GHSA semifinals: Westside loses heartbreaker, Warner Robins and Wilkinson County to play for titles in Macon
Updated at 2 a.m. Sunday. A full Central Georgia review is coming Sunday with details and some video and pictures.
SATURDAY
Class 5A Boys
Warner Robins 77, Clarke Central 57
The Demons' Nelson Phillips went off in the second quarter with 14 points en route to 32 as Warner Robins took control. The Gladiators were on the verge of a major blowout, but cut the margin to single digits in the fourth quarter before the Demons again flex their muscles to seal it.
Class 3A Boys
Jenkins-Savannah 52, Westside 49
The Seminoles will cringe about this one for a long, long time. It was tied at 45 when they earned a technical for having six players on the court. Jenkins made both free throws, and went to the line and hit one on the accompanying possession for a 48-45 lead with 1:25 left. The Seminoles trailed 50-49, Jenkins missed the front end of a one-and-one, but the Warriors came up with a huge steal, were fouled and hit both free throws. Greg Hollway's 23 points accounted for 47 percent of the Seminoles' points.
Class A Boys-Public
Wilkinson County 61, Central Talbotton 60
Central was a possession or two behind much of the game, but took the lead with less than 10 seconds left. But Raequan Smith took an inbounds pass and wiggled through the defense for a game-winning layup. That gave Wilkinson County an 11-3 record in semifinals under head coach Aaron Geter.
FRIDAY
Class 4A Boys
St. Pius X 66, Baldwin 61
Fort Valley State
Upson-Lee 52, Sandy Creek 51
Fort Valley State
First edition on Baldwin and Upson-Lee, go to https://www.myajc.com/blog/high-school-sports/class-aaaa-semifinal-report-from-fort-valley/AUBcNLDYrTktTvdba2bTWM/
The Sports Report will have an expanded review Sunday.
Class A Private girls
Holy Innocents 51, Stratford 32
at Columbus State
The Eaglettes couldn't match Holy Innocents' size, depth, speed, and experience, but they hung tough for a good while until everything caught up with them.
The Golden Bears never trailed, but it was only a 10-point game at halftime. Significant, considering Stratford scored only three points in the second quarter, and considering the Golden Bears won their first two tournament games by 37 and 41. Friday was only the ninth time Holy Innocents' has won by less than 20, and one of the few such losses to an in-state Class A team.
Carey Woodcock led the Eaglettes with 12 points.
SEMIFINALS
For a full look at brackets: https://www.ghsa.net/2017-2018-championship-brackets
Locations with Central Georgia teams
Class 5A
at Fort Valley State, Saturday
G-Buford 60, Villa Rica 46
B-Miller Grove 54, Hiram 41
G-Flowery Branch 72, Harris County 55
B-Warner Robins 77, Clarke Central 57
The Demons' Nelson Phillips went off in the second quarter with 14 points en route to 32 as Warner Robins took control. The Gladiators were on the verge of a major blowout, but cut the margin to single digits in the fourth quarter before the Demons again flex their muscles to seal it.
Class 4A
at Fort Valley State, Friday
Henry County 51, Americus-Sumter 38
B-St. Pius X 66, Baldwin 61
G-Spalding 58, Carver-Columbus 51
B-Upson-Lee 52, Sandy Creek 51
Class AAA
Armstrong Atlantic, Saturday
G-Greater Atlanta Christian 49, Franklin County 43
B- Greater Atlanta Christian 73, Morgan County 71
G-Johnson-Savannah 43, Tattnall County 22
B-Westside vs. Jenkins-Savannah 52, Westside 49
Class A Public
at Valdosta State, Saturday
G-Greenville 73, Telfair County 62
B- Montgomery County 80, Calhoun County 78
G-Marion County 45, Terrell County 40
B-Wilkinson County 61, Central Talbotton 60
Class A Private
Columbus State, Friday
G-Holy Innocents' 51, Stratford 39
B-St. Francis 83, Holy Innocents' 54
G-St. Francis vs. Wesleyan 71, St. Francis 49
B-Aquinas 47, ELCA 41
QUARTERFINALS
Results with Central Georgia teams
For a full look at brackets: https://www.ghsa.net/2017-2018-championship-brackets
BOYS
Class 5A
R1 1 Warner Robins 67, R5 1 Lithonia 64
Jaydon Norman steal with 12 seconds left in a 1-point game was followed by two missed foul shots. But he got the rebound on the second one, and was fouled again. This time, he hit both for a sliver of breathing room as the Demons held on in a game that was never separated by more than two possessions. The Demons also survived foul trouble from Nelson Phillips, but got key plays down the stretch. Phillips and Jacolbey Owens each had more than 20 points.
