CARROLLTON -- Norcross High's basketball team put an end to the "West Georgia curse" Saturday.
The Blue Devils defeated Wheeler 63-54 in the Class AAAAA quarterfinals.
"We're definitely enjoying it this year," Norcross coach Jesse McMillan said. "It was really tough walking out of this same building the last two years with losses."
Norcross (22-9) has bad memories of West Georgia, site of the quarterfinals. Saturday's win was the first in three consecutive attempts there in the playoffs' third round.
Last year's loss was the most devastating. Norcross thought it had upset Milton, but the referees ruled a foul was called at the same time as the final buzzer. Julian Royal sank two foul shots with no time on the clock in a controversial 52-51 win, with Milton eventually capturing last season's state championship.
"It's a good feeling to come out of this place with a win because last year was a tragedy," Norcross guard Chris Bolden said. "Now that we won here, we feel we like we can win anywhere."
On Saturday evening, Wheeler trailed by four points at the start of the fourth quarter before falling apart on offense. Norcross went on a dominating 23-7 run to seal the win.
It likely was the best 10-minute stretch of the season for Norcross. With a 63-43 lead with 37 seconds remaining, McMillan pulled all five of his starters to a standing ovation from the team's supporters.
"I think with our players, this win puts to rest that we belong this far in the playoffs," McMillan said. "Early in the year, we had some issues on the floor and really weren't defending the way we were supposed to do.
"To win a game of this magnitude and win it with our defense, it really gives the guys a lot of confidence that they belong in the state semifinals."
Alonzo Nelson-Ododa led Norcross with 20 points, while Bolden scored 18. Wheeler, who defeated the Blue Devils in the regular season, had K.K. Simmons finish with a team-high 17 points.
It has been a long journey for Norcross, which lost nine of their first 16 games. The Gwinnett school is peaking with 15 wins in a row.
"We're absolutely playing our best basketball of the season," McMillan said. "We're defending well and scoring at a pretty high rate. You can't ask for more than that. We're playing with a lot of confidence and enthusiasm."
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