Justin Brown chipped in 15 points and junior Alex O’Connell was held to 13.

Class AAAAA

R5 #1 Allatoona 48, R8 #1 Cedar Shoals 46: Somehow, someway, No. 2 Allatoona found a way to stay undefeated and make another trip back to Macon. Michael Johnson’s 10 points off the bench sparked Allatoona trailing 29-26 before pouring in eight straight points in the third quarter to take a 34-29 lead over No. 4 Cedar Shoals. None of Johnson’s points were bigger than his two free throws with five seconds left to stun the Jaguars after it looked like Ephraim Tshimanga may have double dribbled while in traffic breaking the press leading to the dish to Johnson where he was fouled. Trey Doomes fouled out with 1:59 remaining and Allatoona up 44-43. Phlan Fleming quickly took advantage on the other end with a tough And-1 reverse layup to take a 45-44 lead, but he missed the free throw. Jerrick Mitchell scored a team-high 15 points and collected three rebounds and three steals for Cedar Shoals, but he could only split a pair of free throws with 1:07 left leaving the door open for Allatoona down 46-44. Coastal Georgia signee Kevin Perry attacked the hole and got hacked, sinking his two free throws giving him a game-high 15 points to tie the game at 46 with 24.6 seconds left and Doomes’ 13 points sitting on the bench. Snipe Hall was fouled with 14 seconds remaining driving baseline but missed the front end of a 1-and-1.  The Buccaneers raced the ball up the floor with Tshimanga and he found Johnson on the right side where he was fouled and calmly sank both free throws. Cedar Shoals’ last look came on a drive and dish corner three, but the shot hit the back iron and bounced out, sending Allatoona back to Macon. Tshimanga scored just four points but grabbed eight rebounds, dished out six assists and collected five steals. Fleming finished with 11 points, six rebounds and four steals.

R6 #1 Miller Grove 72, R4 #1 McIntosh 52: No. 1 Miller Grove proved why it had been ranked No. 1 all year long with a sound defeat of a powerful No. 3 McIntosh team that uncharacteristically struggled to finish inside and missed 13 free throws. A wild first quarter saw McIntosh open the game with a pair of technical free throws after the Wolverines were penalized for dunking pregame. The Chiefs avoided their usual slow start and entered the second quarter tied at 20 but from there it was too much Alterique Gilbert, Aaron Augustin and Raylon Richardson as they unrelentingly attacked the rim and buried outside looks. Miller Grove made seven three-pointers including five in the opening period. The McDonalds All-American and UConn signee Gilbert finished with 21 points, eight rebounds, three assists and four steals. Augustin poured in 18 points, three rebounds and four assists, but the X-factor was Richardson who totaled 17 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks while outplaying Wofford signee Dishon Lowery and Chase Walter inside, an area where the Chiefs had the advantage on paper. Joshua Jackmon slowed down Will Washington, the catalyst of McIntosh’s offense. Washington managed just eight points, five rebounds and four assists while tagging on two blocks. All-time leading scorer Jordan Lyons pumped in 21 points in the final game of his historic career. Lowery added 11 points and 11 rebounds while Walter just two points, 11 rebounds and two blocks. Braxton Shaw provided a lift off the bench with two threes and four rebounds but it wasn’t enough to stop Miller Grove from marching back to its second home, Macon, where they face arguably the state’s best defense in No. 2 Allatoona.

Class AAAA

R3 #1 Liberty County 81, R6 #2 Lithonia 68: No. 2 Liberty County raced out to a 16-0 lead stunning the bigger No. 4-ranked Bulldogs and never looked back. Auburn-commit junior guard Davion Mitchell ignited the Panther offense by pouring in a game-high 33 points. Running mate Richard LeCounte, a 5-star UGA football-commit, added 19 as a part of the state’s best junior duo. Will Richardson continued to be a reliable third piece for Coach Julian Stokes, scoring 10 on the night. Lithonia received a team-high 24 from Tyheem Freeman. Jacara Cross added 16 and UTC signee Rodney Chatman netted 12. With the win, Liberty County will now play two-time defending state champion No. 1 Jonesboro, who ended the Panthers’ season 71-43 lat year in the Final Four.

