2016 DCSD Middle School Girls’ Champion — Champion Lady Chargers

The 2016 DCSD Middle School Basketball Tournament champions were crowned on Saturday as the Champion Lady Chargers and Stephenson Jaguars finished out the tournament with the titles.

Champion knocked off two-time defending champions Stephenson Lady Jaguars in a hard-fought 23-20 victory to win the girls’ title at Cedar Grove Middle School.

Stephenson (15-2) and Champion (17-0) had trouble hitting from the field in the first quarter with Stephenson taking a 5-0 lead into the second period.

Champion got on the board in the second quarter, but still trailed 13-9 at halftime.

Maya Berry tied the game at 15-15 with 2:12 left in the third quarter, but Stephenson’s Marissa Johnson answered with a three-pointer to make it 18-15 just 13 seconds later.

2016 Middle School Girls’ Tournament MVP — Kaelyh Edwards, Champion

Berry made it a one-point game going into the fourth quarter as she pulled down an offensive rebound and put it in the basket to make it just 18-17 in favor of the defending champions with one quarter to play.

The two teams went almost four minutes with a score in the fourth quarter as Champion missed four free throws before KeAndrea Middlebrooks hit a shot from the free-throw line to give Champion its first lead of the game with 2:02 to play.

Rhyan Tinch answered back for Stephenson with a move to the goal and assist by Kassidy Broussard to regain the lead at 20-19 with 1:47 to play.

Champion then took the lead for good with 51 seconds to play as Aniyah Lee found Kamoria Reynolds open underneath for a basket and the 21-20 lead.

Champion’s KeAndrea Middlebrooks (with ball) gets past Stephenson’s Rhyan Tinch along the baseline. (Photo by Mark Brock)

Stephenson missed four free throws in the next 14 seconds as Champion held on to its slim 21-20 advantage.

A jump ball with 17 seconds to play went Stephenson’s way, but a three-pointer was off the mark and the Lady Jaguars had to foul.

Tournament MVP Kaelyh Edwards went to the line for a one-plus-one with just over 10 seconds to play. Edwards sank both free throws to make it a three-point game (23-20).

Stephenson got off a three-point shot that was no good as the clock ran out.

Edwards finished with a game-high 7 points to lead Stephenson while teammate KeAndrea Middlebrooks scored five points and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.

Sierra Wynn (4 points, 9 rebounds), Rhyan Tinch (4 points, 8 rebounds) and Marissa Johnson (5 points) led the Stephenson players.

The title was Champion’s second overall and first since winning the 2013 title while also going undefeated.

2016 DCSD Middle School Tournament Boys’ Champions — Stephenson Jaguars

Boys
Stephenson 59, Miller Grove 51
The Stephenson Jaguars led by the hot shooting of Tournament MVP Eric Gaines rallied past their Region 3 rivals Miller Grove Wolverines 59-51 to defend their 2015 title.

The Wolverines (12-5) built a 29-22 halftime lead behind the play of Terrence Edwards who had 8 points in the second quarter, 4 in a 9-0 run, as Miller Grove pulled away from a 10-10 first quarter tie.

Gaines hit a three-pointer to end the half to pull Stephenson within 7 at 29-22 at the break.

The defending champs trailed 35-25 with 3:59 to play in the third period as Edwards drove the baseline for a layup to put the Wolverines back up by 10.

2016 DCSD Middle School Boys’ Tournament MVP — Eric Gaines, Stephenson

Shane McKenzie got the Jaguars off and running on a 14-0 run to take the lead and Gaines added a pair of three-pointers and a drive to the basket for 8 points to go with a three-pointer by Justin Harris to take a 39-35 lead with just under a minute to play in the third quarter.

Harris added a pair of free throws that put Stephenson ahead 41-37 heading into the fourth quarter.

Jaylinn Coleman opened the fourth quarter with a layup off an assist from McKenzie and hit one of two free throws to extend the lead to 44-37 with 4:53 remaining in the game.

McKenzie got inside for a pair of baskets for the Jaguars to push the lead out to 9 (48-39) with just 3:52 to play.

The Wolverines pulled back within 3 (48-45) with 2:41 left as Danny Carter hit a three-pointer and Shamdarius Echols took a pass from Carter for an easy layup.

Stephenson answered on a steal and bucket from Coleman and a three-pointer and two free throws by Harris to pull out to a 56-49 advantage with 32 seconds to play.

Stephenson’s Shane McKenzie (23) blocks out on a free throw against Miller Grove’s J. Stewart (20). (Photo by Mark Brock)

Gaines finished with a game-high 27 points for Stephenson while Harris added 16.

Miller Grove was led by Edwards with 16 points, Carter with 12 and 8 rebounds and Jahson Wright with 10. Khessli Ingram had 5 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

Consolation Games
Salem and Champion claimed third place in the tournament with victories in the consolation round on Saturday at Cedar Grove Middle School.

Salem finished the season at 16-1 overall with a 34-22 win over the Peachtree Lady Patriots (14-3) to claim the third place trophy.

The Champion Chargers (15-2) knocked off the Chamblee Bulldogs (15-2) 43-40 to claim third in the boys’ tournament.