The Pace Academy boys and Griffin girls took this year’s Class 4A basketball state titles as newcomers to the classification. Griffin entered 4A after previously competing in Class 5A and Pace Academy made the jump up from Class 2A. Here’s how the Knights and Bears capped their championship runs in Macon.
Pace Academy won its first state title since 2021 and fifth overall after a 66-54 victory over Fayette County. The Knights led 39-32 at halftime, and used an 8-0 run in the third quarter to push their advantage to double-digits and led throughout the rest of the game. Pace Academy dominated on the glass, out-rebounding Fayette County 41-19. Knights junior small forward LJ Moore led all scorers with a game-high 23 points and added seven rebounds. 4-star guard Kyle Green scored 19 points and added five rebounds for the Knights. Robert Hurst led Fayette County with 12 points. The victory gave Pace Academy head coach Sharman White his 499th career win and 10th championship as a head coach.
Griffin and first-year head coach Roy Johnson won its first state title in program history after a 51-47 victory against Baldwin. The Lady Braves held a four-point lead with 1:10 left in the game, but Griffin closed the game on an 8-0 run with clutch three-pointers from Zamiyah Hosley and Leah Turner to give them the lead. Turner was scoreless in the first half but ended the game with two clutch free throws and a 17-point second half. Aaliyah Duranham added 20 points for the Bears. Baldwin led throughout most of the game but the 22 turnovers and ten missed free throws would prove the difference in the game. Janaye Walker and Kassidy Neal combined for 33 points, with Walker posting a 21-point, 19-rebound double-double.
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