Hebron earns chance to repeat: Recapping Day 2 of the Georgia high school basketball semifinals

By Zach Shugan | Photo by Ed Turlington

Hebron Christian got the better of Galloway for the third time in five weeks, as a put-back by sophomore Nickyia Daniel with three seconds left broke the tie and lifted the Lions to a 49-47 win.

Hebron, the defending state champion in Class A Private, will face off against Mount Paran next weekend in Macon. Either the Lions will repeat as state champs, or the Eagles will win their first-ever state title.

Class 7A

Harrison extended its win streak to 21 games with a 59-52 victory over Archer at Buford City Arena. After finishing as state runner-up twice in recent years, the Hoyas can hang their first state championship banner with a win over Norcross (25-5).

Class 6A

After winning its first state championship in 2018, Lovejoy has a chance to add some more hardware to its trophy case. Sophomore guard Bryanna Preston dropped 30 points while leading Lovejoy to a 71-56 win over Rockdale County in Carrollton.

The Wildcats will see Sequoyah, which took down Kell in a 40-38 win, for the 6A state championship game Friday in Macon.

Immediately after Sequoyah and its fans watched the boys team fall one point short to Buford in the semifinals, the girls team took the court and gave them something to smile about. 

Elle Blatchford (15 points) and the Chiefs got past Crystal Henderson and the Longhorns in a close game, moving one win away from their first state title since 1996.

Class 5A

There will be a rematch of last year’s 5A state championship game for both boys and girls, as Woodward Academy looks to repeat against Forest Park. Both squads looked worthy of the throne in dominant final four wins at Fort Valley State University.

Sydney Bowles finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds in Woodward’s 67-35 win over Warner Robins. Forest Park saw a similar level of success in its 60-38 victory against New Manchester.

Class 3A

Lumpkin County left no doubt in a 64-42 victory against Westminster, punching its ticket to the state championship.

Four players scored in double figures for Lumpkin County on Saturday at GCSU, led by 20 points from junior Lexi Pierce. The Indians found out later in the day they will be taking on Greater Atlanta Christian in Macon, as they seek their first-ever state championship.

Greater Atlanta Christian will return to Macon for the third year in a row after picking up a 66-46 win over Pierce County in Milledgeville. The Spartans came up short in the state title game last year after claiming their ninth state title in 2020.

Class A Public

Hancock Central and Lake Oconee Academy, two teams that have never played for a state championship, will get together Wednesday in Macon for the Class A Public state championship game.

Hancock Central stuck out a 50-37 win over Commerce at Valdosta State. Later in Valdosta, LOA cruised in a 58-30 win against Taylor County.

Boys basketball

In the final game of the day at Buford City Arena, Norcross knocked off Newton with a 75-72 victory, setting up a Gwinnett County battle with Berkmar next weekend for the 7A state title.

After trailing 58-54, the Blue Devils went on an 18-4 run in the fourth quarter to take and build their lead. London Johnson and Jerry Deng tallied 21 points apiece in the win.

Class 6A

Buford edged out Sequoyah for a 73-72 win at the University of West Georgia, setting up a showdown with Grovetown in the state title game Friday night.

The trio of Jaylon Taylor (20), Malachi Brown (20) and Alahn Sumler (19) combined for nearly 60 points, as the Wolves put away Dylan Wolle (25) and the hot-shooting Chiefs.

In the other Class 6A semifinal game in Carrollton, Grovetown held on for a 68-63 win over Langston Hughes to reach the state finals for the first time in program history. The Warriors led by double digits entering the fourth quarter, but they had to reclaim the lead in the final minute and put away the game at the free-throw line to earn a trip to Macon.

Class 5A

Both semifinal games in Class 5A needed overtime to settle the score and decide who would punch their ticket to the state championship game.

Eagle’s Landing knocked out Jonesboro with a 67-60 overtime victory in Fort Valley, earning the chance to defend its state title Thursday in Macon.

Meeting up with the Eagles in Macon for a rematch of last year’s state title game is Tri-Cities. The Bulldogs came from behind in the fourth quarter and forced overtime, where they eventually defeated Calhoun by a score of 71-68.

Class 3A

Cross Creek has the chance to repeat as the 3A state champion Friday in Macon, or Windsor Forest can take home its first state title in program history.

Cross Creek won 52-43 over Beach, ending the No. 4 seed’s improbable run in the state playoffs. Junior forward Antoine Lorick posted a game-high 20 points and seven rebounds for the Razorbacks.

Windsor Forest pulled away late to beat Thomson, 60-53, earning a spot in the state championship game. Georgetown signee D’ante Bass led the charge for the Knights with 13 points and eight rebounds.

Class A Private

In one of three final four games that required overtime, King’s Ridge outlasted First Presbyterian Day 59-57 to secure its first state championship appearance in program history.

After FPD’s Jay King (38 points, nine 3-pointers) tied the game at the free-throw line in the final few seconds of regulation, King’s Ridge junior Jack Thomas (seven points, 12 rebounds) hit the game-winning free throws in the final seconds of overtime.

The Tigers (28-4) match up with a massive Greenforest (27-4) team next weekend in Macon to decide who takes the crown in Class A Private.

Class A Public

There will be a first-time state champion crowned Wednesday in Macon, either Warren County or Drew Charter.

Warren County hung on for a 49-48 win against Manchester at Valdosta State University, notching its second consecutive one-point win. In the nightcap at VSU, Drew Charter prevailed in a 70-66 overtime win over Social Circle, handing the 30-win Indians their first loss this season.