The No. 6 ranked Cedar Grove Saints ran away to a 68-42 win over the Stone Mountain Pirates to complete a Region 5-3A basketball road games at Stone Mountain on Tuesday night.

With the Saints (13-6, 8-1) leading 14-8 after the end of the first quarter, Jamari Dean got an offensive put back to start a 22-4 run by Cedar Grove in the second quarter as the Saints took control.

Eight other Saints would get in on the scoring act in the run, including six by Kanoris Cummings to end the run with a 36-12 lead with 53 seconds to play in the first half.

Stone Mountain’s Shaun Hazelton hit a three-pointer and Jacorrie Knolton hit a layup to cut the lead to 36-17 at the half.

Leading 42-27 with 4:06 to play in the third quarter, the Saints went on a tear scoring 21 more points spurred by Dean’s dunk and free-throw for an old fashioned three-point play to start the explosion.

Dean would add seven more points in the run and Tworn Seals rebound slam just before the end of the quarter gave Cedar Grove a 63-30 lead heading into the final quarter.

Dwain Atherly scored six of the Pirates (1-16, 1-8) last 12 points in the shortened fourth quarter to help close the gap to the 68-42 final.

Jamari Dean finished with a 17-point, 13-rebound double-double to lead the Saints while Kanaris Cummings added 16. The Saints pulled down 46 rebounds in the game.

Stone Mountain’s Shaun Hazelton hit for 16 points and Dwain Atherly put in 12 to join him in double figures for the Pirates.

(G) Cedar Grove 41, Stone Mountain 40
Mikaysha Lemon completed a Cedar Grove Saints rally with a basket with 1:20 left in the game to give her team a 41-40 thrilling victory on the road at Stone Mountain in the opening game of the Region 5-3A doubleheader.

The win helped even the season series at one win apiece after Stone Mountain took an exciting 58-52 overtime game at Cedar Grove back on January 13.

Stone Mountain (7-9, 7-3) had used a 7-0 run at the end of the third quarter that ended with a long shot over half court by Jordyn Alexander to take a 31-30 lead into the final period.

Cedar Grove (5-5, 4-5) pulled back ahead at 34-31 on short 4-0 run to open the fourth quarter on a basket by Mynaisha Mitchell and two free throws by Lemon with 6:40 to play.

Stone Mountain answered again on an offensive put back by Ariel Jones and three by Jada Price to go up 36-34 with 3:58 remaining. Jones made it 38-35 with another offensive board and layup with 3:31 left.

Lemon took over for the Lady Saints at that point scoring on a drive to the basket and a steal and layup to keep it a one-point game at 40-39 with 2:09 to play. Lemon with a toe on the three-point line hit the go-ahead shot with 1:30 to play.

Both teams would miss free throw opportunities down the stretch and with 2.7 seconds to play Stone Mountain had the ball one last time. Alexander got another shot from about the same spot on the floor as the third quarter buzzer beater, but was wide off the backboard as Cedar Grove hung on for the victory.

Lemon finished with 13 points, nine in the fourth quarter, and added 8 rebounds to lead Cedar Grove. Jada Hardison had 11 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double to lead Stone Mountain and Jordyn Alexander added a 10-point, 14-rebound double-double of her own for the Lady Pirates.