AAAAAA
Lowndes 53, Marietta 44: Senior guard Tashia Brown scored 18 points to lead host Lowndes over Marietta in overtime. Marietta led throughout the entire game until Brown was fouled shooting a 3-point shot and made all three free-throw attempts to tie the game at 40 at the end of regulation. From there, the Vikings scored the first six points in overtime to secure the win. Of the 18 points Brown scored, 13 came in the fourth quarter and overtime. For the Blue Devils, senior guard Kayla Wilson scored 13 points while junior forward Chandler Warren added nine.
McEachern 81, Douglas County 52: The host Indians set the tone early and jumped to a 24-13 lead after the opening quarter that was extended to a lopsided 45-19 halftime advantage. Junior point guard Te’a Cooper led McEachern with 28 points, eight assists, five rebounds and three steals and junior power forward Caliya Robinson controlled the paint with 18 points, 11 rebounds, nine blocks and four steals. The Indians also got double-figure scoring from senior guard Taylor Gordon (13) and sophomore guard Jada Lewis (10), who also dished out eight assists. Juniors Maya Benham and Santasia Faust led Douglas County in scoring with 17 and 12 points, respectively.
South Forsyth 53, Parkview 50: Host South Forsyth received a 3-pointer from Sarah Myers with less than two minutes to go to take a 1-point lead, then got a blocked shot from Ashley Hammond with less than 20 seconds to go to advance to its first semifinals appearance in program history. South Forsyth finished the game 20-of-22 from the free throw line. Myers, a sophomore guard, led the War Eagles with 19 points. Sophomore guard Kenyatta Storms added 12 and Shelby Threlkeld had 11. The War Eagles led 25-20 at the half, and led by one heading into the final period of a see-saw game.
AAAAA
Drew 72, Greenbrier 59: Visiting Drew trailed 20-17 after the first quarter, but outscored Greenbrier 18-11 in the second quarter to grab a 35-31 halftime lead. Senior center Lakiaya Sims netted a game-high 32 points to go with 16 rebounds. Sims hit all 11 of her fourth quarter free-throw attempts to ice the game and finished 14-of-17 from the line. Junior guard Shaun Gayden added 15 points for Drew and Greenbrier junior Morgan Taylor paced the Wolfpack with a team-high 19 points.
Forest Park 44, Effingham County 37: Host Forest Park led 25-20 at the half and spoiled the Rebels’ attempt at a fourth quarter comeback by holding them scoreless the final six minutes of the game. Sophomore point guard Tamecia Blue led the Panthers with a team-high 15 points. Only three Rebels found the scoring column, but junior forward Kyesha Lewis netted 23 points in a losing effort.
AAAA
Columbus 61, Columbia 52: A massive second-half comeback by visiting Columbus earned the Blue Devils their first trip to the final four since the 2003-04 season. Columbia opened the game on a 13-4 run and extended its lead to 22-9 early in the second quarter and Columbus trailed 30-21 at the half. Senior guard Yaktavia Hickson, who netted a game-high 28 points finished the half with 17 points including an 11-point opening quarter to give Columbia its early lead. In the third quarter, Columbus went on a 17-8 run to tie it at 38-38, but Hickson sunk a 3-pointer at the buzzer to reclaim the lead (41-38) heading into the fourth quarter. With three minutes left the Blue Devils took their first lead at 46-43 and outscored the Eagles 23-11 in the period. Senior point guard Jacqueria Gunter scored 15 of her 18 points in the second half to pace the Blue Devils and sealed the win by sinking all six of her free-throw attempts in the final minute. Senior guard Alexia Manning and freshman forward Anyah Copeland each finished with 14 points for the semifinal-bound Blue Devils.
Redan 52, Fayette County 45: Visiting Fayette County led 12-6 after the first quarter, but Redan went on a 19-6 run in the second quarter to take the lead and hold on for the win. Senior guard Destini McClary led the Raiders with 19 points and senior forward Jada Byrd added 12. Sophomore forward Taylor Tucker pulled down 14 rebounds for Redan and was 3-for-4 from the free-throw line.
South Effingham 45, Monroe 31: The visiting Mustangs broke a halftime tie (17-17) and outscored Monroe 28-14 in the second half to earn their first trip to the final four in school history. Sophomore Shae Leverett had 10 points, 23 rebounds and nine blocks and senior guard Machala Raymonville led the Mustangs with a game-high 18 points. Tianna Germain ran the point and finished with 12 points, four steals and six assists.
AAA
Beach 53, Washington County 52: Junior guard Irie Spann hit a 3-pointer with less than 20 seconds left to give Beach a 1-point lead it would not relinquish. Sophomore center DyManee Royal led Beach with 14 points and junior guard Jacqueline Anderson added 13 for the host Bulldogs. Washington County was led by senior Shonterria Kitchens’ 17 points. Sophomore Nia Johnson and junior Dakequa White each added 15 for the Golden Hawks. Jasmine Knight led Washington County with 10 assists. The loss is Washington County’s first of the season.
