The Cedar Grove Saints junior varsity finished an undefeated season by downing the Southwest DeKalb Panthers 49-43 in the DCSD JV Boys' Championship title game.

The Cedar Grove Saints junior varsity finished an undefeated season by downing the Southwest DeKalb Panthers 49-43 in the DCSD JV Boys’ Championship title game.

The Cedar Grove Saints closed out an undefeated season as the DeKalb County Junior Varsity Boys Basketball Championships titlist with a 49-43 win over the Southwest DeKalb Panthers at Miller Grove on Saturday.

The two teams battled in the first half with five lead changes as the Saints (12-0) held a 22-21 lead at the break as the Panthers (10-2) cut it to one on a layup by Tavarius Johnson with 11 seconds left.

Southwest DeKalb grabbed a short-lived 23-22 lead on an offensive put back by Braylon Carter before the Saints put together an 8-0 run led by six points from Chase Boyce, including a three-pointer to go up 30-23.

The Panthers cut the lead to three twice over the next two minutes before a three-point play by Josiah Sweet and a three from the left corner by Tayson Blunt with 2.4 seconds left in the quarter to give the Saints a 40-31 cushion with a quarter left to play.

Southwest DeKalb closed to within 45-43 with 34 seconds to play as they took advantage of a pair of turnovers, including a steal and layup by Jourden Smoak.

Cedar Grove's Tayson Blunt (with ball) gets ready to shoot a big three-pointer as the end of the third quarter as Southwest DeKalb's Tavarius Johnson (left) comes over to defend. Blunt's shot put the Saints up 40-31 with 2.4 seconds to play in the third quarter. Plays like this one helped Blunt earn MVP honors. (Photo by Mark Brock)

Cedar Grove’s Tayson Blunt (with ball) gets ready to shoot a big three-pointer as the end of the third quarter as Southwest DeKalb’s Tavarius Johnson (left) comes over to defend. Blunt’s shot put the Saints up 40-31 with 2.4 seconds to play in the third quarter. Plays like this one helped Blunt earn MVP honors. (Photo by Mark Brock)

Cedar Grove closed out the game with four points off late turnovers by the Panthers to get a pair of free throws from Cameron Clark and an offensive put back by Swet for the final of 49-43.

Cedar Grove had three players in double figures led by Tayson Hunt, the game’s Most Valuable Player, with 13 points. Joining him in double figures were DeRico Welch with 11 points and 11 rebounds and Sweet with 10 points and eight rebounds.

Demetrius White topped the Panthers scoring with 12 points and Niaire Wilson added nine points and seven rebounds.