The DeKalb Silver Streaks fell 49-30 in the GHSA AAASP wheelchair basketball state championship against the Houston County Sharks on Saturday. (Photo by Mark Brock)
The Houston County Sharks used a big 10-0 run in the second half to pull away to a 49-30 win over the DeKalb Silver Streaks in the GHSA American Association of Adapted Sports Programs Wheelchair Basketball State Championship at the Macon Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.
DeKalb (5-3) and Houston (8-0) were in a back-and-forth game through most of the first four of the six periods before the Sharks went on the run.
A Najee Smothers free throw had DeKalb within 23-20 with 44.9 seconds to play in the third fourth period but the Sharks’ Adonis Brown scored four points in the final 24 seconds to extend the lead to 27-20 going into the fifth period.
An offensive rebound by McKayla Moody and two baskets by Ger’Mir Gordon to open the period pushed the lead out to 33-20.
Najee Smothers layup with 5:41 left broke the scoreless streak for DeKalb only to have Houston go on a 10-2 run to finish the quarter up 43-24. Smothers would get a basket before picking up his fifth foul and leaving the game with 3:56 left in the period.
A pair of turnovers (7 in the quarter for DeKalb) led to baskets off rebounds by Gordon in a 20 second span and Dalton Crosby scored with 12 seconds left push the advantage to the 19 point margin heading into the final period of play.
DeKalb Silver Streaks veteran Najee Smothers moves up the court during the championship game. Smothers led all players with a game-high 20 points and 11 rebounds. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Cameron Smothers hit a pair of three-point bombs from well outside the college three-point line to round out the scoring for DeKalb in the final quarter.
Najee Smothers had 13 points in the first half and Cameron Smothers hit a basket off an offensive rebound to tie the game at 15-15 at the half.
It was the second consecutive championship meeting for the two teams with Houston County winning back-to-back titles.
Najee Smothers finished with a game high in both points with 20 and rebounds 11 to lead DeKalb. Cameron Smothers added 8 points and 8 rebounds. King “KJ” Murray had two points and 3 rebounds.
Gordon finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds to lead Houston County. Brown had 12 points and Jaquavious West finished with 10 points while Dalton Crosby and McKayla Moody finished with 6 points.