GPB Sports

MACON ROUNDUP

2009-03-14T22:59:00.004-04:00

The Class A-AAA state championship games were held at the Macon Centreplex on Saturday. Here’s who came out on top:

The Wesleyan girls started things off by successfully defending their 2008 state title, which they won in Class 2A. The championship—won over Savannah Country Day—in the state’s smallest classification was the program’s fifth overall (all since 2002). The game capped off a magnificent prep basketball career for Wesleyan's Anne Marie Armstrong, who will continue playing basketball at the University of Georgia next season. In the boys Class A game, Whitefield Academy won its second state title under head coach Tyrone Johnson, defeating Turner County in the final by the score of 69-53.

In Class 2A, Buford completed an impressive season by cruising past Model, who was without its leading scorer on the day. The 66-35 victory gave Buford its first-ever state title. It was no first for Dublin in the boys game, however; the Fighting Irish won a Class 2A title back in 2006. This year’s banner comes courtesy of a 79-64 win over Blessed Trinity, which was making its first appearance in the championship game.

The action in Class 3A concluded the high school basketball season, and the final two games of the year did not disappoint. Carrollton came into the girls title game with a mission, having lost in the championship game last season. The Lady Trojans dispatched an upstart Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe team by the score of 51-31. And in the season’s very last game, Naismith Award-winner Derrick Favors and his South Atlanta Hornets finally got their state championship, pulling away late from a gritty Westover team and winning, 81-62.

Thanks for staying with Score Atlanta and Georgia Public Broadcasting throughout the state playoffs!

High fives all around for the South Atlanta Hornets

2009-03-14T22:19:00.002-04:00

Final South Atlanta 81,Westover 62

The South Atlanta Hornets win the 2009 boys 3A state championship with a decisive victory over the Westover Patriots. It was the perfect end to a season led by the best high school player in the country. In his last high school game, Derrick Favors had 38 points, 18 rebounds, and 4 blocks. Coach Reddick's Hornets were certainly deserving of the trophy.

The end is in sight

2009-03-14T22:10:00.002-04:00

With four minutes left, South Atlanta leads Westover 72-50.

Rebound and dunk for Favors

2009-03-14T22:04:00.002-04:00

Favors just rebounded the ball over three Patriots and dunked. He drew a foul as well. He made his free throw to expand the Hornets lead to 61-42 with 7:00 minutes left in the game.

South Atlanta closes quarter on a run

2009-03-14T21:58:00.002-04:00

56-42, South Atlanta is in front entering the fourth quarter.

No quit in Westover

2009-03-14T21:55:00.002-04:00

Westover has cut the South Atlanta lead to 46-38 with 2:30 left in the third.

Malone's first points

2009-03-14T21:51:00.001-04:00

Andre Malone has scored his first points of the game with 4:45 left in the third quarter. South Atlanta 46 Westover 33

Westover within ten

2009-03-14T21:44:00.002-04:00

Westover has cut the lead to single digits once again 42-33 at the 5:30 mark in the third.

First half analysis

2009-03-14T21:35:00.002-04:00

Westover has played exceptionally well and even cut the lead to six late in the second quarter. The energized Patriots have created havoc for South Atlanta, most notably Andre Malone who has been a non-factor to this point. Much of Malone's problems can be attributed to the outstanding defense of sophmore gaurd Rashad Green. Though he is giving up four inches of height, his quickness has kept Malone from being able to drive to the basket. Favors and Nicholas Watkins led the way for South Atlanta's offense in the first half.

Well played half

2009-03-14T21:31:00.002-04:00

At halftime, South Atlanta leads Westover 38-27.

Patriots on run

2009-03-14T21:24:00.002-04:00

The Patriots have cut the Hornets lead to nine. 34-25 with 2:00 left in the half

Too much fire power for South Atlanta

2009-03-14T21:20:00.002-04:00

The Hornets are expanding the lead as Favors sits on the bench with four minutes left in the second quarter. Hornets 34 Patriots 18

Comfortable but not typical South Atlanta dominance

2009-03-14T21:09:00.003-04:00

South Atlanta leads Westover 23-13 after one. The quarter ended with a Favors open court dunk and a three for Rodrick Pitts. Pitts went 2 for 2 from downtown in the first quarter. His shots couldn't have been more timely. They have really given South Atlanta a boost.

Westover plays tough

2009-03-14T21:08:00.001-04:00

After consecutive turnovers, Westover converts four foul shots to cut the lead to 13-6 with 3:00 minutes left in the first.

The dunk and the foul

2009-03-14T21:04:00.002-04:00

Derrick Favors just threw down a monster jam and finished the three point play after he was fouled. Hornets 13 patriots 2- 3:30 left in the first quarter

South Atlanta starts to pull away

2009-03-14T21:03:00.001-04:00

Four minutes left in the first, Hornets lead 11-2.

South Atlanta trying to find groove

2009-03-14T20:54:00.002-04:00

Two minutes into the game and South Atlanta is winning 2-0. The patriots have found grittiness on defense that Gainesville could not solve and now its giving the Hornets trouble.

Boys 3A Finals Preview

2009-03-14T20:37:00.003-04:00

Time to see if South Atlanta can close out a season in which they have dominated their 3A opponents. Westover would love nothing more than to shock the highly favored Hornets.

South Atlanta

South Atlanta reached the finals in dominant fashion. The Hornets average margin of victory in their previous 2008-2009 state tournament games was a little over 35 points. In the first two games, South Atlanta won by 41 and 43 points. Make no mistake about it, all eyes are on senior forward Derrick Favors. Recently awarded the prestigious Naismith Award given to the top High School hoopster in the country, there would be no better way for Favors to go out than to lead his team to a state title. Players like Andre Malone are an added threat on offense and defense for the South Atlanta attack.

Westover

Westover enters the game with three defeats in 3A on the season at the hands of Monroe, Cairo, and Crisp. Though they are giving up size to South Atlanta, the Patriots are tenacious. They have already avenged one of those regular season losses by beating Monroe in tournament play. Coming off a win against Gainsville, in which Westover was considered the underdog as well. The team was able to dig deep and hustle their way to a close win. Westover will surely look to Rashad Green and Greg Green to lead the way in their bid for another upset.

Carrollton uses second half to blow by Lakeview

2009-03-14T20:27:00.002-04:00

The game was incredibly close at halftime. With a one point lead, the game looked like it would be hard fought by both sides till the end. Turns out, it was just the opposite. The Lady Warriors came out flat and the Lady Trojans came out hot. They limited Lakeview to only seven second half points in an emotional 20 point victory. Final score: Carrollton 51, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 31

No chance for Lady Warriors

2009-03-14T20:24:00.002-04:00

Carrollton is cruising 47-29 with 2:20 left in the game.

Carrollton pours it on

2009-03-14T20:12:00.002-04:00

It's a time out with 5:28 left in the game. Kelsie Billings is continuing to play strong underneath by getting rebounds and easy putbacks. Cambre Winters just made a three to expand the Lady Trojans lead to 41-27.

Carrollton playing with confidence

2009-03-14T20:02:00.002-04:00

At the end of three, Carrollton owned the quarter and has built a 10 point lead. Feeding off of good defense, Carrollton finished the quarter strong with four unanswered points by Kelsi Billings. The Lady Trojans lead 34-24.

Carrollton shutting down Weaver

2009-03-14T19:58:00.002-04:00

With 3:49 left in the third quarter, Boykins sinks two free throws for Carrollton to help her team take a 28-24 lead. Their biggest lead of the night.

At halftime: no clear frontrunner

2009-03-14T19:39:00.002-04:00

In easily the closest matchup of the night the Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe Lady Warriors are beating the Lady Trojans of Carrollton 24-23 at the half. After Lakeview went up 24-21 with 14 seconds left in the second quarter, Carrollton drove down court and converted a layup in the lane to beat the buzzer. No matter how hard Lakeview tries to distance themselves from Carrollton, the Lady Trojans don't seem to want to go away. It looks like its going to be tough defense that decides this one. If the first half is any indication, this game is going down to the wire.

Level of play heating up

2009-03-14T19:35:00.002-04:00

After a shaky start, buckets are starting to fall on both ends. Lakeview looking to make a run going into halftime. Lady Warriors 20 Lady Trojans 21 1:09 to go.

Carrollton chipping away

2009-03-14T19:26:00.003-04:00

Carrollton ties it up with a layup. After an answer by Lakeview at the other end. Carrollton converts a three pointer to take their first lead of the night. Carrollton 17 Lakeview 16 with 3:16 left in the second quarter.

Carrollton finishes quarter strong

2009-03-14T19:21:00.005-04:00

The Lady Trojans are trying to answer with the aggressive play of Karisma Boykins. Carrollton has found success when she drives the lane and finishes or dishes to center Kelsi Billings. End of first quarter Lakeview 12 Carrollton 9

Gaurds lead the way for Lady Warriors

2009-03-14T19:16:00.003-04:00

At the two minute mark, McKenzie and Weaver have scored all 9 for the Lady Warriors. They lead 9-4.

Both teams try to establish themselves

2009-03-14T19:11:00.003-04:00

Half way through quarter 1 and neither team has established a clear dominance. Carrollton is tightening up their defense and Lakeview is trying to set the tempo with their gaurd play. The score is 6-2 in favor of Lakeview.

Lakeview strikes first

2009-03-14T19:00:00.003-04:00

Turnovers on first two trips down the floor. Lakeview takes the lead on a lay-up by gaurd Ashley McKenzie

Girls 3A Finals Preview

2009-03-14T18:34:00.002-04:00

It's about five minutes until tip-off of the 2009 Girls 3A state championship game from the Macon Centreplex. Here's a preview of the two teams going head to head.

Carrollton
Carrollton enters the finals after a 17 point win over Rutland in the final four. A #2 seed, credit the Lady Trojans for advancing to the final game. They have certainly taken a wild road en route; Lakeview will be the first 1 seed the Lady Trojans have faced in the tournament this year.

Lakeview
With the February 21 44-38 victory over Carrollton still in recent memory, the Lady Warriors hope to duplicate the same success in this years final. The Lady Warriors have a terrific point gaurd in Kayla Weaver (committed to Kennesaw State).

2009-03-13T22:17:00.001-04:00

That'll do it for our fourth and final game of the evening. The Wheeler Wildcats are state champs of AAAAA after a 73-53 win over the Milton Eagles.

Regarding Milton, get used to seeing them going deep into the tournament. Sophomore Julian Royal is already a terror and he's just going to get bigger and stronger as he grows into his body. Classmates Dai-Jon Parker and Shannon Stewart are also big timers, and this experience will only help them. That's a team that we'll be hearing quite a bit from over the next two seasons.

Wheeler are the champs, and no one comes close to them this year. They're just too big and talented for teams to match up with. And they play with a poise that you don't often see from a high school team. When all was said and done, I don't think there is any doubt that they are the top team in all classifications. Congrats to the Wildcats on getting that ring.

I hope you've enjoyed our coverage this evening. From all of us at Score, have a great night, and congratulations to all the school's that participated tonight.

Showtime for Wheeler

2009-03-13T22:14:00.002-04:00

Heck of an alley-oop from Howell to Stewart to send the crowd into a frenzy and ice it. 65-43 to Wheeler with 3:36 to play.

All but over..

2009-03-13T22:13:00.000-04:00

Howell with the up-and-under layup ad its 62-41 with 4:26 left. Looks like the favorites will be taking home the title.

Wheeler pulling away

2009-03-13T22:08:00.000-04:00

Freshman Charles Mitchell comes up with a putback dunk, and Jerome with the reverse lay up soon after to extend the lead to 60-41.

Early going

2009-03-13T22:02:00.000-04:00

Big time dunk from Stewart less than a minute into the fourth. But Eric White responds off the bench with a layup to keep the Eagles within 12.

End of three

2009-03-13T21:58:00.000-04:00

Wheeler on top 47-33.

Experience has been key in this game. While Milton have been able to keep up with WHS' athleticism and size, they have made mistakes in areas where they normally excel. They've missed a ton of free throws and easy shots.

As for Wheeler, they just need to maintain this intensity and execution for another five minutes or so, and they should be going home with a state championship as a reward.

2009-03-13T21:56:00.000-04:00

Royal just came up with an unreal block of Howell, who was trying to take off for a jam from just inside the free throw line. Both of them were well above the rim on that one.

Meanwhile, Wheeler are pulling away methodically. Jerome just finished off a three-point play to give them a 45-31 lead with 1:48 left in the quarter

2009-03-13T21:55:00.000-04:00

Now Stewart with the putback after Royal made a nice block on Phil Taylor. It's 42-29 Wheeler and Milton appear to be losing control. 2 minutes left in the third.

2009-03-13T21:53:00.000-04:00

Wheeler back up 38-29 after a smooth baseline jumper from Stewart. Nolte continues to struggle, turning the ball over on the following possesion and commits a foul in frustration. Eric Schuelke entered the game in his place.

Both teams showing why they're here

2009-03-13T21:48:00.001-04:00

You've got to hand it to both of these teams. Milton are refusing to let Wheeler go away. But every time they make a run, the 'Cats respond. Karl Cochran just got fouled hard going to the cup after the Eagles pulled within five and cooly sank both FT's.

Milton not going away

2009-03-13T21:47:00.000-04:00

Royal with yet another three for Milton and then a big block on D. Then Shannon Scott drains a nice mid range j to close the gap to 31-25 with 6 minutes to go.

Interesting move

2009-03-13T21:45:00.000-04:00

Coach Boyd just took a timeout only 40 seconds into the quarter. You can see why, Nolte just totally missed another three-pointer and they nearly turned the ball over after getting the board. It looks like they've got some jitters to open up the half and Boyd wants to settle his guys down.

Looks like it worked, as Royal just drained a trey out of the timeout.

Third quarter starts

2009-03-13T21:42:00.001-04:00

We're underway in teh third, Wheeler open it up with a turnover as an entry pass goes right through Howell's hands.

Halftime thoughts

2009-03-13T21:35:00.002-04:00

It's been an interesting game so far in the finale from Gwinnett Arena. The Wheeler Wildcats currently lead the Milton Eagle 29-18 at the break.

It was a tale of two quarters in the first half. Milton grabbed some early momentum by hanging around and energizing the crowd by taking the lead several times early. But Wheeler poured it on in the 2nd quarter, storming to an 11 point halftime lead. Interestingly, they did so without playing their best basketball. The 'Cats scored just two points in the final three minutes after widening the gap beforehand. Stewart and Howell missed several open jumpers and they turned the ball over a multitude of times. If they had executed, this lead could be much larger.

As for Milton, they fell apart in the second quarter. Freshman Evan Nolte has looked the part so far (I can't say I blame him, it can't be easy to play in this atmosphere as a frosh), missing three open treys and a pair of free throws. Julian Royal has had a tough go of it so far, with the size of Howell and Stewart clearly bothering him. For an inexperienced team playing on this big stage for the first time (and it's the first of many times they will do that), it's going to be tough to get back into this game.

We're three minutes away from the second half, see you then!

Halftime

2009-03-13T21:31:00.000-04:00

29-18 Wheeler lead at the break.

Parker hit one of two from the stripe after the foul, and Milton failed to convert on their final possession, with T.J. Williams' contested shot in the lane coming up short. Turns out that intentional foul against Stewart didn't hurt WHS too much after all.

Royal leads the way for Milton with 6 points. Stewart has 9 for Wheeler, and Howell has 8.

I'll be back with some halftime thoughts in just a moment.

At the break...

2009-03-13T21:24:00.000-04:00

A big moment in this game, as Ari Stewart was just whistled for an intentional foul off the ball with 14 seconds to play. Trailing 29-17, Milton have a chance to really close this gap with two shots and the ball.

Another timeout

2009-03-13T21:22:00.001-04:00

27-14 now and Milton want another timeout. Coach Boyd is trying to get his team to relax in the huddle. 3:27 til half.

Composure is key

2009-03-13T21:21:00.000-04:00

Milton need to settle down here. After looking fairly calm in the first quarter, they have been sloppy in this quarter and look to be pressing (Nolte just turned the ball over at half court after trying to do too much off the dribble). They can't afford to play like that for much longer, or Wheeler will all but end this one by half.

Wheeler making their run

2009-03-13T21:18:00.000-04:00

The Wildcats have just been too big and strong in the post, Howell converted another three-point play for the 'Cats, and Stewart just matched him with a three-point play opportunity of his own (although he missed the FT). 25-14 Wheeler leads with 5:00 to go in the half.

My goodness...

2009-03-13T21:17:00.001-04:00

A MASSIVE swat by Dai-Jon Parker just stopped a Wheeler break. But Nolte couldn't convert on the other end and Stewart responded with a three-point play. 18-10, Wheeler.

Wildcats start quarter strong

2009-03-13T21:13:00.000-04:00

A quick 4-0 run to start of the quarter for Wheeler, and Milton want a timeout. 15-10 to the Wildcats.

The key for the Eagles is just to hang around until halftime, and then make their run in the final two quarters.

First quarter in thebooks

2009-03-13T21:08:00.000-04:00

11-10 Wheeler after one.

Wheeler are giving Milton the perimeter shot. But Milton have made them pay a few times behind some nice shots from Parker and Nolte. I'm really impressed with how relaxed Milton look, this seems like just another game for a team that starts three sophomores and a freshman.

As for Wheeler, they can't afford to be worried that the Eagles are right there with them. We've seen a few upsets in this tournament because the favorite have lost composure with a pesky underdog nipping at their heels. But while Milton may be the "underdogs" here, they have the talent to turn this into their type of game and grab a nice lead heading into the half.

Cool, calm, and collected

2009-03-13T21:07:00.000-04:00

Freshman Evan Nolte showing some poise to give MHS the lead right back witha three from the corner. But Howell responds with a mid-range jumper to put Wheeler back on top 11-10 with 2:30 left in the quarter.

I can hardly keep up

2009-03-13T21:06:00.000-04:00

This game is just being played at a blistering pace. Stewart just threw down a dunk to tie it up for Wheeler at 7. Then Jerome gives them the lead on their next possession.

Fast and furious

2009-03-13T21:02:00.000-04:00

It's 7-5 Milton, and this game has been played at an absolutely breathtaking speed. I'm impressed with the Eagles, who came out looking confident despite facing a team with more talent and far more experience in Wheeler. Parker cooly drained a three from the corner moments ago like he'd been in a game of this magnitude many times before.

2009-03-13T21:01:00.001-04:00

Scott with the steal and reverse layup on the break in front of Howell to open the scoring. But Wheeler come right back to tie it up at 2.

Boys game underway

2009-03-13T20:59:00.000-04:00

Two turnovers in the opening minutes for both teams.

But first...

2009-03-13T20:58:00.002-04:00

Some post game thoughts from the girls game...

Marietta had a great season, finishing the year at 25-7 and winning a very tough region in 5-AAAAA. This has to hurt now, but they can look back on this year and be very proud. Having a star like McCall can sometimes have a negative impact on the team with regards to team chemistry and cohesion on the floor, that wasn't the case for the Blue Devils. Echols and White were fantastic all year serving as floor generals, and they made things easier for a player like McCall. You look down that roster and you realize they are about the sum of their parts, and not just their star.

But they ran into a buzzsaw tonight. The Raiders just accepted their state championship trophy, and you have to wonder if there was ever a doubt that they would be holding it tonight after that performance. As I mentioned earlier, they were here last year but experienced a much different result. Last year they looked rattled in the blowout loss to Stephenson. They were calm and confident this time around, and Marietta never looked a threat. Defensively they were active all night long, shutting down McCall and frustrating her from the opening tip. Offensively, Alisha Andrews wowed the crowd with some fantastic dribbling skills and passes, while Paige and Fambro provided a lot of the scoring. They put on an absolutely show this evening.

The scary thing is that they will only be better next year. Everyone but Brunson and Fambro return for them. While they will miss Fambro's scoring presence off the bench and Brunson's toughness down low, they will return their key cogs in Andrews, Paige, Dalrymple, Aneesah Daniels (who bothered McCall all night), and more. I don't want to get to far ahead of myself, but we could be talking about another Gwinnett Arena appearance next year from them? And furthermore, is it possible they could go undefeated yet again in 2009-10?

A nice moment as well after the game, as Tucker Head Coach James Hartry came down to the floor to embrace and congratulate RHS head coach Rhonda Malone. It's nice to see that kind of unity amongst the Dekalb Co. head coaches.

Wheeler-Milton tip is coming in just a few moments.

But first...

2009-03-13T20:58:00.001-04:00

Some post game thoughts from the girls game...

Marietta had a great season, finishing the year at 25-7 and winning a very tough region in 5-AAAAA. This has to hurt now, but they can look back on this year and be very proud. Having a star like McCall can sometimes have a negative impact on the team with regards to team chemistry and cohesion on the floor, that wasn't the case for the Blue Devils. Echols and White were fantastic all year serving as floor generals, and they made things easier for a player like McCall. You look down that roster and you realize they are about the sum of their parts, and not just their star.

But they ran into a buzzsaw tonight. The Raiders just accepted their state championship trophy, and you have to wonder if there was ever a doubt that they would be holding it tonight after that performance. As I mentioned earlier, they were here last year but experienced a much different result. Last year they looked rattled in the blowout loss to Stephenson. They were calm and confident this time around, and Marietta never looked a threat. Defensively they were active all night long, shutting down McCall and frustrating her from the opening tip. Offensively, Alisha Andrews wowed the crowd with some fantastic dribbling skills and passes, while Paige and Fambro provided a lot of the scoring. They put on an absolutely show this evening.

The scary thing is that they will only be better next year. Everyone but Brunson and Fambro return for them. While they will miss Fambro's scoring presence off the bench and Brunson's toughness down low, they will return their key cogs in Andrews, Paige, Dalrymple, Aneesah Daniels (who bothered McCall all night), and more. I don't want to get to far ahead of myself, but we could be talking about another Gwinnett Arena appearance next year from them? And furthermore, is it possible they could go undefeated yet again in 2009-10?

A nice moment as well after the game, as Tucker Head Coach James Harty came down to the floor to embrace and congratulate RHS head coach Rhonda Malone. It's nice to see that kind of unity amongst the Dekalb Co. head coaches.

Wheeler-Milton tip is coming in just a few moments.

Wheeler-Milton to come

2009-03-13T20:50:00.003-04:00

Just moments away from tip here between Wheeler and Milton, in what a think will be one of the more intriguing state championship games.

Wheeler are lead by a talented trio in Richard Howell, Phil Taylor and Ari Stewart.

Stopping them will be anything but easy for this young Milton team, who are lead by a trio of sophomores in Shannon Scott, Dai Jon Parker, and Julian Royal. If they can hang around in the first half, this could get interesting.

I'll be here with all the action, so stay tuned!

Starting lineups

2009-03-13T20:50:00.001-04:00

For Milton: Scott, Parker, Royal, Williams, and Nolte.
For Wheeler: Jerome, Taylor, Cochran, Stewart, and Howell

That's it...

2009-03-13T20:31:00.000-04:00

Redan are state champs with a 64-40 trouncing of Marietta. That was one of their best performances of the season, and they saved it for the biggest stage of all. There's no doubt this year, the Raiders are clearly the best team in class AAAAA. Congrats, ladies!

I'll be back with some postgame thoughts momentarily.

It's all about the team

2009-03-13T20:26:00.000-04:00

Starters Paige and Brunson exit the game and get a nice ovation from the crowd. Looks like Rhonda Malone wants to give her players a well deserved curtain call.

Looking ahead....

2009-03-13T20:19:00.000-04:00

Looks like Milton has already packed their side of the floor here at Gwinnett Arena. And we know the Wheeler people will be showing up and packing the gym like always. It's going to be a great atmosphere for that one.

Meanwhile, the result between Redan and Marietta is merely a formality at this point. Redan with the 59-30 lead and 3:11 left.

Still playing hard...

2009-03-13T20:14:00.000-04:00

To their credit, you certainly can't accuse Marietta of throwing in the towel. They're out there playing with energy (White with great hustle just a moment ago to nearly force a turnover), but this Redan team just weren't going to be beaten tonight.

Raiders lead 53-28 with 6:11 left.

Heading to the fourth...

2009-03-13T20:12:00.001-04:00

Redan on top 53-25.

Much like Tucker in the previous game, the Blue Devils have looked tentative from tip off. And when McCall fouled out you could tell it took the air out of the team.

RHS Piling On

2009-03-13T20:03:00.002-04:00

A three-point play for Brunson, then a steal and layup by Andrws to stretch the lead to 47-19.

There's a fat lady warming up her somewhere around here...

Heading to the fourth...

2009-03-13T20:02:00.000-04:00

53-25 the score.

Much like Tucker in the previous game, The Blue Devils have looked tentative all night. And when McCall fouled out you could tell it took the air out completely. They'll be playing for pride in this final quarter.

McCall fouls out

2009-03-13T19:59:00.002-04:00

McCall just committed her fourth and fifth foul in less than ten seconds, the first coming while challenging for the ball at halfcourt, and the second while trying to block a shot in the paint. You've got to be smarter than that playing with foul trouble, now the Blue Devils are without their star for the rest of the game and they trail 42-19 with 4:32 to go in the third.

Early third

2009-03-13T19:57:00.001-04:00

It's more of the same to start the third. Echols just airballed a three from the quarter, and Redan stormed down the floor for a layup. 40-19 now in favor of RHS.

Second half begins

2009-03-13T19:53:00.004-04:00

Coach Sprague must have given his girls a rousing talk at the half, as they only made it to the floor with 40 seconds left before the start of the third and didn't warm up at all.

And with that, we're underway in the second half with Redan leading 34-17.

Halftime thoughts

2009-03-13T19:44:00.005-04:00

Redan have to be able to taste the title at this point. They have complete control of this game on both ends of the floor and lead 34-17.

McCall has 7 points, but she hasn't dominated the game by any means. And you have to give a lot of credit to Aneesah Daniels and Delia Brunson, who have kept her in check.

But the story for me is at the guard position. Alisha Andrews has completely handled the Brittany's (White and Echols), and you can see that with the pace the game has been played. It's been up-and-down basketball for the duration of the half, and Marietta are clearly having some trouble keeping up.

Echols and White will need to do a better job of controlling that pace in the third quarter. Problem is, if they don't make a run immediately to start the third, they'll be forced to pick up the speed regardless, which should have the Raiders licking their chops.

Second half is starting in five, I'll be back then.

Halftime

2009-03-13T19:37:00.002-04:00

Quortni Fambro drains her second three pointer of the game to give the Raiders a 34-17 lead. I'll be back with some more thoughts in a moment.

McCall sits

2009-03-13T19:35:00.002-04:00

McCall taking a rest here with her team trailing 29-13 and 3:30 to play in the quarter.

4:40

2009-03-13T19:34:00.004-04:00

26-11 Redan lead. McCall is getting a little more involved, having just hit a floater moments ago to draw MHS closer.

Danger time

2009-03-13T19:28:00.003-04:00

Quortni Fambro just came off the bench to nail a three after the timeout, then Andrews drains her second trey to give RHS the 25-9 lead.

This is a crucial next six minutes for the Blue Devils. They look genuinely rattled and are in danger of losing control of this game. I have hardly noticed McCall thus far, I'll have to mention her name a lot more if MHS want to get back into this thing.

Hustle, hustle, hustle

2009-03-13T19:24:00.003-04:00

19-9 Redan with 6:54 to go in the second after a Blue Devils timeout.

The Raiders have simply outhustled the Blue Devils thus far. They're on the floor for loose balls and getting to most of them. By my count they've also forced four jump balls so far.

One quarter in the books

2009-03-13T19:20:00.003-04:00

Redan leads 14-7.

Redan looked the more composed team coming out of the gates, and I think their speed took Marietta a little by surprise, as the Blue Devils had major problems getting into their offensive sets.

Watching Alisha Andrews play the point is a beautiful thing. I remember I saw her play last year in a region game when I had just started working at SCORE. Girl was all over the floor with great playmaking ability, defense, and a solid jumper to boot. She's generously listed at 5-2 in the program, but she makes up for her size quite well. Andrews might not be the biggest scorer on RHS, but if you ask me, she's what makes that team go.

Things picking up

2009-03-13T19:17:00.002-04:00

Andrews just showed off her dribbling skills, going with a sick crossover at midcourt to set up a three pointer which she cooly drained to make it 14-4. But McCall comes back with a trey of her own from the corner to close it to seven late in the first quarter.

2009-03-13T19:14:00.003-04:00

The Raiders are playing with amazing intensity. Especially on D where they'll all over the place, getting into passing lanes constantly and making it tough for Marietta.

Paige just hit a three to make it 7-0, then Dalrymple with a steal and layup seconds after.

Timeout

2009-03-13T19:11:00.003-04:00

Timeout with 4:17 to play in the first and Redan leads 2-0 on a bucket from MacKenize Dalrymple (I'm having to double-check my spelling on that one every time).

The Raiders have been very active on the defensive end, having already forced a couple of turnovers. But overall I'd say both teams look a bit nervous, which is to be expected in a game of this magnitude, and also explains the slow start for both sides.

Early going

2009-03-13T19:07:00.003-04:00

Just a minute in and you can already see the contrast in styles here. Redan are trying to play a quick-paced game and build off their guard play. MHS are trying to slow things dwon and get into their halfcourt offense, trying to make things happen with their size down low.

Dalrymple just opened up the scoring with a steal and layup just over two minutes in.

starting lineups

2009-03-13T18:58:00.004-04:00

Alisha Andrews, MacKenize Dalrymple and Kierra Paige at the guard positions for Redan. Nia Evans and Delia Brunson will try and handle the load down low.

MHS will trot out Brittney Echols and Brittany White at the guard spots. They'll go with Molly Fagan and McCall at the forward positions, and Dani Bartelmay at center.

Tip off is just seconds away, let's get it on!

Girls Preview

2009-03-13T18:44:00.004-04:00

This Marietta-Redan game is one that has me excited already.

The Blue Devils have an unbelievable talent on their side in Telia McCall (headed to Virginia next year). She leads the way for the team, but those ladies are about much more than just McCall. They've got a lot of players that can play. Trust me, beating MHS is not as simple as doubling McCall. Redan will have to execute and play great team defense against a team that can beat them from anywhere.

Speaking of Redan, they're returning to the state championship game after surprising everyone last year to get here before going down to Stephenson in the final game (and that Stephenson team was absolutely loaded). The Raiders got pretty much everyone back this year, and only lose two seniors after this year. Clearly this won't be the last time we see their name listed among the favorites to win a state title.

I'm looking forward to seeing Nia Evans, who I see defending McCall for much of the game.

Tip off is coming in about nine minutes, so I'll be back then with plenty of updates and info from this one. And if you have any questions, please feel free to shoot me an email at jbagriansky@scoreatl.com.

Let's get started!

2009-03-13T18:36:00.003-04:00

Hey, basketball fans. Josh Bagriansky here to take you the rest of the way. We have a couple of great games coming up here from Gwinnett Arena. We’ll start with the girls class AAAAA title with Redan taking on Marietta. Then comes an intriguing matchup for the nightcap with star-studded Wheeler taking on a young and talented Milton squad.

But first, I’d like to say a bit about Miller Grove, who just took down Tucker to take home their first basketball state title for the school.

Those kids have been through a tumultuous season after losing head coach Sharman White before the season, as he was suspended for some issues he had earlier in his career while coaching at Carver. That couldn’t have been easy for the Wolverines, none of whom had played for anyone but White at Miller Grove. But they showed some real character by coming together and playing pretty darn good basketball from day one. Congrats to those guys on conquering the obstacles and being crowned as state champions, they deserve it.

All That Remains

2009-03-13T18:33:00.001-04:00

Final Score: Miller Grove 59 Tucker 31

"Miller Grove State Champs"

2009-03-13T18:29:00.001-04:00

With 2:05 on the clock and a 53-29 lead, the crowd is chanting "Miller Grove State Champs."

Miller Grove Wins AAAA Boys Title

2009-03-13T18:23:00.002-04:00

Over four minutes remain on the clock, but all that's left unknown in this game is the final score. I'm going to go ahead and call this one for Miller Grove. Despite a very lopsided score, Tucker has plenty to be proud of for advancing this far as the third seed out of Region 6.

To the fourth

2009-03-13T18:14:00.002-04:00

Miller Grove leads 42-20 in a game that ended a long time ago. The Wolverines have dominated the Tigers with defense. This looks to be both Miller Grove and Tucker's lowest point total of the playoffs. Miller Grove scored 73 against Rockdale County in round two, while Tucker scored 49 against Marist in the Elite 8.

Frustration

2009-03-13T18:07:00.001-04:00

Tucker is issued a technical foul. Mfon Udofia makes both free throws to put Miller Grove up 42-18.

Much of the same

2009-03-13T18:02:00.002-04:00

Miller Grove leads 40-18 with 3:00 remaining in the third period as Tucker continues to struggle to score.

Halftime

2009-03-13T17:43:00.002-04:00

Miller Grove leads 32-15. Tucker's offense has consisted of nine points by Manny Atkins and six free throws by Brandon Dawson. Mfon Udofia and Stephen Hill are anchoring the Wolverines.

Showtime

2009-03-13T17:33:00.001-04:00

A dunk by Stephen Hill puts Miller Grove up 28-10.

Finally Tucker

2009-03-13T17:25:00.002-04:00

Manny Atkins hits first field goal for Tucker who trails 6-21 with 5:25 remaining in first half.

Wolverines dominate first quarter

2009-03-13T17:09:00.003-04:00

After one quarter, Miller Grove leads 18-2. Tucker was held without a field goal as Brandon Dawson hit a pair of free throws for the Tigers.

Finally

2009-03-13T17:09:00.000-04:00

Mfon Udofia drives and scores to put Miller Grove up 4-1.

More Free Throws

2009-03-13T17:06:00.002-04:00

At 5:09, neither team has hit a field goal. Miller Grove leads 2-1. The Wolverines are two for six from the line. Tucker is one for two.

Game Begins

2009-03-13T16:58:00.001-04:00

Tucker and Miller Grove each exchange a free throw, 1-1 with 6:05 remaining.

AAAA Boys Championship About to Tip

2009-03-13T16:54:00.001-04:00

The AAAA Boys Championship between Miller Grove and Tucker is minutes away from tipping off.