R4 #1 Jonesboro 77, R6 #1 Grady 49: Region 6 got a taste of its own medicine for once this year, taking it on the chin in both semifinal games instead of dealing out the damage like they had all season long. No. 3 Grady’s Bucknell-commit Avi Toomer finished with 17 points in his final game but it wasn’t enough to stop MJ Walker and Tariq Jenkins who both netted 22 points. Eric Lovett added 10. Tykwaan Bryant scored 12 in the loss. No. 1 Jonesboro looks to become the first Class AAAA team to three-peat since Miller Grove did back from 2009-12 before a sixth classification was added and bumped them up to AAAAA.

Class AAA

R8 #1 Morgan County 64, R4 #3 South Atlanta 61: Florida Atlantic signee DeVorious Brown splashed in a three-pointer with one-second left to break No. 6 South Atlanta’s heart and send No. 1 Morgan County to the state championship for the third straight year after trailing the entire game. The Hornets jumped out of the gates quickly, taking an 8-0 lead right away. The Bulldogs regained their footing and trailed 11-8 at the end of one. Just as it seemed Coach Jamond Sims’s Bulldogs shook off their early daze, the Hornets stung them again and sent them into the half down 33-19. South Atlanta extended its lead to 40-25 and looked ready to punch its ticket to Macon, but Jailyn Ingram, Jordan Ford and Alec Woodard had other ideas as they began a furious comeback. A 13-4 run saw Morgan County slice the lead to a 44-38 deficit entering the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs continued to make runs at the Hornets but South Atlanta clung on. Morgan County tied it twice and finally surged ahead with 48.4 seconds left taking a 56-55 lead. Woodard, a freshman, sank two free throws to make it 58-55 with 26.7 seconds remaining before Frank Bailey nailed a three in the corner with seven seconds left to tie it at 58. Morgan County raced down the floor and Woodard hit Brown for the game-winner. Brown finished with just four points but hit the biggest shot of the night. Ingram added 14, Ford scored a team-high 22 and Woodard netted 18 including 12 in the fourth quarter, a perfect 10-for-10 from the line. South Atlanta’s balanced attack saw Orlando Bebee (13), Devonta Pullins (11), Artavious Banks (10) and Korbian Bell (8) all play well for Coach Michael Reddick. Both the boys and girls Morgan County teams will play for the Class AAA state title.

R1 #1 Jenkins 68, R4 #1 Cedar Grove 59: A late rally couldn’t prevent a date with destiny. No. 5 Jenkins will now face No. 1 Morgan County in a rematch of last year’s heart-stopping 62-60 champion in which Eric Johnson floated up a left handed layup with seconds left to crown Jenkins state champions. The Warriors took control early in their game with No.8 Cedar Grove and cruised to a 35-20 halftime lead behind Dimitri Chambers and Trevion Lamar’s 10 points apiece. Cedar Grove began its crawl back into the game by outscoring the Warriors 20-14 in the third quarter and closed to 62-59 after a 6-0 run with 3:20 left, but the Warriors closed the game on a 6-0 run of their own to punch their ticket back to Macon. Lamar and Chambers both finished with a game-high 21. Cedar Grove received 19 points from Makale Carter, 18 from Antonio Reeves and 10 from Devon Barnes.

Class AA

R5 #1 Manchester 63, R4 #2 Monticello 53: The Hurricane finally blew over and No. 10 Manchester punched its ticket to Macon. Demarcus Addie went for a game-high 22 points while Jah’Nile Hill added 14 to win the war of the backcourts. Cadarian Brown netted 11 in the win. For Monticello, Ashton Bonner (12), RJ Whitlock (11) and De’Miria Glover (10) led the charge for Coach BJ Thomas.

R6 #1 Pace Academy 61, R4 #1 Crawford County 51: It’s starting to look like no one is getting in No. 3 Pace Academy’s way. Isaiah Kelly finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks against a tough No. 2 Crawford County frontline. Wendell Carter Jr. hurt his big toe but still finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The high-scoring combination of William Jarrell and Marcal Knolton was held to 11 and 12 points respectively. Pace looks for its first title ever while No. 10 Manchester seeks its second, the Blue Devils’ first coming in 2007.

Class A-Private

#1 Greenforest 78, #4 Stratford Academy 62: It wasn’t easy, but eventually No. 1 Greenforest pulled away from No. 5 Stratford. John Ogwuche finished with 27 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Justin Forrest added 24 points and six assists. Jandan Duggan chipped in 12 points and five assists off the bench as a third option as part of an already dangerous backcourt. Stratford Academy’s all-time leading scorer Quintez Cephus went out with a bang with 34 points. O’Showen Williams netted 12 and James Mitchell nine.

#2 St. Francis 81, #6 Whitefield Academy 58: The rubber match of this bitter rivalry didn’t go so well for No. 8 Whitefield Academy as No. 2 St. Francis continued to peak at the right time. Three players scored 20+ for Coach Drew Catlett, something Knights fan go used to seeing last year with Malik Beasley (FSU), Kaiser Gates (Xavier) and Kobi Simmons (Arizona). Simmons netted 24 while Anthony Showell added 22 and Chance Anderson 23. Florida A&M signee Brendon Myles went for 23 and Isaiah Hart tallied 21 for the Wolfpack but it wasn’t enough to keep St. Francis from taking another trip to Macon where they will try to defend their state title against No. 1 Greenforest, who they beat 96-81 a year ago.

Class A-Public

#5 Wilkinson County 69, #1 Treutlen 56: Seven-time state champion No. 1 Wilkinson County built an 18-10 lead at the end of the first quarter and continued adding to the lead as they defeated the top-seeded No. 3 Vikings for a return to the A-Public championship in Macon. Wilkinson County took a 35-27 lead into the half and outscored Treutlen 12-10 in the third quarter to increase the lead to double-digits (47-37). In the final frame, Wilkinson County added a 22-19 edge. Wilkinson County will face Hancock Central for the third time this season in the A-Public final. Wilkinson opened its season with a 68-55 win over the Bulldogs but lost the second meeting at Hancock Central 70-62 on Jan. 9.

#7 Hancock Central 68, #2 Turner County 66: It was a wild finish at Valdosta State as the No. 4 Hancock Central boys held off No. 2 Turner County 68-66 for a spot in the A-Public state championship. Hancock Central led 49-46 entering the final quarter, which proved to be a fight to the finish. Phillipe Scott was the hero for Hancock Central as he beat the press, crashed the boards, controlled the pace at the foul line and included the game-winner with eight seconds left. Scott made 8-of-13 attempts from the foul line and netted 10 of Hancock Central’s 19 pints in the final quarter. Hancock Central took a 66-60 lead after a pair of Scott foul shots as just 44 seconds remained on the clock. Deandre Pierce drilled a 3-pointer to cut it to 66-63 and then Scott was fouled but missed both attempts to keep Turner County within a possession. Pierce hit a corner 3-pointer on the next possession, tying it up 66-66 with 14 seconds left. Neither team had a timeout left so Scott took the inbounds and dribbled straight to the rim where he drew the foul and hit the game-winning basket. Scott missed the free-throw but Turner County could not convert with eight seconds left as a desperation shot came up feet short of the rim. Hancock Central meets No. 1 Wilkinson County in an all Region 7 championship.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Recaps

Elite Eight Day 2 Recaps

Class AAAAAA

R5 #2 Milton 94, R3 #3 Campbell 83: The Eagles held off an explosive Campbell team that rallied from down 66-47 to make it 84-83 game in the fourth. Harvard signee Chris Lewis proved to be too big inside for the smaller Spartans to handle as he posted a triple-double with 22 points, 14 rebounds and 11 blocks while adding on five assists. Kyrin Galloway, the second part of Coach Matt Kramer’s twin towers, chipped in 19 points. Alex O’Connell led Milton in scoring with 27 and Kendrick Summerour netted 13. Campbell didn’t go down without a fight. Senior guard Mike Olmert ignited the comeback with 39 points, 25 in the second half with 15 coming in the fourth quarter. The Spartans also received 20 points from Tyree Crankfield and 18 from Laz Walker in their final games.

