A pair of DeKalb boys’ basketball teams picked up state tournament berths on Wednesday night at Decatur as Lithonia and Southwest DeKalb won their Region 5-5A quarterfinal games.

Lithonia moved into the 5-5A semifinals by knocking off DeKalb foe Chamblee 43-39 in a defensive game that was decided by some big turnovers late in the game.

Chamblee’s Thomas Danso sank two free throws twice in the final two minutes to pull Chamblee (12-12) within three. Chamblee got the ball back with 41.1 seconds to play and the opportunity to tie the game with a three-pointer.

Lithonia’s Chase Champion got a steal and was fouled with 38.1 seconds to play. He converted one of two to make it a four-point game at 43-39. Chamblee had another turnover and Lithonia (19-7) was able to run out the clock.

The two teams had played neck-and-neck throughout the game including a 23-23 halftime tie. Elijah Williams dunk late in the third quarter pushed the lead to 34-39 and a basket by Darrius Garrett to open the fourth quarter made it a seven point advantage at 36-29.

A bucket by Matthew McMillen with 3:31 to play pulled Chamblee within 37-35 before a free throw and a layup by Champion pushed it back out to 40-35 with 2:10 to play.

Caleb Taylor led the way for Lithonia with 15 points and Champion finished with 11. Chamblee was led by Thomas Danso with 13 points and 12 rebounds and Douglass Liggions with 12 points.

Lithonia moves on to face rival Southwest DeKalb (20-6), a 70-36 winner over Stone Mountain tonight, on Friday at 4:30 at Decatur.

Southwest DeKalb 70, Stone Mountain 36
Southwest DeKalb jumped to a 10-0 lead in the first 2:09 of the game and continued to pull away for a 70-36 victory over the Stone Mountain Pirates at Decatur.

The Panthers big lead was fueled by back-to-back three-pointers by Jalen Boles before the Pirates would get on the board on a three-point play by Kobe Johnson. Quevas Talley who started the 10-spurt hit back-to-back layups late in the quarter as the Panthers (20-6) took an 18-6 lead into the second period.

Southwest DeKalb used an 11-0 run over the final 2:40 of the first half to take a 22-point lead into the break. Jordan Sanders had five points in the run and the Panthers hit 9 of 10 from the line to ease further away.

Stone Mountain (5-18) never got closer than 20 the rest of the way despite Kobe Johnson’s 16-point, 10-rebound performance. Southwest DeKalb had three players in doubles in Jordan Sanders (14), Xzaviah Taylor (12) and Keiton Tate (10.

In other Region 5-5A play the Martin Luther King Lions (5-21) had their season come to an end with an 81-38 loss to St. Pius X.

DeKalb now has 12 teams with state tournament berths as games the rest of the week will determine their seedings heading into next week’s opening round (Feb. 22-23).

DeKalb now has 14 teams with state tournament berths.

For other scores please see the list below:

DCSD REGION TOURNAMENT RESULTS
Wednesday, Feb. 16
REGION 5-5A BOYS at Decatur
Decatur (13-8) 50, Northview (13-13) 42
Lithonia (19-7) 43, Chamblee (12-12) 39
Southwest DeKalb (20-6) 70, Stone Mountain (5-19) 36
St. Pius X (23-3) 81, ML King (5-21) 38

REGION 6-4A at Stephenson
BOYS
Druid Hills (22-4) 50, Mays (15-10) 37
Marist (18-8) 43, Hapeville (15-9) 38
GIRLS
Stephenson (14-9) 49, Arabia Mountain (18-6) 44
Marist (22-3) 47, Mays (10-14) 20

REGION 5-3A at Sandy Creek
BOYS
GAC (22-5) 53, Salem (21-5) 49
Sandy Creek (24-3) 63, Redan (12-11) 34
GIRLS
Westminster (13-10) 57, Cedar Grove (12-9) 38
Greater Atlanta Christian (21-5), Redan (17-9) 43

DCSD REGION TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday, Feb. 17
REGION 6-2A at KIPP
BOYS
Lovett vs. Columbia (23-3), 5:30
Pace (22-4) vs. Therrell (14-10), 8:30 pm
GIRLS
Lovett (18-8) vs. Columbia (19-6), 4:00 pm
South Atlanta (12-10) vs. Pace (15-6), 7:00 pm

Friday, Feb. 18
REGION 5-3A at Sandy Creek
GIRLS CONSOLATION
Cedar Grove (12-9) vs. Redan (17-9) 4:00 pm
GIRLS CHAMPOINSHIP
Westminster (13-10) vs. GAC (21-5), 7:00 pm
BOYS CONSOLATION
Salem (21-5) vs. Redan (12-11), 5:30 pm
BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP
GAC (22-5) vs. Sandy Creek (24-3), 8:30 pm

REGION 6-4A at Stephenson
BOYS CONSOLATION
Mays (15-10) vs. Hapeville (15-9), 5:30 pm
BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP
Druid Hills (22-4) vs. Marist (18-8), 8:30 pm
GIRLS CONSOLATION
Arabia Mountain (18-6) vs. Mays (10-14), 4:00 pm
GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP
Stephenson (14-9) vs. Marist (22-3), 7:00 pm

REGION 5-5A at Decatur
GIRLS SEMIFINALS
St. Pius (17-9) vs. Decatur (13-8), 2:30 pm
SW DeKalb (17-9) vs. Stone Mountain (13-11), 6:30 pm
BOYS SEMIFINALS
Lithonia (19-7) vs. SW DeKalb (20-6), 4:30 pm
Decatur (13-8) vs. St. Pius (23-3), 8:30 pm

REGION 4-6A at Tucker
GIRLS CONSOLATION
Lakeside (11-11) vs. Westlake, 3:00
BOYS FINAL
Tucker (20-4) vs. Westlake (19-4), 8:30 pm