Columbia’s Jalen Cobb drives against Arabia Mountain’s Kamaal McCain. Cobb hit 4 free throws in the final 7 seconds to propel Columbia to the Region 5-5A victory at home. (Photo by Mark Brock)

Jalen Cobb hit four consecutive free throws in the final seven seconds to complete the Columbia Eagles’ fourth quarter rally for a 63-59 Region 5-5A victory over the Arabia Mountain Rams on Tuesday at Columbia.

Following tying basket on a drive by Kenton Eskridge, the Rams had a shot blocked out of bounds by Rayhan Cobb with 36.6 seconds to play. The Rams retained the basketball only to commit their second turnover in the final 1:37 of the game to give the ball back to the Eagles with 23.5 seconds to play in the game.

Columbia got the ball into point guard Jalen Cobb who drove the line as the clocked ticked under 10 seconds. He was fouled on his pull up in the lane and went to the foul line where he hit both free throws to give the Eagles a 61-59 lead.

The Rams went to their go-to guy Darius Giles (18 points in the game) who was fouled with 0.8 seconds to play in the game. His first free throw fell off the rim and on an intentional miss on the second one a lane violation was called on the Rams giving Columbia the ball out of bounds with 0.5 seconds to play.

Cobb was fouled before the inbounds and went to the line again. He sank both free throws, his fifth and sixth in the final 2:17 of the game, for the final score of 63-59.

The game was a back-and-forth affair until Cameron Robinson hit a pair of free throws with 2:51 to play in the third quarter for a 36-35 lead.

Robinson would have a three-point play 40 seconds later and Giles would hit two free throws and a drive the baseline as the lead expanded to 47-39 heading into the final quarter.

Giles hit a pair of free throws with 5:13 to play for a 53-46 Arabia Mountain lead. The Eagles would finish the game on a 17-6 run to rally as they controlled the boards 9-3 in the final period.

Cobb would hit a pair of free throws and another basket to close the gap to 57-55 with 1:48 to play. Eskridge sandwiched a pair of drives for baskets around a Giles jumper to tie the game at 57-57 and 59-59.

Giles’ 18 points led the Rams (2-3, 0-1) while Jordan Sterling added 14 and Robinson 10. Cobb had 13 points, 10 in the fourth quarter, to lead the Eagles (3-1, 1-0) while Kenton Eskridge contributed 12 and Rayhan Cobb put in 9 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Arabia Mountain’s Iyanna McMillian (4) and Iyanla Kitchens (right) double-team Columbia’s Deidra Harris (2). (Photo by Mark Brock)

(G) Arabia Mountain 35, Columbia 27
The Arabia Mountain Lady Rams jumped out to an 8-0 lead to start their Region 5-5A girls’ basketball game with the Columbia Lady Eagles on the way to a 35-27 victory in the night’s opening game at Columbia.

Iyanla Kitchens had four points off offensive rebounds and Iyanna McMillian hit a three-pointer to give the Rams an 8-0 lead with 3:26 to play in the first quarter.

Trailing 8-1 heading into the second quarter, the Eagles bounced back behind a pair of free throws and three-pointer by Ilia Mathis to close within 8-7 with 6:26 to play in the first half.

McMillian and Alina Shoemake answered with back-to-back three-pointers and Kitchens added a basket to give Arabia Mountain a 16-7 lead at the break.

Columbia (0-1, 0-1) put together an 8-2 run to start the second half to once again close the gap. Diedra Harris had a pair of layups and Kory Johnson on an assist from Shontrice Austin finished a fast break to cut the lead to 18-15 with 5:16 left in the third quarter.

Kennedi Manning had a pair of baskets in the final two minutes of the third quarter as the Rams bounced back with a 7-0 run to finish the quarter up 25-17.

Columbia would fall behind by 11 (32-21) on a pair of free throws by Marissa Mills with 4:15 to play before putting together another rally.

Two free throws by Johnson and an old fashioned three-point play by Austin cut the lead to 32-27 with 37.7 seconds to play.

Shoemake would hit one of two free throws and Manning would rebound her miss in the final 10 seconds to seal the 35-27 victory.

Manning finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Rams who improved to 5-0 on the season and Kitchens would tally 10 points and 8 rebounds.

Diedra Harris finished with 9 points and 12 rebounds to lead Columbia.