Dunwoody’s Emerson Mitchell (1) heads up the court following a steal late in the fourth quarter of the Wildcats 42-37 Region 4-5A win over the Lakeside Vikings. Mitchell hit seven of eight free throws in the fourth quarter to help rally Dunwoody to the win. (Photo by Mark Brock)
A stellar defensive effort and excellent free throw shooting in the fourth quarter helped the Dunwoody Wildcats rally for a 42-37 Region 4-5A boys’ high school basketball victory over the Lakeside Vikings at Dunwoody on Wednesday night.
Dunwoody (5-8, 2-1) led for the first 23 minutes and 10 seconds of the game, including a 10-point advantage in the second quarter, only to find themselves down 32-29 as the Vikings’ Joshua Mosley hit a three-pointer from the left corner to beat the buzzer to end the third quarter.
Lakeside took the momentum into the fourth quarter and extended the lead to six (35-29) on Kareem Hopkins three from the left side.
The Wildcats turned up the defensive pressure contesting shots and the passing lanes to aid their comeback. Emerson Mitchell hit four consecutive free throws and then gave an assist to Eli Merritt for a layup to tie the game at 35-35 with 4:53 to play.
Lakeside (1-5, 0-2) got its last points of the game as Nate Bennion hit a baseline jumper with 4:33 remaining to put the Vikings back ahead 37-35.
Merritt slashed in for another layup on pass from Matt Cargile to tie the game at 37-37 at the 3:28 mark of the quarter as the Dunwoody defensive pressure would force four consecutive turnovers by the Vikings.
Mitchell, who was 10-12 at the free-throw line in the game and 7-8 in the final quarter of play, hit two free throws to put the Wildcats back ahead 39-37.
Two missed shots, including an offensive put back attempt, gave the Vikings life only to turn the ball over again. Mitchell was fouled again and hit just one of two free throws to make it a three-point margin (40-37) with 27 seconds to play.
Lakeside’s Sam Shapiro got off a potentially game-tying three pointer with 11 seconds to play that was just off the mark. Merritt rebounded the shot and got it up the floor to Cargile who was fouled with 8.1 seconds on the clock. Cargile stepped to the line and sank both free throws to seal the 42-37 win.
Cargile finished the game with 12 points (10 in the first half) and eight rebounds to lead the Wildcats in the win. Emerson Mitchell finished with 10 points all from the free-throw line and Eli Merritt chipped in 10 more.
Kareem Hopkins matched Dunwoody’s Cargile with 12 points and eight rebounds of his own to lead the Vikings.
Lakeside’s Alani Hill (2) goes up for a layup as Dunwoody’s Makayla Tarver (20) defends during first half action of Lakeside’s 68-22 road win. (Photo by Mark Brock)
GIRLS
Lakeside 68, Dunwoody 22
Four Lakeside Lady Vikings scored in double figures as they jumped out to a 15-0 lead and never looked back on the way to a 68-22 Region 4-5A win over the Dunwoody Lady Wildcats in the opener at Dunwoody.
Lakeside’s Jeanette Taylor got her team rolling by hitting a three-pointer that would give the Lady Vikings (4-3, 2-0) the lead for the rest of the game. Gabriella Benjamin hit for four points in the 15-0 and Mackenzie Burkhart’s basket with 2:46 to play made it 15-0.
Dunwoody (6-3, 1-2) finally put a halt to the run as Erika Blake hit a free throw with 2:29 to play. The Lady Wildcats managed just one more free throw in the quarter.
Benjamin and Sara Adekunle each scored a basket in the final 28 seconds of the quarter to put Lakeside up 23-2 heading into the second period of play.
Blake hit five of eight free throws in the second quarter as the Lady Wildcats would go the entire first half without a basket.
Taniyah Jenkins scored nine points in the second quarter, including a put back with 2:45 remaining in the half, as the lead ballooned to 34-5. Benjamin completed an old fashioned three-point play with 2.7 seconds left on the first half clock to give Lakeside a commanding 40-7 halftime lead.
Elizabeth Brinson got Dunwoody’s first basket of the night with a layup at the 4:28 mark of the third quarter. Benjamin scored four points in the final 1:40 of the quarter, including a put back to make it a 52-14 game after three quarters of play.
Three-pointers by Blake and Elizabeth Brinson were the highlights of the fourth quarter.
Benjamin finished the night with 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead the four players in double figures for the Lady Vikings. Taniyah Jenkins added 11 points and Lakeside got 10 points each from Sara Adekunle and Jeanette Taylor.
Ericka Blakes topped the scoring for Lakeside with 11.