R3 #2 Pebblebrook 78, R4 #1 McEachern 71: No. 5 McEachern held Auburn signee Jared Harper to just 11 points, a recipe for success, but they didn’t account for sophomore Dwight Murray who went off for a career-high 23 points to help carry the load as the No. 7 Falcons soared past the Indians.  Instead of Collin Sexton and Harper combining for 50 points it was Murray who added onto Sexton’s 27 points. JJ Smith chipped in 10 points. Darius Jones scored a team-high 21 for the Indians. Freshman Isaac Okoro pitched in 16 points while Tre People (13) and Bryce Smith (10) both cracked double figures. Pebblebrook now takes on unranked Milton in the Final Four.

Class AAAAA

R6 #1 Miller Grove 66, R5 #2 South Paulding 41: A slow start resulting in a 19-8 first quarter proved to be too much for No. 8 South Paulding to knock off No. 1 Miller Grove. The Wolverines stifled the Spartans with their defense, holding them to 28% shooting and 2-of-17 from behind the arc. Kane Williams was the only source of constant offense for Coach Gil Davis, scoring 20 points while Ja’Cori Wilson struggled with foul trouble and scored just six. McDonalds All-American and UConn signee Alterique Gilbert was held to just four made field goals, but still finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Coach Sharman White’s balance overwhelmed South Paulding. Tae Hardy (11), Colin Young (10), Joshua Jackmon (9) and Raylon Richardson (7) all hurt the Spartans with their shot making.

R4 #1 McIntosh 65, R7 #1 Riverwood 59: Slow starts have been a trend lately for No. 3 McIntosh, but the Chiefs woke up just in time to break No. 5 Riverwood’s heart after trailing 42-27 at the half. The Raiders jumped out to a 14-1 lead and drilled 10 threes in the first 16 minutes to stun McIntosh. Elijah Jenkins splashed in five threes on the night to lead the outside barrage and finished with 15 points and four assists. Furman signee Jordan Lyons scored 18 of his team-high 24 in the first half to give McIntosh a heartbeat. In the third quarter the Chiefs turned the tables on a Riverwood team known for its grinding defense, holding the Raiders to just four points while scoring 20 of their own to gain a 47-46 lead heading into the fourth. A pitch ahead from Dishon Lowery to Chase Walter for a dunk with 28 seconds left was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Will Washington scored 17 points in the win and helped spark the rally in the third quarter. Kohl Roberts ended his career with another monster game posting 16 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks. Pryce Watkins added seven points and Charnchai Chantha tallied seven assists in the loss. The Chiefs get their long awaited meeting with No. 1 Miller Grove in the Final Four.

Class AAAA

R6 #1 Grady 54, R1 #1 Westover 52: No. 3 Grady keeps finding ways to win. This time it was Bucknell-bound Avi Toomer hitting a reverse lay-up at the buzzer to stun Westover. Toomer was on and off the court with foul trouble and only scored seven points on the night. Javier Russell stepped up with 15 points, ten over his average, and DJ Brittian added 13. Westover was led by Alec Williams’ 17 points and freshman Jordan “Snow” Brown’s 10.

