The McEachern Lady Indians style of basketball has produced three state championships the last four years. Said style earned McEachern a shot at a fourth after an 81-70 victory over West Forsyth (25-7) Saturday in Carrollton.
McEachern (24-7) overcame a yeoman effort from West Forsyth’s Jenna Staiti. Staiti finished with a career-high 51 points.
Still there was too much McEachern. Jada Lewis put in 36 points (12 in the fourth), Tierra Lindsey tallied 12 and Que Morrison finished with 10 as the Lady Indians breakneck pace, defensive pressure and solid free throw shooting powered them to victory as it has so many times.
McEachern with play Tucker (27-4) Saturday night in Macon in the 6A championship game. Tucker defeated Douglas County 79-66 to advance. The Lady Tigers only in-state losses were to Parkview and 2A finalist Wesleyan.
McEachern has not lost a game in the 2016 calendar year (18-0), its only in-state loss is to 5A finalist Southwest Dekalb in the season opener.
When great offenses meet-something will give, when great defenses meet-who defends, rebounds, shoots and makes free throws, will factor in who wins.
Allatoona (Acworth, GA) sank four free throws in the waning seconds to seal a ‘Georgian Tough’ 48-46 victory over Cedar Shoals (29-3) in Columbus, Ga Saturday. The ‘Toona Bucs improved to 31-0 and earned the right to end their season in Macon against Miller Grove in the 5A title tilt Friday night.
Cedar Shoals (Athens, GA) fell in the semifinals for a second straight season.If you like pouring salt in the wounds, lost both games by a combined three points, one to an eventual state champion and one to be determined.
Senior Jerrick Mitchell put in 15 points, junior Phlandrous Fleming tallied 13 for Region 8-5A Champ Cedar Shoals in defeat.
Miller Grove handed McIntosh a twenty point loss, favoring  Cedar Shoals to finish third in class 5A rankings.
For the second straight season the Cedar Shoals Jaguars are in the Georgia class 5A semifinals after defeating Mays (13-14) 66-45 in the quarterfinals.
Cedar Shoals (29-2) took its first lead 8-6 midway through the first quarter as Phlandrous Fleming scored 10 of his game-high 16 points. Cedar Shoals closed the quarter on a 13-5 run for a 19-11 lead after one. The Jaguars never looked back on its way to its 17th consecutive win.
In the second quarter the Jaguar bench- a staple of the team all season, scored 11 of Cedar Shoals 13 points behind Chris Gresham, JaVanni McDavid and A.J. Jones. The quarter was shorten by Mays stalling the ball the final three minutes of the quarter trailing 32-21 and missed the final shot of the half for the 32-21 halftime score.
Jerrick Mitchell and Greg Smith (eight points) opened the third quarter hitting back-to-back three-pointers and Smith added a fast break dunk moments later to give Cedar Shoals full control. The Jaguars finished the game in the fourth quarter at the foul line sinking 11-of-18 free throws in the quarter and went 18-of-25 (72%) from the line in the game.
Mitchell was the only other Jaguar in double figures with 12 points. Cedar Shoals scored 22 points off the bench led by Chris Gresham’s nine, A.J. Jones and JaVanni McDavid each scored five while seldom used Martavious Kennybrew finished with three on a three-pointer just before the final horn matching Cedar Shoals’ largest lead of the game at 21 points.
Reo Wright led Mays with 14 points while CJ Arnold finished with 13 for the Raiders.
Cedar Shoals will remain in Columbus and hold practice at Hardaway high school Friday ahead of Saturday’s 5A Final Four game against Allatoona (30-0). Allatoona defeated Southwest Dekalb (25-6) 56-44 to advance.
Cedar Shoals has never played for a state championship in boys basketball. Last season eventual state champion Brunswick defeated Cedar Shoals 45-44 at Fort Valley State University in the semifinals.
McEachen did what it has done the past two seasons, end Archer’s season. The Lady Indians led Archer from start to finish in an 87-49 victory to advance to the girls 6A ELite Eight.
Chanel Wilson led McEachern with 25 points, hitting five three-pointers in the game.. Jada Lewis tallied 22 points and handed out seven assists  again led McEachern with 27 points while Que Morrison and Lyndsey Whilby each finished with 12 points.
