MACON -- Greater Atlanta Christian completed its three-game season sweep of rival Buford, and this time it was with emphasis.
The Spartans (28-5) claimed their second consecutive state championship Saturday afternoon at the Macon Centreplex. Their previous two wins over the Wolves (24-9) were by a combined nine points, but GAC used big runs in the second and third quarters to make the state final a 76-36 laugher.
“ You want to save your best for last, OK?” GAC coach Eddie Martin said. “This was the third time we played them. We stole one at their place. They had us, missed some free throws down the stretch, and we took them to overtime to beat them. We won by three at our place in late January.
"It had been just two unbelievable ballgames. But our kids just had fire in their eyes tonight. ... If you can save the best for last, it can’t end any better than that.”
Indeed. Over the final 2 1/2 quarters, the Spartans outscored the Wolves 53-20, never allowing Buford to score on two consecutive possessions.
“We knew how to play them, and I just think we wanted it more tonight,” said GAC’s Malcolm Brogdon, a Virginia signee who scored 20 points, 17 in the second half. “We just came out with fire and passion to win the game.”
The GAC win denied Buford a boys-girls championship sweep, but the Davis family managed to claim two championships. GAC sophomore A.J. Davis, who scored 14 points in the finals, is the twin brother of Buford girls player Kaela Davis, and both left the building with championship hats and T-shirts.
“We just work hard,” A.J. said. “I just like to see her succeed, and she wants to see me do good. We both pulled it out. Both teams played great.”
A third GAC player, senior Trent Boyd, finished in double-figure scoring. He scored 14, with 11 in the second half.
GAC reeled off an 11-4 run over the final four minutes of the second quarter, pushing an eight-point lead to 34-19 at intermission, and the Wolves pulled away in the third period with an 18-2 run, sparked by three baskets from Trent Boyd in a 70-second span. When Buford’s T.J. Shipes finally broke the run, GAC had increased its lead to 30 points.
“We just played solid,” A.J. Davis said. “It all started on the defensive end. After we started getting stops, our offense got going, too. We had never really played a solid game against Buford.”
Alex Flagler scored 12 points to lead Buford.
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