R4 #1 Jonesboro 57, R6 #4 St. Pius 37: Intense defense and a keen focus on Kerney Lane helped No. 1 Jonesboro blow past No. 8 St. Pius. MJ Walker Jr. scored a game-high 18 points and Jamari Smith scored 14 to lift the Cardinals. After Lane’s 26-point outburst in a 67-57 Sweet 16 loss to Jonesboro a year ago, Coach Daniel Maehlman made sure that Laney wouldn’t get hot. Defenders constantly draped Lane and held him to just 10 points along with fellow senior Christian Merrill who scored 10 as well. No. 1 Jonesboro faces No. 3 Grady in a potentially electric Final Four matchup featuring two teams with lightning-quick guards.

Class AAA

R1 #1 Jenkins 84, R6 #1 Calhoun 78: No. 2 Calhoun (27-1) used a furious rally to close the gap with defending state champion No. 5 Jenkins (27-4) but the Warriors made just enough plays to hang on for a wild 84-78 victory and a trip back to the Final Four. Calhoun trailed 25-16 in the second quarter and trailed at the half 41-37 after Zion Williams of Jenkins made two free throws just before the buzzer. Trevion Lamar, one of the top juniors in the state, led Jenkins with nine first half points. Calhoun hung around thanks for senior Ray Reeves’ big first half, netting 13 points, 11 of which came in the second quarter. Early in the third, the Warriors caught fire from deep as they sank four three-pointers in a row sparked by Williams’ three during the stretch to take a 54-42 lead. The lead grew to 62-49 but Calhoun would not fold. Even after Jenkins outscored the Yellow Jackets 27-19 in the third, Calhoun kept its composure down 68-56. Coach Vince Layson’s veteran group sparked a wild 17-4 run capped by Jireh Wilson’s three-pointer to take a 73-72 lead with 4:28 left. Staggered but not knocked out, Jenkins turned to Lamar to steady the course. The junior scored 19 points, six of them in a row for Coach Bakari Bryant to regain an 80-75 lead with 46 seconds remaining. Before Lamar’s final bucket, Wilson and Malik Lawrence had a miscommunication up top resulting in a costly turnover with 1:12 left. Williams sank two free throws to make it 82-75, but Kaelan Riley drilled a straight away three to give Calhoun life with 26 seconds left down 82-78. Brian Brannen was sent to the line and coolly sank both free throws to put the game out of reach. Williams led all scorers with 21 points while Dimetri Chambers added 11. Lawrence and Chapin Rierson both netted 16 points for the Jackets. Riley finished with 15 in his final game.

R4 #1 Cedar Grove 58, R3 #2 Westside-Augusta 40: Sometimes home court advantage doesn’t work out, just ask No. 3 Laney and No. 9 Westside-Augusta, both eliminated in the Elite Eight. Even the Laney girls fell close to home to rival Morgan County. No. 8 Cedar Grove did exactly what it had to do: take the home crowd out of the game. The Saints did it early by racing out to a 15-5 lead in the first quarter. Cedar Grove elected to slow things down and went four corners with three minutes left in the second quarter and took a 25-15 lead into the half. While Elijah Brown battled with foul trouble inside for the Patriots, Westside continued to play hard and entered the fourth down 36-27. A lack of outside shooting ultimately did in the Patriots. Christian Robinson hit their first three of the game with 4:10 remaining but it was too late as Westside was already down 51-33. Jelani Woods powered Cedar Grove with 17 points. Robinson led the Patriots with 14 points while leading scorer Trez Hawes was held to two points in his final high school game. No. 8 Cedar Grove will get its shot at defending state champion No. 5 Jenkins in the Final Four.

Class AA

R6 #1 Pace Academy 75, R1 #1 Thomasville 48: All those national beatings No. 3 Pace Academy took way back in November and December all seem worth it now after the Knights demolished No. 1 Thomasville who looked disinterested in putting up a fight after a pair of Pace three-pointers in the third quarter broke the Bulldogs’ spirit. Trailing 33-24 at the half, Thomasville still looked like it had a chance to prove their No. 1 ranking. Instead Wendell Carter Jr. wrecked the Bulldog front line and turned the game into a laugher, 55-32 heading into the fourth. Carter finished with 26 points, 14 rebounds, 12 blocks, four assists and two steals, continuing to cement himself as the No. 1 ranked junior in the entire country. Big men Reggie Perry, Alex Perry and Titus Wright all struggled to put a dent in Carter and Isaiah Kelly inside. Kelly had 11 points and five rebounds while Zack Kaminsky added 14. It was Barrett Baker’s third quarter daggers that broke Thomasville’s morale. He finished with 17 points. Reggie Perry scored 16 in the loss while older brother Alex had 12.

