Lakeside’s Ella Steed (22) dribbles past a Central Gwinnett defender. (Photo by Mark Brock)
The second night of region basketball tournament action added seven more teams to the list of state qualifying teams from DeKalb including the Lakeside Lady Vikings and Lithonia Lady Bulldogs who broke long playoff draughts on Tuesday night.
Lakeside (11-10) had not made the state playoffs since 2005, but hitting 11 of 14 free throws in the final 2:54 helped seal a 42-31 win over Central Gwinnett (9-17) at Norcross and one of four girls’ playoff berths from Region 7-7A
Adia Bouldin hit 4 of 6 from the line in the final 2:08 t o help Lakeside break pen a four-point game. Teammates Diamond Jackson and Brieyona Johnikin were both 2-2 at the line in the final 24 seconds to insure the Lady Vikings win.
Central Gwinnett’s Tyler Ramsey hit a three-pointer with 2:42 to play to close the gap to four (33-29) and Central had to begin fouling to send Lakeside to the line.
The Lady Vikings had led by as much as 15 (23-8) with 5:02 to play in the third quarter following back-to-back layups by Bouldin and Johnikin before Central began to get hot.
The gap was down to 25-20 heading into the fourth quarter when Lakeside got four points from Diamond Jackson to push the lead back out to 9 (31-22) with 4:59 to play.
Bouldin and Johnikin led Lakeside with 10 points each while Emyah Fortenberry (9 points, 13 rebounds) and Diamond Jackson (8 points, 12 rebounds) helped Lakeside dominate on the boards 46-17.
Lakeside moves on to play No. 1 seed Brookwood (14-11) at Norcross at 6:00 pm on Wednesday.
Lakeside’s Lenox Davis (3) changes gears on a fast break against Central Gwinnett’s Jakhain Herbin (2). (Photo by Mark Brock)
(B) Central Gwinnett 60, Lakeside 56
The Lakeside Vikings (9-15) came up short of earning their first state tournament berth since 2010 as a late three-point lead slipped away in a 60-56 loss to Central Gwinnett at Norcross on Tuesday.
A three-pointer by Elwood Moore and a goaltending call on Miles James’ layup with 2:10 to play rallied Lakeside from a 49-47 deficit into a 52-49 lead.
Two Lakeside turnovers led to two free throws by Deavon Garrett and a three-pointer by Skylar Adams as Central Gwinnett (7-17) flipped the lead to 54-52 with 55 seconds to play. A missed shot by the Vikings and two free throws from Adams made it 56-52 with 47 seconds to play.
Moore would hit four free throws in an 11 second span to cut the lead to 57-56, but Central got one free throw from Deondre Miller and two more from Adams to close out the win in the final 12 seconds.
Myles James hit for a game-high 21 points and Elwood Moore had 18 for the Vikings. DaQuan Hawkins and Adams had 12 points each to lead Central with Kazon Peters adding 10 points.
Region 5-5A At Arabia Mountain
The Lithonia Lady Bulldogs recovered from a tough overtime loss to Miller Grove last Friday to pull off a 34-26 victory on Tuesday night to earn their first state playoff berth since 2002. Most of the team wasn’t even born yet, but Pamela Johnson got them competing hard to put together a late season push.
Lithonia moves on to face No. 1 seed Southwest DeKalb (19-6) on Friday at 7:00 pm at Arabia Mountain.
Boys’ action at Arabia Mountain had the host Rams falling 80-59 to the Columbia Eagles (15-10) as Columbia claimed its 17th consecutive boys’ state playoff berth. Columbia moves on to face No. 1 Lithonia (24-1) on Friday at 8:30 pm at Arabia Mountain.
Region 4-6A at Lovejoy
The Stephenson Lady Jaguars (18-8) rolled past Mundy’s Mill (7-20) 60-42 to pick Coach Dennis Watkins’ 20th consecutive state playoff appearance. Stephenson face highly ranked Forest Park on Friday at 4:00 pm at Lovejoy in the first girl’s semifinal.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Lions rallied to within 2 in the final minute before a late turnover helped Morrow hold on for a 75-69 win in boys’ action. The Lions season ends with a 12-13 record.
