MACON -- The Jonesboro boys won their second straight Class AAAA Boys championship on Thursday but it didn’t come easy.
The No. 1-ranked Cardinals were pushed to the limit by Carrollton, but managed to prevail 55-50 thanks to some clutch performances at the end by sophomore James Walker and senior Tracy Hector Jr.
Walker scored 21 points, including eight in the final two minutes. The wing was 6-for-6 at the line and converted a steal into basket in the final 1:22.
Hector scored 20 points and had 10 rebounds, but he scored three consecutive baskets in the fourth quarter to break a 39-39 tie and put the Cardinals ahead to stay.
“They expected to do this,” Jonesboro coach Dan Maehlman said. “I didn’t. I’ve had some really good teams that were stopped short. Right now they’re enjoying the moment.
Jonesboro, ranked No. 8 in the country, lost its only regular-season game to Montverde (Fla.) Academy.
Jonesboro (32-1) also got 10 points from Austin Donaldson.
Carrollton (29-3) was led by center Montae Glenn, who had 22 points and 11 rebounds.
“These kids are incredible,” Maehlman said. “They’re so unselfish. All they wanted to do was step on the floor and play for each other every night.”
That Hector was even playing was remarkable. The senior has a tendon that’s tearing away from his ankle and plays in pain. But Maehlman said the thought of sitting it out never occurred to Hector, who played his final high school game.
Carrollton’s defense put Jonesboro on its heels to start the game, but the Cardinals used a 10-4 spurt to surge ahead and take a 16-14 lead. The stretch included 3-pointers from Walker and Austin Donaldson.
Jonesboro completed a 9-0 run early in the second quarter to take a 20-14 lead. Carrollton was able to beat Jonesboro’s tough zone defense by throwing it inside, with Glenn and Jarrel Rowe each scoring in the lane. Still, Jonesboro led 24-20 at intermission.
Jonesboro regained the momentum midway in the third quarter. The Cardinals reeled off seven straight and took a 35-25 lead on a steal and basket by walker with 4:12 remaining. That didn’t deter Carrollton, which came back to get within five and trailed 37-32 entering the last period.
Carrollton tied the game at 37-37 on a 3-pointer by Cooper Criswell, his second of the second half. But Hector scored three consecutive inside baskets to put the Cardinals in front by six.
The game got a bit ugly with 3:18 remaining. Walker took a hard foul from Glenn as he drove to the basket, leading to a technical foul on Glenn and another on Jyair Mincy for shoving Glenn in the back.
Carrollton had its chances. The Trojans twice got to within three and had the ball, but could not convert. They drew to within one when Dontae Bonner drained a 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds.
But Walker made two free throws with 3.4 seconds left and Carrollton’s attempt to throw the ball deep, over the head of the Jonesboro defense, bounced out of bounds. Walker hit two more free throws to finish the scoring.
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