R8 2 Clarke Central 73, R4 2 Stockbridge 52
R5 3 Miller Grove 70, R4 1 Dutchtown 56
R7 1 Hiram 47, R3 1 Starr's Mill 35
Class 4A
R3 1 Baldwin 64, R52 Cartersville 52
The Braves led pretty much from the start, and looked a few times like they might ease away only for Cartersville to come back and then fail to take advantage of chances. Baldwin led 40-34 after three quarters, and finally got the lead to double digits with just less than 3 minutes left.
R8 1 St. Pius 77, R1 3 Carver-Columbus 65
R5 1 Sandy Creek 64, R3 2 Burke County 44
R2 1 Upson-Lee 70, R6 1 LaFayette 40
Upson-Lee took led at halftime and took control in the third quarter en route to the rout, its 29th straight win this season and 61st over the past two. The defending champs got a double-double from Travon Walker with 10 points and 13 rebounds, plus 5 blocks. Tye Fagan got going in the second half and had 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. Point guard Zyrice Scott added 13 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals, while JaCorey Smith had 6 rebounds.
Class 3A
R7 1 Greater Atlanta Christian 75, R3 1 Johnson-Savannah 61
R8 1 Morgan County 51, R4 1 Central 37
The Chargers stayed with the hosts, trailing 33-30 after three in a defensive battle. But Morgan County, looking for its fifth straight trip to the championship, stepped up the defense and disrupted the Central offense to slowly pull away.
R3 2 Jenkins-Savannah 72, R5 1 Cedar Grove 65
R4 2 Westside 55, R8 2 Hart County 53
Westside apparently got off the bus after a ride of about 2.5 hours and had mighty fresh legs, bolting to a 6-0 lead, and 20-9 after a quarter. They kept rolling, and led 31-20 at halftime. Hart County had a good halftime talk and started coming back. A 9-point margin quickly dropped to 6, and all of a sudden, Hart County had a 48-47 lead. The Seminoles regained the lead at 50-48 with 1:16 left, and held on.
Class A Public
/Central-Talbotton 73, 7/Macon County 61
3/Wilkinson County 67, 6/Manchester 63
1/Calhoun County 60, 8/Woodville-Tompkins 50
5/Montgomery County 81, 4/Lanier County 74
GIRLS
Class 3A
R3 2 Johnson-Savannah 52, R5 1 Lovett 46
R2 1 Tattnall County 59, R6 1 Haralson County 46
R3 1 Beach (27-2) at R7 1 Greater Atlanta Christian 55, R3 1 Beach 45
R8 1 Franklin County 53, R4 1 Peach County 44
The first half was Peach County's, but the second half and the game belonged to undefeated Franklin County. The Trojans led 19-18 at halftime, but the Lions won the final two quarters 35-25.
Class AA
R7 1 Model 79, R3 1 Dodge County 63
The visiting Indians were with the Blue Devils early, but were outscored 29-14 in the second quarter and trailed 60-38 after three quarters. Destanee Wright went off for 41 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 steals for Dodge County (25-5), but the Indians couldn't get any more offense going.
R4 1 Laney 54, R8 1 Banks County 38
R1 1 Fitzgerald 70, R8 3 Rabun County 65
R3 2 Josey 57, R6 1 Douglass-Atlanta 39
Class A Private
1/Holy Innocents 86, Christian Heritage 49
4/Stratford 44, 5/Prince Avenue Christian 34
Stratford looked early on like it might be able to pull away, but Prince Avenue didn't let that happen. The Eaglettes led by only a bucket in the fourth quarter and kept the Wolverines, who missed a selection of second-chance opportunities and lost some oomph when Ansley Hall fouled out in the final minutes with 14 points. Nadia Reese led the Eaglettes with 18 points. The semifinal is 2 p.m. Friday at Columbus State against Holy Innocents'.
10/Paideia at 2/St. Francis 89, 10/Paideia 41
6/Wesleyan 60, 3/Calvary Day 20