Chamblee’s Chris Garrett (12) lifts off toward the basket against Arabia Mountian’s Traevon Williams (35) during second halff action last week. (Photo by Mark Brock)
A hard-fought 53-49 win in the quarterfinals of the Region 4-5A Boys’ Basketball Tournament by the Chamblee Bulldogs over the Arabia Mountain Rams secured the Bulldogs their first state playoff berth since 2012.
Despite being up by 15 (31-16) at the half the Bulldogs (8-15) had to hold off a determined Arabia Mountain (11-15) squad that was vying for the program’s first playoff berth.
The Rams cut the Bulldogs’ lead to nine twice in the third quarter , the last time at 37-28 on a pair of free throws by David Williams with 2:17 remaining in the quarter.
Chamblee held a 42-31 advantage after Ari Myer sank all three free throws after being fouled on a three-point shot attempt with 15 seconds to play in the period.
Julian Shanks layup on a pass from Williams trimmed the lead to six (48-42) with 2:09 to go in the game. Shanks would cut it to 50-44 with 1:03 to play.
Zayd Fisher drove for a basket with 45 seconds to play and after a Rams turnover Chris Garrett hit a pair of free throws to push the lead back out to 53-44.
Shanks got a steal and cut the lead to 53-46 with 6.2 seconds. Another turnover by the Bulldogs led to a three-pointer by Joseph Smith with 0.03 seconds left for the final of 54-39.
Chris Garrett had 13 points and 6 rebounds to lead the Bulldogs. H was joined in double figures by Quay Wright with 11 points (8 rebounds) and Zayd Fisher with 10 points. Joseph Smith led Arabia Mountain with 16 points (6 rebounds), David Williams followed with 15 points (6 rebounds) and Julian Shanks added 14 points.
Lithonia’s Lashaj Cline (30) tries to drive past Tucker Elaina Parker (14) during second half action of Lithonia’s 39-31 win over the Tigers. (Photo by Mark Brock)
(G) Lithonia 39, Tucker 31
The Lithonia Lady Bulldogs (8-17) pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 39-31 win over the Tucker Lady Tigers (4-16) in Region 4-5A girls’ basketball action at Arabia Mountain.
Lithonia picked up just its ninth state tournament berth in program history and first since the 2020 season with the win.
The Lady Bulldogs led just 25-21 heading into the fourth quarter as Tucker’s Jacinta Hollins hit a pair of free throws with 2.5 seconds left in the third period to cut into the Lithonia lead.
Tiara Edwards hit a three-pointer to start the fourth quarter for Lithonia and Asia Freeman had back-to-back baskets to give Lithonia a double-digit lead of 32-22 with 3:58 to play.
Freeman made it an 11-point game with 2:26 to play with a layup on an assist from Edwards. Lashaj Cline hit one of two free throws with 44.7 seconds to play to extend the lead to 39-27. Hinari Yusef closed the gap with two free throws along with a layup by Diyah Ruger for a final of 39-31.
Asia Freeman finished with a game-high 16 points for Lithonia while Jacinta Hollins had 15 points and 14 rebounds in the loss for Tucker.
Lithonia’s Chase Lawrence (2) gathers up a loose ball for a steal as M.L. King’s Devin Bowers tries to cut him off. (Photo by Mark Brock)
(B) Lithonia 54, M.L. King 51
The Lithonia Bulldogs (17-8) survived a furious come-back attempt by the Martin Luther King Jr. Lions (6-20) to claim a spot in the Class 5A state playoffs in a 54-51 win on Monday at Arabia Mountain.
Lithonia earned its ninth consecutive state playoff berth in the win despite missing five of its last six free throw attempts in the final 53.8 seconds of the game.
The Bulldogs had led by as much as 47-36 with 5:58 to play on a short jumper by Caleb Taylor along the baseline on a pass from Josh Daniels.
King then went on a 7-0 run with a three-pointer by Zion Vassal closed the gap to 47-43 with just 4:13 to play. Kennedy Ruzvidzo’s three-pointer with 3:31 to play cut the lead to just three (49-46).
Lithonia responded with a two free throws by Taylor and a baseline drive by Chase Lawrence for a reverse layup to make it a 53-46 margin.
Devin Bowers hit a three-pointer with 35 seconds left to cut the lead to two (53-51). A couple of turnovers led to six free throw attempts by the Bulldogs who hit only one of them but was able to r un out the clock as King could not get a good look at the basket as time wound down.
Caleb Taylor led all scores with 22 points for Lithonia while Bowers finished with 17 points (7 rebounds) for the Lions. Joshua Brown added 13 points and 9 rebounds for King.
