The No. 2 ranked Southwest DeKalb Lady Panthers advanced to the Final Four of the high school girls’ state basketball playoffs for the eighth time in 10 years with a convincing 71-56 victory over the No. 8 ranked Eagle’s Landing Golden Eagles on Tuesday night.

Texas A&M signee Jada Walton had a big night for the Panthers (26-4) hitting for a game high 27 points, including a pair of back-to-back baskets with late in the third quarter to give her team a 20-point lead (48-28) with 2:52 left in the period.

Eagle’s Landing would not quit and with Chelsea Aalim’s put back with 1:10 left in the third the Eagles (26-4) had cut the lead to 12 (49-37).

Lanee Edwards, who had 16 points on the night, stepped up with a layup from Chantz Cherry’s steal and then with 8.6 seconds left in the quarter hit a three-pointer and was fouled. She sank the free throw to complete the second four-point play of the game for the Panthers and a 55-37 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Kiela Howard opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer and the Eagles showed they were not going to go down without a fight. Eagle’s Landing took advantage of missed free throw opportunities by Southwest DeKalb (5 consecutive misses) to pull as close as they had been since the first quarter at 62-52 with 1:11 to play on a Howard drive to the basket.

Walton, who had missed most of the fourth quarter with a lower leg problem, gutted it out late hitting four consecutive free throws with just under a minute to play to push the lead out to 66-52 with 44 seconds remaining.

Canice Collins would miss her first free throw, but strung together her next five attempts in the final 34 seconds to keep the Eagles at the double-digit distance.

Walton hit for 15 of her points in the first half, including the final eight of the first quarter. Her final four of the period came via a four-point play on a three-pointer and foul shot to end the first quarter with her team up 18-12.

Collins made a steal and passed to Cherry for a layup to start a 6-0 run to solidify the Panthers’ lead. Ruona Uwaisaba had back-to-back baskets to push the lead to double digits at 24-13.

The Panthers went on another 7-0 run fueled by Walton’s drive to the basket and a three-pointer to go with a Michaela Benefield layup increased the lead to 31-15 with 2:45 left in the half.

Eagle’s Landing would get a pair of Ashley Foster baskets in the final 1:48 of the half to close the gap to 31-19 at the half.

Uwaisaba would add 6 points and 12 rebounds for Southwest to go with the 27 points from Walton and 16 points from Edwards.

Ashley Foster hit for 15 points in the second half to finish with 21 points in the game and Kiela Howard added 16 for the Eagles.

Southwest DeKalb, the defending Class 5A champs, advances to the 2:00 pm game of the semifinals at Columbus State on Saturday against No. 4 ranked Flowery Branch (24-6).

Class 6A Girls
The Stephenson Lady Jaguars had their run in the Class 6A state playoffs end with a 65-46 loss to No. 1 ranked Northview on Tuesday.

Stephenson finishes the season 20-11 overall and were the last No. 4 seed left in the 6A bracket.

DCSD BASKETBALL STATE PLAYOFFS RESULTS
Tuesday, Feb. 28
Class 5A Girls
SW DeKalb (26-4) 71, Eagle’s Landing (26-4) 56

Class 6A Girls
Northview (28-3) 65, Stephenson (20-11) 46

DCSD BASKETBALL STATE PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE
Wednesday, Mar. 1
Class 5A Boys
Riverwood (23-5) vs. Miller Grove (20-8), 6:00 pm
Lithonia (13-16) at Cedar Shoals (25-4), 7:30 pm

Saturday, March 4
Class 5A Girls Semifinals at Columbus State
SW DeKalb (26-4) vs. Flowery Branch (24-6), 2:00 pm,