Southwest DeKalb’s Taylor Christmas (45) and her teammates host a tough Cass squad on Friday night at 6:00 pm in the Class 5A girls’ Sweet 16. (Photo by Mark Brock)
DeKalb County has four home games and four road games as eight teams advanced to the second round of the high school basketball state playoffs beginning Friday.
The No. 4 ranked Southwest DeKalb Lady Panthers (19-6) host No. 6 ranked Cass (25-1) on Friday at 6:00 pm in one of two games involving DeKalb teams on the first night of action.
Southwest DeKalb is coming off a 77-3 win over Walnut Grove. It is the least amount of points allowed in a playoff game by a DeKalb team (boys or girls) in recorded scores. Southwest twice only allowed 23 points (2007 and 2018) while Miller Grove (2013) and Stone Mountain (1999) also allowed a low of 23 in playoff games. The lowest allowed on the boys’ side was 17 by Clarkston against brooklet in 1939’s run to the B state title.
Cass is coming in at 25-1 after defeating Grady 83-57 in the opening round. The Lady Colonels only loss of the season was to Hiram in the Region 7-5A Tournament championship game.
Another Top 10 battle in girls’ action comes on Friday as well with the No. 7 ranked Arabia Mountain Lady Rams (15-2) traveling to Jefferson to take on the No. 3 ranked Lady Dragons (22-4). Arabia won their state playoff opener 71-36 over Heritage Catoosa. Jefferson knocked off North Clayton 82-20.
Three of the six DeKalb teams playing on Saturday get to host Sweet 16 tilts led by the unranked Columbia Lady Eagles (16-7) hosting the No. 4 ranked Rabun Co. Lady Wildcats (19-6) in a 2:00 pm contest. Columbia defeated Gordon Central 51-38 behind 27 points by India Terrell to advance as the Eagles have gone 15-1 since a 1-6 start with the only loss coming to No. 4 ranked Southwest DeKalb during the run. Rabun defeated Haralson County 71-38 to move into the second round.
Another Top 10 battle will be played in DeKalb on Saturday as the No. 3 ranked Miller Grove Wolverines host the No. 9 Luella Lions at 6:00 pm in Class 4A boys’ play.
Miller Grove’s Jamarcus Glover (25) and Stephenson’s Jaylen Peterson (20) battled three times this season. Both hope to lead their teams to Class 4A Sweet 16 wins on Saturday. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Miller Grove (15-4) moved into the Sweet 16 with a 54-40 win over Central-Carrollton. Kyair Greene hit for 17 points while Jahmil Barber and Tyriek Boyd added 11 points each. Luella (18-6), the No. 3 seed from Region 5, knocked off No. 2 seeded North Oconee 74-57 on the road to advance.
The final home game for DeKalb has the Class 5A No. 6 ranked Lithonia Bulldogs hosting unranked Chapel Hill Panthers. Lithonia held off a furious Greenbrier rally to win 62-53 in their first round game. Chapel Hill, the Region 6 No. 4 seed, upset, No. 1 seeded Calhoun 56-36 on the road to move into the Sweet 16.
Class 4A has another Top 10 matchup set for 6:00 pm on Saturday as the No. 8 Stephenson Jaguars (11-5) headed to Athens to take on No. 6 Cedar Shoals (19-8). Stephenson moved into the Sweet 16 with a 72-62 win over Pickens behind 29 points from EJ Walker and 15 from Chase Ballard. Cedar Shoals knocked off Mt. Zion-Jonesboro 66-43 to set up the Top 10 meeting.
Class 6A boys Sweet 16 action features the Tucker Tigers (15-6) heading to Evans to take on the No. 3 ranked Knights (20-2). Tucker got 20 points from David Giddens in a 60-54 road win over Valdosta to earn the trip to the Augusta area. Evans went down to the wire before defeating Effingham County 67-64.
The final game involving a DeKalb team has the No. 4 ranked Columbia Eagles (18-6) traveling to Hogansville to take on unranked Callaway (9-9) in Class 2A boys’ play. Columbia beat No. 10 Chattooga 74-67 behind Kawasiki Ricks 8-for-8 from the free throw line down the stretch. Callaway beat Union County 65-42 to move into the Sweet 16.
Fans are allowed at all DeKalb home games, but are limited to 50 fans per team and must be bought online. Links will be forwarded to the schools to give parents the first opportunity to purchase. Check GoFan.com for links to purchase tickets to the away games.
DCSD STATE PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
SWEET 16 ROUND
Friday, Feb. 26
Class 5A Girls
Cass (25-1) at SW DeKalb (19-6), 6:00 pm
Class 4A Girls
Arabia Mountain (15-2) at Jefferson (22-4), 6:00 pm
Saturday, Feb. 27
Class 2A Girls
Rabun Co. (19-6) at Columbia (16-7), 2:00 pm
Class 6A Boys
Tucker (15-6) at Evans (20-2), 5:00 pm
Class 5A Boys
Chapel Hill (16-10) at Lithonia (17-3), 6:00 pm
Class 4A Boys
Luella (18-6) at Miller Grove 15-4), 6:00 pm
Stephenson (11-5) at Cedar Shoals (19-8), 4:00 pm
Class 2A Boys
Columbia (18-6) at Callaway (9-9), 6:00 pm