Woodward Academy and Cross Creek will matchup in the boys state championship game while Americus-Sumter takes on Troup in Thursday’s girls final. Here’s a look at how each of the teams advanced to the ultimate stage.
In the quarterfinals, Woodward Academy and Sandy Creek went down to the wire in a game that had a championship feel to it as two of the state’s most talented teams and prospects—Woodward Academy’s 7-footer Walker Kessler and Sandy Creek’s 6-foot-10 prospect Jabari Smith—went head-to-head. Kessler would finish the 58-56 victory with 33 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks while Smith notched 25 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks. Kessler’s final basket came on a dunk with 37 seconds left that gave Woodward Academy a 56-55 lead. Sandy Creek’s Deshaun Procter drew a foul on the following Patriots possession and split the attempts to make it a 56-56 game with 26.2 to play. Woodward’s Michael Whitmore assisted Logan Stephens for the game-winning basket with just enough time for Sandy Creek to get off a desperation half-court shot that missed the mark at the buzzer. The War Eagles took on a red-hot Denmark squad in the semifinals and left with a convincing 64-43 victory. Jacorrei Turner’s dunk with 1:20 left in the game put Woodward ahead 58-41 and unleashed a streak of high-flying routines that kept the War Eagles in control. The final flurry of dunks became an exclamation point as Woodward punched its ticket to the state championship game after losing to Carver-Columbus one year ago in the semis. A total of five Woodward players scored in the game, led by Kessler’s 21 points. Turner and Will Richard each scored 12 points.
Cross Creek made history by reaching its first-ever semifinal and now sits just one win away from closing out the program’s first-ever state title. The Razorbacks emerged from Region 3-AAAA with the No. 1 seed and defeated defending state champion Carver-Columbus 58-51 in the opening round. Cross Creek matched up with a tough Marist squad in the Sweet Sixteen and grinded out a 34-32 victory. In the quarterfinals against Region 6-AAAA champion LaFayette, Cross Creek went on the road and overcame a 31-15 halftime deficit to keep its historic season alive with a 58-55 victory to punch its semifinal ticket. The Razorbacks were led in scoring by Kobe Stewart (19), Corey Trotter (16) and Makhi Climons (11). In the semifinals at Fort Valley State this past weekend, Cross Creek executed a game plan to perfection during its 51-36 victory against St. Pius X in. The plan of attack laid out by coach Lawrence Kelly, was for the Razorbacks was to limit the effectiveness of Pius guard Brookes Kahlert. Solid execution of the plan helped Cross Creek hold St. Pius to just 10 points with six minutes left in the third quarter. Cross Creek led 9-6 after the first quarter, then held the Golden Lions to four points in the second quarter. Kahlert, who finished with five points, only managed two points in the first half. The Razorbacks led 21-10 at the break. Stewart finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. Corey Trotter scored 11 points with nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and four blocks. Climons scored eight points with nine rebounds and two assists.
After not earning a trip to the state tournament last year, Americus-Sumter is rolling into the state finals with a 28-2 overall record and a series of clutch, hard-fought playoff victories over formidable opponents. Americus-Sumter is 1-2 against Carver-Columbus this season and perfect 27-0 against its other opponents. The Panthers opened up this year’s playoffs with a 49-32 win over Burke County before edging Marist 33-32 on the road in the Sweet Sixteen. Americus-Sumter fell behind 11-0 in a scoreless first quarter before fighting back to defeat the War Eagles and keep their season alive. In the quarterfinals, Americus-Sumter found itself paired up with the Spalding Jaguars, who like Marist are an incredibly talented opponent. The two teams battled back and forth until the Panthers pulled away in the fourth quarter in a 47-42 triumph. In the semifinals, Americus-Sumter met with Region 4-AAAA champion Luella, the third-straight region champion that the Panthers had met. Americus-Sumter would outscored Luella, a semifinalist last season, 7-2 in overtime to defeat the Lions 56-51 and advance to the state title game. Americus went 5-of-8 from the free-throw line in the OT and got a field goal from Trinity Jackson to secure the victory. After trailing Luella 11-6 after the first quarter, Americus responded with a 20-5 run in the second quarter to take a 26-16 lead at the half. Luella came back in the third quarter with a 20-10 run to tie the game at 36-36 entering the fourth quarter. Jelissa Reese, a senior shooting guard, scored 18 points to lead Americus-Sumter.
Troup is one victory away from its first state basketball championship after defeating Carver Columbus, the defending Class AAAA champions, 56-47 last weekend’s semifinals at Fort Valley State University. Troup led 14-13 after the first quarter, but pulled away with a 17-9 run in the second quarter to lead 31-21 at halftime. The Lady Tigers extended the lead in the third quarter, then survived a late Carver run to reach the championship game. Carver outscored Troup 14-10 in the fourth quarter, but could not get close enough to seriously threaten. Freshman shooting forward Alexcia Murphy led Troup with 15 points, and sophomore shooting forward Aniya Palmer scored 13 points. Amber Gilbert and Jada Greene combined for 16 points. The big semifinal victory followed the Tigers’ previous rounds of hard-fought victories. Troup went on the road and outscored McDonough 37-24 in the second half of its 58-48 quarterfinal victory. Murphy once again shined, closing out a 25-point, 21-rebound performance. In the Sweet Sixteen Troup defeated top-seeded Cross Creek 46-45 on a Murphy buzzer-beater. The game was tied 44-4 when Erin Martin went to the foul line with just 6.5 seconds left. Martin made her first attempt to give Cross Creek a 45-44 lead, but the second attempt did not fall and Troup’s 6-foot sophomore Aniya Palmer secured the rebound. Palmer took her dribble the length of the court and found Murphy, who posted up near the baseline and hastily lofted in the game-winning basket at the buzzer.
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