GHSA finals roundup: 63 straight wins, 2 straight state titles, and counting for Upson-Lee
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
63 straight wins, 2 straight state titles, and counting for Upson-Lee
All Upson-Lee needed from Jarrett Adderton was a decent game, for the reserve junior to not crumble on the biggest stage of his life.
He was more the decent, and was a rock.
Adderton became a starter when Ja’Corey Smith was arrested last Saturday and charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession and criminal trespass – along with three others – and suspended for the game.
All Adderton did was come out and score 10 points in the first half and played solid all game long as Upson-Lee pulled away for a 70-56 win over St. Pius X Saturday in the Class 4A championship game at McCamish Pavilion.
The 31-0 Knights thus defended their championship, against the same opponent, and won their 63rd straight game.
Adderton had a career high pretty quick – he only had a little more than 100 points for the season – and certainly didn’t look out of place as a starter.
The Knights trailed most of the first half, going down by 8 in the second quarter only to pull within one at halftime.
Tye Fagan had two fouls in the first quarter, and struggled early but warmed up in the second quarter. He had what became Upson-Lee’s only 3-pointer.
The lead changed hands a few times early in the third until Fagan’s baseline drive put Upson-Lee up for good at 40-38 with 3:29 left in the third.
That continued a 10-4 run for a 48-42 lead through three.
In one third-quarter stretch, Travon Walker blocked a shot on three straight possessions – he got a technical for taunting after one - and then Alexandro Lockhart came in and promptly bloced one as the Knight got the momentum.
It was soon over.
The margin grew to double figures at the 4:28 mark, and dropped back to single digits for 14 seconds.
Fagan had 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists for the Knights. Adderton finished with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting, 5 assists, 3 steals and 5 rebounds. Walker had another double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, pllut 5 blocks.
Upson-Lee won 53-48 last year.
GHSA State Championships
Saturday
Georgia Tech
AAAA Girls: Spalding (28-3) 58, Henry County (29-2) 46
AAAAAAA Girls: Newton (28-3) vs. Westlake (30-1)60, Newton (28-4) 45
AAAAAAA Boys: Norcross (28-3) vs. Meadowcreek (27-3) 56, Norcross (28-4) 43
Friday
McCamish Pavilion
A Private Girls: Holy Innocents' (29-1) vs. Wesleyan (27-4) 61, Holy Innocents’ (29-2) 44
A Private Boys: St. Francis vs. Aquinas (27-5) 65, St. Francis (27-4) 60
AAAAAA Girls: Lovejoy (32-1) 57, Harrison (26-5) 41
AAAAAA Boys: Hughes (27-5) 85, Gainesville (25-7) 78
Thursday
Macon Centreplex
AAASP Wheelchair Game: Houston Sharks 36, West Georgia 27
AAA Girls: Johnson-Savannah (23-6) 62, GAC (25-6) 50
AAA Boys: GAC (28-3) 67, Jenkins (25-6) 53
AAAAA Girls: Buford (29-3) 60, Flowery Branch (26-7) 49
AAAAA Boys: Warner Robins (28-3) 67, Miller Grove (22-8) 64
JaColbey Owens hit a 22-footer with 1.3 seconds left to lift Warner Robins to the program’s first state title.
Wednesday
Macon Centreplex
AA Girls: Laney (32-0) 63, Josey (29-5) 40
Josey led much of the first quarter, but Laney got on top in the final 90 seconds and progressively pulled away, lead 13-10 after one and 26-20 at halftime. A 16-7 third quarter all but sealed it. De’Sha Benjamin had 26 points and 11 rebounds for Laney, while Jhessyka Williams also had a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Jalden Hamilton added 14 points for Laney, which had seven more turnovers than assists. Ebony Clark led Josey with 12, Tykedra Rolland adding 10.
Thomasville (28-3) 66, Vidalia (23-9) 31
Thomasville got rolling early in rolling Vidalia. The Bulldogs scored in all phases, including about a half-dozen dunks. Reggie Perry, headed for Mississippi State, had 17 ponts, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks. Von Woolbright had 17 ponts and 7 assists, and Titus Wright 11 points. Tahj Jones had 10 for Vidalia, in its first final in nearly 40 years.
A Public Girls: Greenville (28-2) 73, Marion County (25-6) 52
Brittany Davis scored 30 points, most from the line on 19-of-20 shooting to counter a 5-for-20 night from the floor, to lead Greenville. She had 11 rebounds, while Nuriyah Slaton had 16 points. Shabrica Lewis had 14 points and Jabrika Leslie 12 for Greenville, which helped Marion County into 28 turnovers to only 8 assists. Torriunna Myers led Marion County with 15, while Ashley Whitley had 18 rebounds.
A Public Boys: Wilkinson County (26-6) 71, Montgomery County (27-4) 68
Go here for a full story. Follow up on Thursday.
https://www.myajc.com/high-school-sports/
Returning defending state champs
6A boys, Langston Hughes
5A boys, Buford
5A girls, Buford
4A boys, Upson-Lee
AA girls, Laney
A girls private, Wesleyan
A boys public, Wilkinson County