Columbia’s Tahmar Mann (13) drives during second half action of Columbia’s first round playoff win over Providence Christian. Mann hit for 13 points in the third round win over Southwest of Macon. (Photo by Mark Brock)
The Columbia Eagles defense shut down the Southwest Patriots (Macon) in the first half on the way to a 55-37 Class 2A state playoffs Elite Eight win at Southwest on Wednesday night.
Columbia (28-3) led 11-5 after the opening period of play and in the second quarter put 18 points on the board while allowed the Patriots (19-9) just a single basket by Kyle Jefferson.
The Eagles opened things up from the outside with three-pointers by Deontae Hill, Tahmar Mann and Brandon Bigsby while Jamarcus Hatcher got four points working under the basket. Quay Wallace added an old fashioned three-point play and LaShawn Thompson scored two more as the lead ballooned to 29-7 at the half.
Southwest’s CJ Howard hit a pair of three-pointers in the third quarter as the Patriots put double what they scored in the first half but still trailed 45-21 by the end of the period.
Columbia kept control led by Wallace’s three buckets and two each from Mann and Hatcher.
Trevian Callaway hit for four points in the fourth quarter as did Mann as the Eagles cruised in for the 55-37 win to advance to the Class 2A state semifinals on Saturday for the second consecutive season.
Columbia will take on Westside of Augusta for the third consecutive season and second consecutive semifinal meeting. Westside (27-4) defeated Model 78-40 on Wednesday to advance to the semifinals. Westside won both the last two playoff meetings including a55-52 win last year and 67-57 in the 2022 quarterfinals.
Game time is set for 7:00 pm at Georgia College and State University’s Centennial Center in Milledgeville.
Tucker’s Josiah Lawson (23) found the going tough against Maynard Jackson’s Elijah Brown (10). Lawson still managed 28 points in the tough loss in the third round of the Class 5A state playoffs. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Class 5A Boys
The Maynard Jackson Jaguars rallied from a 10-0 first quarter deficit to knock off the homestanding Tucker Tigers 77-69 in the Elite Eight round of the Class 5A boys’ state playoffs at Tucker on Wednesday.
Tucker jumped out the gate quickly as Josiah Lawson scored five of the first eight points with a 15-foot jumper, drive to the basket and free throw. Khayri Dunn scored the other five points with an old-fashioned three-point play and a length of the court drive following a defensive rebound.
Jackson (21-8) then put together a 15-4 run taking advantage of four Tucker turnovers. The last of which was a steal and basket by Max Young that gave the Jaguars their first lead of the game at 15-14.
Tucker (23-6) went back up 18-15 on baskets by Corde Neyland and Lawson before Yusef Bowyer Jr. hit the second of four threes on the night to knot the game at 18-18 with 15 seconds left in the first quarter. Lawson answered with three of his own to give Tucker a 21-18 lead at the buzzer.
Cassious Watkins completed a four-point play after being fouled on a made three to give the Jaguars the lead for good at 36-32 with 1:59 left in the half.
A foul and then a technical on Tucker with 3.8 seconds left before halftime gave the Jaguars four free throws with Bowyer and Donaven Thomas both hitting two. The Tigers trailed 42-35 at the half.
Jackson led by as much as 14 points in the third quarter following another Bowyer three-pointer before the Tigers began to chip away. Tucker trailed by eight (62-54) heading into the fourth quarter on a Steven Pritchett put back before the buzzer.
Back-to-back baskets by Lawson and Neyland trimmed the lead to four (64-60) with 4:38 to play and despite having opportunities to close it even further could not capitalize.
Tucker would go 0-6 at the free-throw line in the final quarter while Bowyer hit a three-pointer and Watkins and Thomas would ice the game by hitting four consecutive free throws in the final minute of play.
Lawson led the Tigers with 28 points (4 three-pointers) and was joined in double figures by Dunn with 18 (7 rebounds) and Neyland with 11 (7 rebounds).
Jackson had five players in double figures led by Bowyer with 18, Young with 16, Watkins with 15 (7 rebounds), Thomas with 13 and Cameron Dover with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
DCSD BASKETBALL STATE PLAYOFF RESULTS
Wednesday, Feb. 28
Class 5A Boys
Maynard Jackson (21-8) 77, Tucker (23-6) 69
Class 2A Boys
Columbia (28-3) 55, Southwest Macon (19-9) 37
DCSD BASKETBALL STATE PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Saturday, March 2
Class 2A Boys Semifinals
Georgia College and State University Centennial Center
Columbia (28-3) vs. Westside-Augusta (27-4), 7:00 pm