St. Pius X 51, Morgan County 38: St. Pius’ man-to-man half-court defense rattled Morgan County as the visiting Golden Lions roared to an 8-0 lead to start the game. Senior guard Jasmine Carter led St. Pius with 26 points (10-for-10 from the free-throw line) and junior guard Asia Durr added 23, as the pair scored all but two of the Lions’ points. Durr led coach Kyle Snipes’ team with 10 rebounds. St. Pius led 11-4 after one period, 20-12 at the half and 35-26 after three.
AA
Putnam County 54, Dublin 52: The visiting Eagles led 17-9 after the first quarter, but the Irish got their bearings in the second quarter and tied it at 21 before claiming the lead at 23-21 with a Jasmine Hollis bucket. Putnam County reclaimed the lead and extended its 3-point lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter with an early 6-0 run that extended the margin to 48-41. Dublin battled back with a 9-3 run to cut the deficit to 51-50, but Putnam County’s Kianna Reid scored to give the Eagles a 53-50 edge and then Wykessia Butts hit one of two free throws to make it a 4-point game (54-50). La’Shayla Pittman earned a trip to the foul line with 13 second left and got Dublin within two points (54-52). On the ensuing possession, Putnam County turned it over and Pittman drove the court only to see the potential game-tying shot hit the front of the iron.
Kendrick 65, Greater Atlanta Christian 62 (OT): The game’s best two players fouled out in the fourth quarter, as GAC’s Briana Cummings (35 points) and Kendrick’s Kahlia Lawrence (12 points) each watched the end of regulation and overtime from the bench. Senior Donivan Dyson scored 10 of her 12 points in the fourth quarter and overtime for Kendrick. Kendrick was down seven at the half, but rallied to win the third quarter 19-12 and tie the game by the end of the period. Lawrence’s 12 points was her season-low. Sydni Means added 14 for GAC.
Wesleyan 64, Jefferson 33: Visiting Wesleyan outscored Jefferson 15-6 in the first quarter and went on to lead 31-20 going into halftime. The Wolves were led by freshman guard Mikayla Coombs who scored 17 points and pulled down six rebounds. Junior forward Nikki McDonald added 12 points and 14 rebounds while senior guard Landyn Duley scored 11 points and seven rebounds. The Wolves broke the game open when they scored eight consecutive points at the start of the third quarter. Wesleyan outscored the Dragons 15-5 in the fourth quarter.
A
Claxton 55, Emanuel County Institute 54: Claxton rallied in the fourth quarter and junior point guard Nyeisha Kirkland hit a game-winning basket on a baseline drive with 4.7 seconds left. The visiting Bulldogs led Claxton 24-21 at the half and increased the lead to 42-36 heading into the final quarter. Claxton surged in the final quarter and outscored ECI 19-12 in the fourth quarter. Sophomore forward Keri Brown fueled the Tigers’ comeback and finished with a game-high 21 points and 14 rebounds. With the win, Claxton clinched its first semifinals appearance in program history.
Darlington 57, Calvary Day 38: The visiting Tigers expanded their 22-16 halftime lead by outscoring Calvary Day 21-9 in the third quarter to take a comfortable 43-25 lead into the fourth. Senior captain Maggie Beth Atha led Darlington with a game-high 21 points and finished 8-for-8 from the foul line. As a team, the Tigers shot 14-of-19 from the line and freshman wing Anna Claire Atha, junior forward Rachel Simon and senior forward and captain Sarah Manning each finished with eight points.
Holy Innocents’ 72, Mt. Paran 51: Sophomore forward Erika Cassell scored 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead host Holy Innocents’. The Golden Bears led 46-30 at halftime and went on a 15-7 run in the third quarter. Sophomore guard Sydney Long tallied 13 points and five rebounds for Holy Innocents’ while freshman point guard Khayla Pointer added 12 points and four assists.
Randolph-Clay 62, Towns County 48: Host Randolph-Clay led Towns County 34-19 at the half and held on despite being outscored 17-15 in the third quarter. Senior Guard Brandie Buie led the Red Devils with 30 points while sophomore forward Kobi Thornton added 22. For Towns County, senior guard Eryn Cochran scored 16 points. The Red Devils were 17-of-31 from the free-throw line while the Indians were 9-of-15.
Southwest Atlanta Chr. 48, George Walton Aca. 37: Southwest Atlanta Christian went on a 13-0 run to end the first quarter after host GWA jumped out to an 8-1 lead. The Warriors’ full-court press caused 16 turnovers and held GWA to a season-low 37 points. Senior point guard Marquita Daniels led SACA with 20 points and freshman guard Tiamya Butler added 13 points and led the team with five assists. Senior center Ivy Atkism led GWA with 17 points and nine rebounds while senior guard Cynara Pitt scored 11 points had 10 rebounds and three steals. Freshman center Dominique Banks led SACA with six rebounds.
Stephen Black, Brian Jones and Craig Sager II contributed to this report.
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