Columbia’s Nia Anderson (2) shoots for three during second half action of the Lady Eagles’ 63-18 Region 5-2A win. (photo by Mark Brock)
Columbia hosted a pair of Region 5-2A Basketball Tournament first round games with the boys’ and girls’ squads cruising to convincing wins to clinch state playoff berths on Tuesday night.
They both reach the tournament semifinals to be played on Thursday night at Eagle’s Landing Christian.
The Lady Eagles (20-5) held the Elite Scholars Royal Knights (1-19) to just 14.3 percent (2 for 14) from the floor in the first while racing out to a 33-7 halftime lead behind the play of Nia Anderson.
Anderson had two layups, one following a steal and hit a three-pointer late in the first quarter to give Columbia a 13-3 heading into the second quarter. The Knights got one basket from Promise Omelogu with 2:32 to play for the first of two in the half.
Anderson put up six more points in the second period and Jakiah Slaughter added four and five rebounds, three offensive, as the Lady Eagles dominated. Aalon Turners hit a three-pointer with under a minute to go an Anderson followed just 19 seconds later with a layup on a pass from Kerselin Anderson to send Columbia into the half up 33-7.
Seven different Lady Eagles scored in a 17-point third quarter with Kerselin Anderson and Keamaura Robinson both contributing four points as the lead expanded to 50-11 with one quarter to play.
Omelogu scored all seven points in the fourth quarter for Elite while seven different Lady Eagles put points on the board to round out the 63-18 final.
Nia Anderson finished with a game-high 15 points to lead the Lady Eagles and Jakiah Slaughter finished with eight points and 10 rebounds. Kendall Campbell and Keamaura Robinson finished with eight points each.
Omelogu finished the night with 14 points for the Lady Knights.
In other 5-2A girls’ play, the Redan Lady Raiders dropped a 48-24 decision to Landmark to close out their season.
Columbia’s Chance Reynolds (15) drives around a pick set by teammate JaShawn Thompson (25) during the Eagles’ 80-29 Region 5-2A Tournament win. (Photo by Mark Brock)
(B) Columbia 80, McNair 29
Quay Wallace led four Columbia Eagles in double figures scoring in the 80-29 run-away win over the McNair Mustangs in the Region 5-2A boys’ nightcap at Columbia.
The Eagles’ defense helped the error-prone offense in the first quarter by not allowing McNair a basket on the way to a 14-1 opening period lead. Tahmar Mann hit for five points and Jmarcus Hatcher added four which included the first four points of the game.
Columbia’s offense got rolling in the second quarter as five Eagles combined for 23 points led by Wallace’s eight points and four rebounds. McNair got warmer from the field in the second quarter putting up 17 points in the quarter led by Kamar Gooden and Isaiah Wise with four points each.
Despite much better shooing in the second quarter McNair was still own 37-18 to the Eagles.
The Eagles scored 23 points in the third quarter as three-pointers by Brandon Bigsby, Tahmar Mann and Chance Reynolds were combined with a 10-point outburst by Wallace. McNair was limited to just two baskets and a pair of free throws as the lead ballooned to 60-24 with a quarter to play.
Reynolds finished off the game with a steal with 37 seconds remaining to make it 80-29. Reynolds had 11 points in the final quarter.
Wallace finished the night with a well-rounded 18-point, 11 rebound performance for the Eagles. Joining Wallace in double figures were Reynolds with 14 points, Mann with 11 and Brandon Bigsby with 10. Jamarcus Hatcher added eight points and 14 rebounds.
Kamar Gooden led McNair with 7 points in the game.
In other 5-2A boys’ action, the Towers Titans (15-11) picked up a first round win in overtime against the Redan Raiders (10-14) by a 70-63 margin. Towers had lost two close games to Redan in the regular season by a total of four points including a 64-61 last second three by Redan at Redan and a tough 46-45 home loss. The Titans return to the state playoffs for the first time since the 2018 season.
REGION 4-6A
(B) North Atlanta 65, Dunwoody 48
The Dunwoody Wildcats (9-15) had a late surge to earn the No. 4 seed in Region 4-6A boys play but dropped a 65-45 decision to North Atlanta (10-14) in quarterfinal play. The loss ends the Wildcats’ season.
REGION 6-4A
The only DeKalb team to advance to the state playoffs tonight was the Southwest DeKalb Lady Panthers (20-6) with a 60-12 victory over Miller Grove (7-16) at Holy Innocent’s on Tuesday night.
Southwest advances to face Westminster (18-6), an 80-12 winer over Druid Hills (9-16), on Friday night.
In other girls’ action the Stone Mountain Lady Pirates (7-18) moved into the quarterfinals with 51-44 win over Clarkston (2-20)
The Stephenson Jaguars (7-17) battled Hapeville Charter (14-12) into overtime before falling 75-72t to close out their season in boys’ quarterfinal matchup.
The Stone Mountain Pirates (8-17) also had their season come to an end in the tournament quarterfinals as they fell 73-39 to Westminster (18-8).
Tuesday, Feb. 13
REGION 6-4A at St. Pius
(B) North Atlanta (10-14) 65, Dunwoody (9-15) 48
REGION 6-4A at Holy Innocents
(G) Stone Mountain (7-18) 51, Clarkston (2-20) 44
(rescheduled)
(Winners in 4A State Playoffs)
(G) Westminster (18-6) 80, Druid Hills (9-16) 12
(B) Hapeville (14-12) 75, Stephenson (7-17) 72 OT
(G) SW DeKalb (20-6) 60, Miller Grove (7-16) 12
(B) Westminster (18-8) 73, Stone Mountain (8-17) 39
REGION 5-2A AT TOP SEED
(Winners in 2A State Playoffs)
(G) Columbia (20-5) 63, Elite Scholars (1-19) 18
(G) Landmark Christian (15-4) 48, Redan (5-18) 24
(B) Towers (15-11) 70, Redan (10-14) 63 OT
(B) Columbia (23-2) 80, McNair (1-25) 29
Wednesday, Feb. 14
REGION 4-5A at Tucker
SEMIFINALS
(G) Decatur (7-12) vs. Chamblee (15-5), 4:00 pm
(B) M.L.King (18-8) vs. Decatur (17-6), 5:30 pm
(G) Lithonia (6-17) vs. Arabia Mountain (22-2), 7:00 pm
(B) Lithonia (9-15) vs. Tucker (20-4), 8:30 pm
REGION 6-4A at Holy Innocents
(Winners in 4A State Playoffs)
(G) Hapeville (9-15) vs. Stephenson (14-10), 4:00 pm
(B) SW DeKalb (10-14) vs. Druid Hills (15-10), 5:30 pm
(G) Stone Mountain (7-18) vs. Holy Innocents (19-6), 7:00 pm
(B) Miller Grove (4-20) vs. Holy Innocents (19-6), 8:30 pm
Thursday, Feb. 15
Region 4-6A at Riverwood
Semifinals
(G) St. Pius (14-12) vs. Lakeside (17-6), 4:00 pm
REGION 5-2A AT Eagle’s Landing Christian
Semifinals
(G) Landmark Christian (15-5) vs. Columbia (20-5), 4:00 pm
(B) Towers (15-11) vs. Columbia (23-2), 5:30 pm
(G) McNair (14-12) vs. Callaway (22-3), 7:00 pm
(B) Landmark/Callaway vs. ELCA (21-5)