The Chamblee Lady Bulldogs got a forfeit win over the Martin Luther King Jr. Lady Lions due to sickness to also get a state tournament berth.
The Arabia Mountain girls and Tucker boys earned state tournament berths via their placement as the No. 1 seeds and play on Wednesday.
OTHER STATE TOURNAMENT BOUND TEAMS
The Columbia Lady Eagles and Eagles flew into the Class 2A state playoffs via wins over Towers in both girls and boys play.
Both Towers and McNair’s boys and girls teams were eliminated on Monday night.
The Redan Raiders picked up a state tournament berth as with its 53-18 win over Elite Scholars.
REGION 4-5A
QUARTERFINALS AT ARABIA MOUNTAIN
Monday, 2/13/23
(G) Lithonia (8-17) 39, Tucker (4-16) 31
(B) Chamblee (8-15) 53, Arabia Mountain (11-15) 49
(B) Lithonia (17-8) 54, M.L. King (6-20) 51
(G) Chamblee 1, M.L. King 0 (FFT)
REGION 4-6A
FIRST ROUND
(B) Lakeside 56, North Atlanta 54
(G) Dunwoody 41, South Cobb 21
REGION 6-4A
(B) Stone Mountain 59, Clarkston 34
(G) Stone Mountain 1, Clarkston 0 (FFT)
REGION 5-2A
(B) Redan 53, Elite Scholars 18
(G) ELCA 52, Redan 28
(B) Callaway 73, McNair 30
(G) Callaway 54, Elite Scholars 26
(B) Columbia 102, Towers 42
(G) Columbia 69, Towers 23
(B) Landmark Christian 62, ELCA 56
(G) Landmark Christian 76, McNair 20
TEAMS ALREADY IN PLAYOFFS (11)
(Girls – 5) Arabia Mountain, Cedar Grove, Chamblee, Columbia, Lithonia
(Boys – 6) Cedar Grove, Chamblee, Columbia, Lithonia, Redan, Tucker
16 teams need wins tonight and tomorrow for state playoff berths
DEKALB REGION TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Tuesday, 2/14
REGION 6-4A – QUARTERFINALS
AT MILLER GROVE
(G) Druid Hills (6-16) vs. SW DeKalb (15-10), 4:00 pm
(B) Hapeville (14-10) vs. Miller Grove (14-11), 5:40 pm
(G) Miller Grove (7-17) vs. Westminster (19-6), 7:00 pm
(B) Westminster (10-16) vs. Holy Innocents (14-10), 8:30 pm
REGION 4-6A – QUARTERFINALS
AT RIVERWOOD
(G) North Atlanta (8-15) vs. Lakeside ( 13-9), 4:00 pm
(B) Dunwoody (11-14) vs. South Cobb (12-12), 5:30, pm
(G) Dunwoody (6-19) vs. St. Pius (12-11), 7:00 pm
(B) Lakeside (11-14) vs. Riverwood (16-9), 8:30 pm
REGION 5-3A – SEMIFINALS
AT SANDY CREEK
(B) Douglass (12-12) vs. Cedar Grove (15-8), 5:30 pm
(G) Cedar Grove (3-14) vs. Carver (15-9), 7:00 pm
Wednesday, 2/15
REGION 6-4A – QUARTERFINALS
AT MILLER GROVE
(G) Stephenson (12-12) vs. Hapeville (13-9), 4:00 pm
(B) Druid Hills (15-10) vs. Stephenson (15-10), 5:30 pm
(G) Stone Mountain (5-18) vs. Holy Innocents’ (19-4), 7:00 pm
(B) Stone Mountain (4-22) vs. SW DeKalb (22-2), 8:30 pm
REGION 4-5A – SEMIFINALS
AT ARABIA MOUNTAIN
(G) Chamblee (12-8) vs. Decatur (16-8), 4:00 pm
(B) Lithonia (17-8) vs. Decatur (15-8), 5:30 pm
(G) Lithonia (8-17) vs. Arabia Mountain (23-1), 7:00 pm
(B) Chamblee (8-15) vs. Tucker (18-6), 8:30 pm
REGION 5-2A – SEMIFINALS
AT COLUMBIA
(G) ELCA (9-11) vs. Columbia (19-6), 4:00 pm
(B) Landmark (12-14) vs. Columbia (25-1), 5:30 pm
(G) Callaway (16-6) vs. Landmark (18-8), 7:00 pm
(B) Redan (14-7) vs. Callaway (12-11), 8:30 pm