A matchup of the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in Class 2A looked like a championship game as the Columbia Eagles rallied from down as much as 12 points in the first half before falling 55-52 to the defending Class 2A state champion Westside of Augusta Patriots in their semifinal meeting the Centennial Center on the campus of Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville on Saturday night.

Columbia (30-2) trailed 20-9 after the first quarter in which the Eagles shot just 3 of 16 from the field and then down 12 with 5:52 to play in the first half on a tip in by Westside’s Demarco Middleton.

The Eagles then went on an 11-0 run to cut the lead to 24-23 on a three-point play by Jamarcus Hatcher with 3:27 to play.

Westside (24-7) pushed the lead back out to 33-23 on a three pointer by Amauri Tillman. Baskets by Rashad Headges and Jaden Baugh closed it back to 33-27 with 10 seconds to play.

Tillman made it a 36-27 lead at the half as his long three-pointer at the buzzer banked into the basket.

Columbia trailed by 10 (38-28 with 7:11 to play in the third before beginning to creep back into the game behind six points from Kevin Bruce in a 12-4 run. Baugh had a layup and hit one of two free throws in the final 37 seconds to pull the Eagles within 41-43.

Baugh opened the fourth quarter taking an inbounds pass from Headges for an easy layup to knot the game at 43. Westside answered with a three-pointer by Xavier Goss and a basket by Khalon Hudson to go up 49-43 with 5:25 remaining.

The Eagles continued to fight back on two baskets by Terrell Wright and then two free throws by Headges to tie the game this time once again at 49.

A drive by Middleton put Westside up 51-49 with 2:17 to play and Bruce was one of two from the line with 1:30 to play to cut the lead to one (51-50).

Westside missed two big free throws leading 51-50 that ended up in the hands of Hudson giving the Patriots opportunities to run more time off the game clock. Tillman and Middleton who missed the previous free throws would both go 2-2 at the line in the final 28 seconds to seal the win up 55-50.

Wright got a late basket before the buzzer for the Eagles to make the final of 55-52.

Kevin Bruce led the Eagles with 13 points and five rebounds in the game and was joined in double figures by Terrell Wright with 11 points and 14 rebounds and Jaden Baugh with 10 points and 5 rebounds.

Westside was led by Khalon Hudson with 12 points and 18 rebounds and joined in double figures by Tillman and Middleton with 11 points apiece.

DCSD BASKETBALL STATE PLAYOFFS RESULTS
Friday, March 3
CLASS 3A BOYS SEMIFINALS
FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY, FORT VALLEY
Cedar Grove (20-9) 61, Douglass (16-14) 45

Saturday, March 4
CLASS 2A BOYS SEMIFINALS
GEORGIA COLLEGE AND STATE UNIVERSITY. MILLEDGEVILLE
Westside-Augusta (24-7) 55, Columbia (30-2) 52

DCSD BASKETBALL STATE PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE
Friday, March 10
CLASS 3A BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP
MACON COLISEUM, MACON
Cedar Grove (20-9) vs. Sandy Creek (25-6), 3:00 pm

Saturday, March 11
AAASP BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
MACON COLISEUM, MACON
DeKalb Silver Streaks (5-2) vs. Houston Co. Sharks, 3:00 pm