The Chapel Hill Middle School Lady Panthers basketball team defeated fellow DeKalb team Champion Lady Chargers to win the H.R. Sports Academy Georgia Middle School Girls’ State Championship. Chapel went 20-0 this season. (Courtesy Photo)
In a rematch of the DeKalb County Middle School girls’ basketball title game, the Chapel Hill Lady Panthers bested the Champion Lady Chargers again to win the H.R. Sports Academy Georgia Middle School Basketball Girl’s Championship 47-25 at Charles Drew High School.
Champion (17-2) jumped out to an 11-7 lead by the end of the first quarter. Foul trouble then came into play in the second period as two starting guards for the Chargers had to go to the bench.
Chapel Hill’s pressure took over at that point forcing turnovers as the Lady Panthers went on a 15-3 run in the second quarter to take control of the game up 22-14 at the half.
The Panthers put together a 15-5 run in the third period to all but put the game away up 37-19 after three quarters of play. Being strong on the boards and hitting big shots along the way in the second half closed out the 47-25 win.
Mauri Barnes was game’s leading scorer with 11 points to earn her second postseason MVP award. She was followed by Chapel Hill teammates Avantey Gilreath with nine points, and seven points each from Kennedi Thomas and Janise McCoy.
Lailah Cox led the Chargers with eight points and Kamaya Rivers-Childs added six points.
The Champion Lady Chargers middle school basketball team defeated Clayton County’s Eddie White Lady Wolfpack in the semifinals of the H.R. Sports Academy Georgia Middle School Basketball Championships. (Courtesy Photo)
SEMIFINAL GAMES (Feb. 17)
Champion 48, Eddie White 43
The Champion Lady Chargers rallied and knocked off Clayton County’s Eddie White Middle School Wolfpack 48-43 in overtime to advance to the championship game.
Coach Wesley Zellers’ squad trailed the Wolfpack by two with 5.9 seconds to play in regulation and called timeout. Kamaya Rivers-Childs got the ball, drove the baseline and lofted a floater for the basket to tie and was fouled with 1.6 seconds remaining.
Childs missed the go-ahead free throw and the teams went to overtime where Champion’s press led to steals and easy layups to close out the 48-43 victory.
Lailah Cox led the Chargers with 18 points and 12 rebounds, Childs finished with 12 points and six steals and Jalaina Alford grabbed 12 rebounds to go with three points. Brooklyn Smith (7 points, 5 rebounds) and Jade Redding (4 points, 5 steals) contributed to the win as well.
Coaches Stephon Broughton (left) and Ronald Moye (right) celebrate an undefeated and state title with two-time postseason MVP Mauri Barnes (middle). (Courtesy Photo)
Chapel Hill 50, Cowan Road 31
The Chapel Hill Lady Panthers advanced to the title game by defeating Griffin-Spaulding County’s Cowan Road Panthers 50-31 in the semifinals.
The game was close after the first quarter with Chapel Hill holding a slim 9-6 advantage. Chapel Hill’s defense stepped up in the second quarter allowing just one free throw by Cowan to take a 23-7 lead into halftime.
Cowan scored 10 points in the third quarter, but Chapel Hill still led by 12 (29-17) going into the fourth period. Chapel Hill closed out the game with a 21-point effort in the fourth quarter to finish the 50-31 victory.
Mauri Barnes led all scorers with 21 points (4 steals) and had help from teammates Janise McCoy with 11 points (9 assists, 7 steals) and Kennedi Thomas with seven points (7 rebounds, 4 steals).