Region 4-4A
The Druid Hills Lady Red Devils (14-12) took a page from their male counterparts picking up a 50-40 win over No. 3 seed Eastside (14-9) to claim a second consecutive state tournament berth. The Red Devils had also knocked off the No. 3 seed (Salem) on Monday to make the state tournament.
Region 5-3A
Two more girls’ teams qualified for state as Stone Mountain (8-14) and Cedar Grove (16-5) won at Lovett on Tuesday night to advance.
Stone Mountain knocked off DeKalb rival Redan (7-16) 50-43 and Cedar Grove ran past fellow DeKalb rival Towers (5-15) 56-25.
Stone Mountain plays No. 1 seed Westminster (19-6) at 7:00 pm on Wednesday at Lovett and No. 2 seed Cedar Grove faces Pace Academy (12-13) at 4:00 pm.
DCSD REGION TOURNAMENET RESULTS
Tuesday, Feb. 4
Region 7-7A at Norcross
Girls (winner gets playoff berth)
Lakeside (11-10) 42, Central Gwinnett (9-17) 31
Boys (winner gets playoff berth)
Central Gwinnett (7-17) 60, Lakeside (9-15) 56
Region 4-6A at Lovejoy
Girls (winner gets playoff berth)
Stephenson (18-8) 60, Mundy’s Mill (7-20) 42
Boys (winner gets playoff berth)
Morrow (15-11) 75, M.L. King Jr. (12-13) 69
Region 5-5A at Arabia Mountain
Boys (winner gets playoff berth)
Columbia (15-10) 80, Arabia Mountain (11-14) 59
Girls (winner gets playoff berth)
Lithonia (9-14) 34, Miller Grove (8-14) 26
Region 4-4A at McDonough
Girls (winner gets playoff berth)
Druid Hills (14-12) 50, Eastside (14-9) 40
Region 5-3A at Lovett
Girls (winner gets playoff berth)
Stone Mountain (9-14) 50, Redan (7-16) 43
Cedar Grove (16-5) 56, Towers (5-15) 25
Region 6-2A at Douglass
Boys
McNair (2-20) vs. Therrell (18-7), 8:30 pm
DCSD REGION TOURNAMENET SCHEDULE
Wednesday, Feb. 5
Region 7-7A at Norcross
Girls
Lakeside (11-10) vs. Brookwood (14-11), 6:00 pm
Region 4-6A at Lovejoy
Girls (winner gets playoff berth)
M.L. King Jr. (13-11) vs. Mt. Zion (16-8), 4:00 pm
Tucker (4-22) vs. Lovejoy (21-4), 7:00 pm
Boys (winner gets playoff berth)
Stephenson (15-9) vs. Mundy’s Mill (16-9), 5:30 pm
Tucker (21-3) vs. Drew (1-23), 8:30 pm
Region 7-6A at Chattahoochee
Girls (winner gets playoff berth)
Dunwoody (10-10) vs. Johns Creek (14-11), 8:30 pm
Region 5-5A at Arabia Mountain
Boys (winner gets playoff berth)
SW DeKalb (13-12) vs. Chamblee (6-16), 5:30 pm
Miller Grove (17-9) vs. Clarkston (2-23), 8:30 pm
Girls (winner gets playoff berth)
Arabia Mountain (20-4) vs. Clarkston (3-21), 4:00 pm
Columbia (13-8) vs. Chamblee (1-19), 7:00 pm
Region 5-3A at Lovett
Boys
Cedar Grove (6-16) vs. Pace (21-4), 8:30 pm
Girls
Cedar Grove (16-5) vs. Pace (12-13), 4:00 pm
Stone Mountain (9-14) vs. Westminster (19-6), 7:00 pm
Region 6-2A at Douglass
Girls
McNair (3-18) vs. Hapeville (18-7), 7:00 pm