Baldwin found out that Luella improved from the last time the teams played, back in November.

Semifinals

🏀 🏀 🏀Girls🏀 🏀 🏀

Class 5A
At Fort Valley State
Saturday
2 p.m.: Forest Park, 21-6, R3/2, vs New Manchester, 19-9, R6/2
6 p.m.: Warner Robins, 25-5, R1/1, vs. Woodward Academy, 27-2,  R3/1
Championship: March 10, 5:30 p.m.
Class 4A
At Fort Valley State
Friday
Luella 62, Baldwin 53
Marist 38, Pickens 35
Championship: March 9, 5 p.m.
Class AA
Friday
Elbert County 56,  Josey 40
Rabun County 50, Northeast 39
Championship: March 10, 1 p.m.
Class A Public
At Valdosta State
Saturday
2 p.m.: Hancock Central, 17-3, R7/1, vs. Commerce, R8/2, 15-14, R8/2
6 p.m.: Taylor County, 23-4, R5/2, vs. Lake Oconee, 24-1, R8/1
Championship: March 9, 1 p.m.

🏀 🏀 🏀 Boys 🏀 🏀 🏀

Class AA
At Georgia College
Friday
Westside-Augusta 77,  Northeast 55
8 p.m.: Butler, 21-6, R4/2, vs. Woodville-Tompkins, R2/2
Championship: March 10, 3 p.m.
Class A Private
Saturday
Buford City Arena
4 p.m.: FPD, 23-3, R1/1 vs. Kings Ridge Christian, 27-4, R6/1
(Friday): Greenforest 68, Heritage 40
Championship: March 12, 1 p.m.

          The Lions got the early lead and ever so slowly built on it en route to a 62-53 win Friday afternoon over Baldwin in a GHSA Class 4A girls semifinal at Fort Valley State.

          Baldwin’s season ends at 26-3 after their second loss this season to Luella. The Lions won 55-54 at Baldwin on Nov. 18.

          The Bravettes hopes took a huge hit when sophomore Madison Ruff, Baldwin’s leading scorer this season, fouled out, with 6:01 left in the third quarter, Baldwin trying to gain ground from a 27-17 halftime deficit.

          It was 45-32 after three quarters, and the margin grew. Baldwin was able to get it to within 10 a few times in the fourth, and finally got it to nine in the final seconds.

          Only standout and 1,000-point scorer Tamia Smith is a senior on this year’s Baldwin roster. And there’s only one junior, Jaliyah Miller. Luella has five seniors and six juniors.

Class AA Boys

Westside 73, Northeast 55

          Generosity is a good trait, except in sports.

          Northeast was too giving Friday, giving up possessions on both sides fo the court with turnovers on one side and offensive rebounds on the other en route to an 18-point loss to Westside-Augusta in a Class AA boys semifinal at Georgia College’s Centennial Center.

          The Raiders season ended at 21-10, while the Patriots improve to 27-3..

          Northeast trailed from the start, 6-0 and 13-2 before creeping closer, to within 13-7. But things soon went off the rails for a good while as Westside took advantage of every Northeast hiccup, the Raiders rarely scoring on consecutive possessions and the Patriots seeming to do it consistently.

          The fitting, unfortunately for Northeast, play of the game came last in the first half when the Raiders stole the ball, had the layup blocked, got the offensive rebound but was whistled for a charge.

          Seconds later, Travion Solomon’s halfcourter at the buzzer went in, but Westside took a 45-23 lead into the locker room.

          The momentum didn’t last, although the Raiders did score the first five points of the third quarter. But the Patriots slowed that momentum, and kept the margin around 15 the rest of the quarter.

          Westside led 54-37 entering the fourth, but the Raiders showed some spark a few minutes into the quarter. Solomon hit three free throws for a 12-point deficit, and Zion Odums scored twice, his second bucket – off a nice pass in the lane from Cadricas Stanley - making it a single-digit game at 59-51 with 5:02 left.

          The comeback hopes took a hit seconds later when of the two fouls that could have been called on one drive, the one that hurt the most was the one the official saw: a block by Solomon, who had 20 points.

          That was his fifth foul, coming with 4:51 left in the game.

          It was again an eight-point game right after that, but the Patriots made it double digits again for good with just over four minutes left. Northeast scored only one point in the final 4:20.

Class AA Girls

Rabun County 50, Northeast 39

          Northeast got off to a good start against a very highly ranked opponent.

          It didn’t last long at all.

          A 2-0 lead was followed by a 17-0 Rabun County run, and the Wildcats stayed in control for a win in a semifinal at Georgia College’s Centennial Center.

          Northeast finished the season 23-7, while Rabun County improved to 24-6.

          The Raiderettes found a little juice in the second quarter, after trailing 19-4 after one, and kept the Wildcats from running away. It was 27-14 at halftime, and then 37-26 after three.

          But as was with the case with the Raider boys earlier in the day, Northeast battled hard, but couldn’t put together enough stretches of scores and stops to offer a real threat in the fourth quarter.

          The Raiders did get within 41-32 at the 5:14 mark only for the Wildcats to answer 34 seconds later to start a 6-1 run for a 47-33 lead and force a Northeast timeout with 3:31 left.

          The margin dropped to eight on a Gaines steal and layup with 2:14 left, and the Wildcats spread the court well after an exchange of possessions. There were fouls to give, and the clock didn’t stop for a foul until 55 seconds remained.

          Two free throws returned it to a 10-point game, Northeast following with a double-dribble to seal it. The final will be all Region 8, Rabun County against Elbert County.