Charlton, Wilkinson boys; Lake Oconee, Clinch girls advance to state championships in Macon.
Boys: Charlton County 50, Greenforest 49
A game-winning 3-point shot from Jarvis Wright as time expired completed Charlton County’s upset of Greenforest in the Class A Division II semifinals.
The game was tied at 15 after the first quarter but Charlton took a 27-24 lead at the half. Greenforest’s 14-7 run in the third quarter gave the Eagles a 38-34 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Wright, a 6-foot-2 sophomore shooting guard, entered the semifinals averaging a team-leading 20 points per game and finished with 14 points against Greenforest. Jamari Hamilton scored 16 points to lead the Indians ahead of Elyiss Williams, who scored 11 points. Isaiah Lloyd scored 12 points, DK Manyiel Dut added 11 points and Gai Choi scored 10 points.
Charlton (29-2) beat Early County 66-32, Telfair County 79-42, Hancock Central 68-45 and Greenforest to earn the program’s first-ever championship berth.
Boys: Wilkinson County 85, Macon County 63
Wilkinson County has a storied basketball history, winning 10 state championships from 1999 to 2016 and the bid for the program’s 11th championship is alive after a 85-63 victory over Macon County in the Class A Division II semifinals.
Wilkinson County led 22-15 after the first quarter and 36-33 at the half following an 18-14 run from Macon County in the second quarter. The Warriors took control of the game with a 26-14 effort in third quarter and a 23-16 effort in the fourth quarter. Justin Stanley scored 25 points for Wilkinson County.
Wilkinson County beat Greenville 85-37, Fulton Leadership 79-52, Portal 46-42 in the quarterfinals. Macon County was on path for the program’s first-ever championship.
Girls: Lake Oconee Academy 34, Mount Zion-Carroll 14
Defending-champion Lake Oconee Academy advanced to the state title game while having little trouble in the Titans’ 34-14 victory over Mount Zion-Carroll in the opening game of the day of the Class A Division I semifinals at Valdosta State.
Senior point guard Jada Williams scored 18 of Lake Oconee Academy’s 34 points in a game where the Titans led 21-3 at the half.
Lake Oconee entered the tournament as the Region 8 champion and beat Bowdon 76-32, Schley County 63-34, Turner County 58-23 and Mount Zion-Carroll to earn the title berth.
Girls: Clinch County 63, Taylor County 55
Clinch County’s bid for the program’s fourth first state championship, but first since 1993, is still alive after moving past Taylor County 63-55 in the penultimate game of the Division II semifinals.
Clinch trailed 10-4 early in the first quarter but put together a run to lead 18-12 entering the second quarter. Taylor County cut into the lead but trailed 26-24 at the half. Clinch County took a 43-37 lead into the fourth quarter after a 17-13 run in the third quarter.
Ameyion Grady scored 30 points, with 25 coming in the second half, to lead the Panthers.
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