Southwest DeKalb’s Aaron Burks (11) flushes the alley-oop pass from Thomas Glanton III in front of Columbia defenders Brandon Bigsby (23) and Xavier Lewis (15). (Photo by Mark Brock)
The Southwest DeKalb Panthers used a 13-0 run in the second quarter to take command against neighborhood rivals Columbia Eagles on the way to a 65-48 win to remain undefeated and complete a Southwest DeKalb sweep of a basketball doubleheader at Columbia on Tuesday night.
Zayd Muhammad gave Columbia a 14-13 lead with a three to open the second quarter, but the Eagles (6-3) would go the next six minutes and 11 seconds without scoring as the Panthers (6-0) put 13 consecutive points on the board to go up 26-14.
Messiah Mergan started the run for the Panthers with a three and Tarron Essex added another to extend the lead to 20-14. Aaron Burks added four points to the run, including two free throws with 2:13 remaining in the half to make it 26-14.
Muhammad’s short jumper stopped the drought for the Eagles only to have Burks add two more free throws and Mergan another three with four seconds left to make it 32-17.
Columbia’s Chance Reynolds heaved a long shot at the buzzer for three to cut the lead to 32-20 at the break.
Muhammad followed an alley oop dunk to Burks from Thomas Glanton III that opened the third quarter with back-to-back trips hitting two three-pointers to cut the lead under double digits for the last time at 34-26 with 6:45 to play in the period.
Nazir Mergan answered with a three of his own as the Panthers would hit four from beyond the arc over the next four minutes. Glanton knocked down two treys and Jackson Ushery added another that upped the margin to 48-30 at the 2:29 mark of the third period.
Glanton hit pair of free throws following a technical foul on Columbia to open the final quarter of play to give the Panthers a 19-point lead at 53-34.
A three by Carlin Jacobs chopped the lead to 55-42 but Glanton answered with a driving layup and the and-one to push it back out to 16.
A short run by the Eagles with two baskets by Qua’vion Mobley trimmed the margin to 11 (58-47) with 3:39 to play but could get no closer as Ushery hit a short jumper and two free throws to add to the lead.
Glanton led the undefeated Panthers with 21 points and Aaron Burks added 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Muhammad led the Eagles with 15 points on the night.
Southwest DeKalb’s Saniya Rice (30) dribbles to get past Columbia defender Deasia Kelly (middle) who is trying to get around a screen by Rice teammate Chance Alexander. (Photo by Mark Brock)
(G) SW DeKalb 46, Columbia 36
The Southwest DeKalb Lady Panthers ended a four-game losing skid with a 46-36 win over the Columbia Lady Eagles powered by a second quarter surge where they allowed the Eagles just one point in the opener at Columbia.
Southwest DeKalb (4-4) rallied from an early 5-1 deficit to tie the game at 8-8 at the end of the first quarter on a Bailee Canty layup on an assist from Saniya Rice.
Columbia (5-3) would open the second quarter going 0-11 from the field with six turnovers as Southwest DeKalb took advantage of the shooting drought with a 9-0 run led by Ryleigh Timmons with two baskets, the second an offensive put back with 2:45 left in the half to make it 17-8.
Kendall Campbell’s free throw with 52 seconds remaining ended the run as she got the Eagles on the board. Timmons hit three of four free throws in the final 28 seconds to send Southwest DeKalb into the half up 20-9.
With 2:26 to play in the third quarter, Columbia’s Kerselin Anderson passed to Assata McIntyre for the open three that knocked the lead down to 26-20. A basket Kennedi Johnson pulled Columbia within 29-24 heading into the fourth quarter.
Jayla Walton opened the fourth period with two free throws and got the assist on a pass to Canty for a layup to add to the lead at 33-24 with 5:50 to play.
Londyn Durden scored the Eagles’ last basket of the game by driving the floor for a layup to cut the advantage to 33-26. Columbia’s last 10 points would all come from the free-throw line as the team hit 10 of 12 in the final 4:26.
Rice and Walton hit three-pointers, and the margin increased to 11 t 41-30 with 59 seconds remaining in the game. Walton hit four consecutive free throws in the final 35 seconds to go with another by Timmons to finish off the 46-36 win.
Jayla Walton, who scored nine points in the fourth quarter finished the night with 13 points as did Saniya Rice. Kendall Campbell topped the Eagles with 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds.