Tucker High Tigers win 4A boys’ basketball title, defeats Southwest DeKalb Panthers 51-47

By Mark Brock

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—Valentine’s Day brought a sweet victory for the Tucker High Tigers. The Tigers quickly jumped out to a 16-4 lead and held off the Southwest DeKalb Panthers 51-47 to win the Region 5-4A boys’ basketball title in a battle of Class 4A Top 10 ranked teams at Tucker on Friday, Feb. 14.

Southwest DeKalb (25-3), ranked No. 3, trailed the No. 7 ranked Tigers (22-6) by as many as 17 in the second quarter but began to chip away as the game moved into the fourth quarter with Tucker holding a 40-31 advantage.

The Panthers opened the fourth quarter with back-to-back three pointers from Jackson Ushery and Thomas Glanton to pull their team within three (40-37) with six minutes remaining in the game.

Glanton’s basket in the lane with 1:59 to lay cut the lead to two (44-42) before the Tigers used the free-throw line to their advantage to extend the lead.

Jakobe Williams hit five of six free throws over the next 57 seconds as Tucker upped its lead to five (49-44) with 1:02 to play. Southwest DeKalb got a basket by Aaron Burks on a pass from Kelvin Peek as the only Panther points in that time span.

Burks got another basket to close the gap to three (49-46) with 34 seconds to play and the Tigers tried to run the clock down only to have the ball get away for a turnover. Tucker got the ball right back a Braedyn Gillespie was fouled with 0.6 seconds on the clock. Gillespie sank a pair of free throws to seal the win for the Tigers.

Tucker, getting the big lead early in the second quarter at 23-6, had the Panthers scrambling and fouling to try to get back in the game. The Tigers responded by hitting 27 of 36 free-throw attempts including 9 of 12 in the fourth quarter alone. In contrast the Panthers hit just nine of 22 from the line in the game.

Williams finished with 15 points to lead the Tigers with Austin Walker adding 11 and Braedyn Gillespie added 10 points. Aron Burks had a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double to lead Southwest and Jackson Ushery added 13 points.

Tucker is set to open the state playoffs by hosting Region 1-4A No. 4 seed New Hampstead (13-15) on Wednesday while the Panthers entertain Ware County (19-7). Times for the games are yet to be announced.

5-4A GIRLS CONSOLATION

SW DeKalb 54, St. Pius X 39

A 9-2 run in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference for the Southwest DeKalb Lady Panthers on the way to a 54-39 victory over the ST. Pius X Golden Lions in the girls’ consolation game of the Region 5-4A Tournament at Tucker.

A basket by St. Pius’ Heidi Beck had pulled the Lions (16-12) within four (39-35) at the start of the fourth quarter when the Panthers (19-9) went on a 9-2 run to take control of the game.

Lailah Cox got things started for the Panthers by taking a pass from Bailee Canty who followed by hitting one of two free throws. Mariya Shields made her presence felt with two quick baskets to up the margin to nine. Kennedi Thomas added a basket in the run to make it a 48-36 game with 3:09 to play.

St. Pius managed just six points in the final quarter, including two free throws by Sofie Pihera, as Southwest DeKalb began to stretch the lead. Ryleigh Kimmons scored the final six points by Southwest DeKalb and Beck scored the last basket by St. Pius with 2:21 to play.

St. Pius took a 20-15 lead early in the second quarter as Beck hit back-to-back three pointers only to have Southwest DeKalb counter with back-to-back threes of its own by Ryleigh Kimmons and Bailee Canty and the Panthers would not trail again.

Lailah Cox led Southwest DeKalb with nine points and seven rebounds while both Mariya Shields and Ryleigh Kimmons also hit for nine points. Canty finished with eight points. Sofia Pihera led St. Pius with 15 points and Beck hit for five points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Southwest DeKalb must go on the road to Warner Robins (24-1) in the first round of the Class 4A girls’ state playoffs on Tuesday.

Region 5-3A

Three DeKalb teams reach the final day of the Region 5-3A Tournament at Riverdale with No. 1 ranked Cedar Grove coming away with the boys’ title via a 61-43 championship game victory over the Douglass Astros (18-9).

The Saints (23-3) took care of business on championship night at Riverdale by putting four players in double figures on the way to the win over Douglass.

Javontae Floyd had a big night at both ends of the floor putting together 12 points and 12 rebounds to go with seven blocks in the win. Keith Gillespie (3 assists, 4 steals) and Yusef Boywer (4 assists, two steals) both hit for 15 points in the game. Manny Green finished with 14 points, six assists and three rebounds.

In the girls’ championship game, the Stephenson Lady Jaguars (18-11) fell 59-37 to Luella (22-3) to finish as the runner-up. In the girls’ consolation game, the Cedar Grove Lady Saints (11-15) dropped a tough 37-34 decision to North Clayton (15-12).

The teams’ playoff opponents and sites of play in Class 3A first round are yet to be determined.

REGION 4-5A

The Arabia Mountain Lady Rams (18-9) claimed the No. 3 seed going into the state playoffs as they defeated the Lakeside Lady Vikings (14-1) 64-33 at Woodward Academy on Saturday.

Arabia Mountain will travel to Morrow (22-6) on Tuesday for their Class 5A first round matchup with a time to be determined. Lakeside heads to Langston Hughes (25-2) on Tuesday for its first-round playoff game.

Friday, Feb. 14 

Region 5-3A – At Riverdale 

GIRLS SEMIFINALS 

Stephenson (17-10) 50, North Clayton (14-12) 36 

Luella (23-3) 62, Cedar Grove (11-14) 25

BOYS 

Cedar Grove (23-3) 76, Riverdale (14-12) 36 

EGION 5-4A – At Tucker 

GIRLS CONSOLATION

SW DeKalb (19-9) 54, St. Pius (16-12) 39

BOYS FINALS

Tucker (22-6) 51, SW DeKalb (25-3) 46 

Saturday, Feb. 15 

REGION 5-3A – At Riverdale 

GIRLS – Consolation/Finals 

North Clayton (15-12) 37, Cedar Grove (11-15 ) 34

Luella (22-3) 59, Stephenson (17-11) 37

BOYS – Consolation/Finals 

Cedar Grove (23-3) 61, Douglass (18-8) 43 

REGION 4-5A – At Woodward Academy 

GIRLS – Consolation

Arabia Mountain (18-9) 64, Lakeside (14-11) 33 

DCSD STATE BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE

Tuesday, Feb. 18 (TENTATIVE)

CLASS 5A

GIRLS FIRST ROUND

Arabia Mountain (18-9) at Morrow (22-6), TBA

Lakeside (14-11) at Langston Hughes (25-2), TBA

CLASS 4A

GIRLS FIRST ROUND (TENTATIVE)

SW DeKalb (19-9) at Warner Robins (24-1), TBA

Wednesday, Feb. 19

CLASS 4A

BOYS FIRST ROUND (TENTATIVE)

New Hampstead (13-15) at Tucker (22-6), TBA

Ware County (19-7) at SW DeKalb (25-3), TBA

Mark Brock is the Athletics Specialist for the DeKalb County School District. Photos via Mark Brock.