Southwest DeKalb’s Joshua Archer (30) and Tabais Long (20) try to trap Columbia’s Terrence Boykin (23) as he comes up the floor. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Josh Taylor put together a double-double (17 points, 14 rebounds) to lead the Columbia Eagles to a 58-44 Region 5-5A victory over the Southwest DeKalb Panthers on Friday night at Southwest DeKalb.
A free-throw by Taylor with 4:29 to play in the third quarter gave the Eagles a 34-22 lead before the Panthers’ Kemon Williams got hot from behind the three-point arc to close the gap.
Johnson hit three consecutive three-pointers to cut the lead to 34-31 with 2:37 left in the period.
The Eagles (11-5, 6-2) responded with a 10-0 run to end the period to retake control of the game. Jalen Cobb’s jumper with 2:20 to play in the quarter started the big run for Columbia. Kenton Eskridge followed with two free throws and Terrence Boykin slammed home a dunk to continue the run.
Taylor would score a layup on a nice pass from Boykin and then hit a short jumper to send the Eagles into the fourth quarter up 44-31. He would add another short jumper on another assist from Boykin to open the fourth quarter.
Joshua Archer’s pull up jumper with 3:19 to play got the Panthers (11-7, 5-2) as close as they would get the rest of the way at 48-28.
Jalen Cobb’s drive with 10 seconds to lay would make the final of 58-44.
The two teams were knotted at 19-19 with 3:09 to play in the first half when the Eagles put together a 9-0 run to end the half up 28-19. Taylor got it started on an assist from Reyhan Cobb and was followed by Kevon Eskridge hitting a three from the right corner. Kenton Eskridge took an outlet pass from Jalen Cobb for an easy basket and returned the favor with one second remaining in the half as Cobb completed the 9-0 run.
Taylor’s 17 points and 14 rebounds led a group of four Eagles in double figures including Kenton Eskridge with 15 points, Terrence Boykin added 10 points and 9 rebounds and Jalen Cobb added 10 points and 6 rebounds.
Kemon Williams had 16 points and 8 rebounds to lead Southwest DeKalb.
Southwest DeKalb’s Jada Walton (12) looks to the basket as Columbia’s Shontrice Austin (24) tries to defend. (Photo by Mark Brock)
(G) SW DeKalb 58, Columbia 33
The No. 3 ranked Southwest DeKalb Lady Panthers controlled the backboards with 40 rebounds on the way to a convincing 58-33 Region 5-5A win over the Columbia Lady Eagles in the night’s opening game.
Tierra Smith and Ilia Mathis opened the game with back-to-back three pointers to give Columbia (5-7, 3-3) a 6-2 lead with 4:26 to play in the first quarter.
Southwest DeKalb answered with a 12-0 run started by Michaela Benefield’s shot in the lane with 4:13 to play in the period. Chantz Cherry and Kennedy Mormon both hit two free throws as the Lady Panthers (14-4, 7-0) went up 8-6.
A redound and basket by 1,000 point and 500 rebound club member Jada Walton continued the run. Walton would finish the quarter with a steal and layup to send her squad into the second quarter up 14-6.
Walton would open the second half taking an inbounds pass from Cherry for a basket in the lane and Cherry would add two more free throws as the lead expanded to 18-6 with 7:16 to play in the half.
Five more points from Walton in the quarter provided Southwest with a 31-19 halftime lead. The Panthers finished with 19 rebounds in the first half.
Lanee Edwards scored all 11 of her points in a huge third quarter for the Panthers. Edwards would hit three from behind the three-point arc and add a layup from a steal by Cherry as Southwest put 20 points on the board to take control 51-26 heading into the final quarter.
Walton, Edwards and Michaela Benefield would all finish with 11 points for Southwest. Ilia Mathis hit for 11 points to lead Columbia.