R4 #1 Crawford County 61, R6 #4 Holy Innocents’ 51: The Golden Bears finally bowed out after a great run as a four-seed. No. 2 Crawford County proved it could win a low scoring game by escaping a tough Holy Innocents’ group. William Jarrell scored 17 points to lead the way. Monkeize Moore had 15 and Marcal Knolton had 14 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks. Brent Duncan posted a game-high 22 points for the Golden Bears inside. Cole Smith and Jules Erving scored 12 and 10 points respectively. No. 2 Crawford County puts its mettle to the test as they meet No. 3 Pace Academy who streaks into the Final Four.

Class A-Private

#6 Whitefield Academy 59, #3 Lakeview Academy 39: Tied at 22 going into the half, Isaiah Hart and Florida A&M signee Brendon Myles decided to take over. The duo combined for 46 of No. 8 Whitefield’s 59 points to advance to the Final Four. Myles scored a game-high 26 while Hart notched 20. The No. 6 Lions lose only one senior from this year’s 25-5 record setting team, Daniel Fadool, who finished his career with 10 points and seven assists. Carter Reeves posted eight points and eight rebounds. Tre Gober scored eight in the loss.

#2 St. Francis 105, #10 St. Anne-Pacelli 79: Too much size and too much talent did in a tough senior-led Viking team. Five-star Arizona-commit Kobi Simmons erupted for 44 points including three monstrous slams in the first quarter to set the tone. St. Anne-Pacelli could never cool off the No. 2 Knights. The Vikings fell behind early 9-0 and saw starting point guard Armon Prophet pick up three quick fouls trying to guard Simmons. Pacelli never quit and took a 53-38 deficit into the half while keeping the game respectable with their three-point shooting, but in the end Simmons along with Chance Anderson’s 21 points and 12 rebounds was too much to overcome. Anthony Showell and Wallace Tucker rounded out the balanced attack with 13 and 10 points respectively. Coach Alan Griffin’s top deep threat Triston Wells canned 28 points while leading scorer throughout the year Tre Sudberry tagged on 22. Prophet, the engine of the Viking offense, finished with 16 points. No. 2 St. Francis meets rival No. 8 Whitefield Academy for the third time this year after winning their first game 60-55 and losing the second 75-73.

Class A-Public

#3 Turner County 69, #6 Calhoun County 47: A new champion will be crowned in Class A-Public following No. 6 Calhoun County’s loss to No. 2 Turner County. Calhoun County gained control early and took a 20-16 lead at the end of the opening quarter. Reggie Ross picked up a third foul midway through the second quarter, however and the Cougars fell apart before the half. Calhoun County went scoreless the final 4:20 of the half and saw the lead evaporate and turn into a 35-25 halftime deficit. Turner County held a 46-40 lead at the end of the third quarter and piled on a 23-7 scoring edge in the final frame.

#7 Hancock Central 75, #2 Taylor County 66: So much for the power rankings. No. 4 Hancock Central broke open a 41-41 tie and outscored No. 5 Taylor County  34-25 in the fourth quarter to advance to Saturday’s Class A-Public semifinals where Turner County awaits . Hancock Central led 30-25 at the half before Taylor County tied it with a 16-11 advantage in the period. Alex Brooks was one of four Hancock players that finished in double-figures as he paced the Bulldogs with a team-high 22 points. Teammates Devojia Tucker netted 14 points, Martravious Smith finished with 13 and Phillipe Scott chipped in 12. The Bulldogs battle with Tammarion Terry and the Rebels in the Final Four.

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