Archer was led by junior Linsey Marchese’s 20 points. Asia McCoy finished with 10 points while Autumn Newby stuffed the box score with 7 points, 15 rebounds and 2 blocks.
McEachern will take on Westlake Friday at West Georgia University. Westlake (25-5) defeated Norcross 39-37 in the second round to advance.
The boys 5A quarterfinals game between Cedar Shoals (28-2) and Mays (14-13) has been changed from its original time of 8:15pm et to 4:45pm et on Thursday February 25th at The Lumpkin Center on the campus of Columbus State University in Columbus, GA.
The time change was made to allow Mays’ girls and boys teams to play back-to-back. Mays girls will take on Winder-Barrow at 3pm et in the first girls quarterfinal game.
Cedar Shoals defeated Hiram and Mundy’s Mill to advance to the quarterfinals while Mays defeated Sequoyah and Jones County on the road to advance.
Phlandrous Fleming led Cedar Shoals with 16 points as the Jaguars defeated Mundy’s Mill (19-11) in wire-to-wire fashion 71-52. Cedar Shoals (28-2) won its 16 consecutive game an advances to the 5A quarterfinals for the second straight season.
Fleming and Snipe Hall combined for 11 of Cedar Shoals’ 23 Â first quarter quarter points as the Jaguars opened the game with a 12-2 start and led 23-12 after one.
Kierre Davis put in all nine of his points in the second quarter points as Mundy’s Mill remained competitive playing Cedar Shoals to a 15-15 tie in the quarter and trailed 38-27 at halftime.
Hall and Fleming went back to work in the third quarter combining for 13 of the Jaguars 19 points as the pushed their lead to as high as 19 and led by 15, 57-42 after three before closing it out in the final frame.
Mundy’s Mill’s leading scorer this season Kaelon Harris was saddled with foul trouble and pressure defense and finished with five points. Tyree Keith led Mundy’s Mill with 17 points (four three-pointers) for the Tigers.
Fleming finished with six rebounds to go with his 16 points. Hall finished with 14 points, Stavion Stevenson tallied 12. Jerrick Mitchell finished with eight points and seven assists. Chris Gresham scored 7 point and grabbed six rebounds off a Cedar Shoals bench that scored 15 points.
Fourth-ranked Cedar Shoals will play in the quarterfinals Thursday at 4:45pm et against Mays. Mays defeated Jones County 70-68 to advance.
The McEachern Lady Indians (21-7) opened the state tournament with a convincing 90-33 victory over Valdosta (13-16). McEachern, Georgia’s two-time defending 6A state champions, finished the game on a 48-6 run and did not allow Valdosta to score in the mercy ruled six-minute fourth quarter.
McEachern has used big runs all season in both games against Georgia opponents and out-of-state opponents to break open games and pull away for victories.
Jada Lewis led the Lady Indians with 27 points, 6 assists and 6 steals while Lyndsey Whilby tallied 17 and Que Morrison finished with 16. Desinee Arnold put in 12 points while Tykeria Holmes scored 10 for the Lady Wildcats.
McEachern will face Archer in the second round this weekend. McEachern has ended Archer’s season the past two years in the playoffs, once in the title game in 2014 and in the semifinals on a game-winning shot by Te’a Cooper in 2015.
Jerrick Mitchell powered the Cedar Shoals Jaguars to their 16th straight win with a 65-48 opening round victory in the 5A state tournament over Hiram Tuesday night in Athens. Mitchell scored nine of his 19 points in the third quarter as Cedar Shoals turned a five-point game at halftime into a ten-point lead by the end of the third quarter 43-33. In the fourth quarter the Jaguars continued to grow its lead to as many as 17 for the final margin.
Mitchell finished just shy of a triple-double with 19 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.
The teams exchanged the lead several times int he early going with Hiram up 9-8 before Cedar Shoals used a 6-0 run to take the lead for good and from there held Hiram at bay as the lead steadily grew the rest of the evening.
Stavion Stevenson finished with 14 points and led a total team defensive effort in slowing Hiram’s 6’7 Devon Brewer to only seven points on the night. Snipe Hall tallied 11 while Phlandrous Fleming chipped in nine for Cedar Shoals. Travonte White led Hiram with 12 points (on four three-pointers) while Allen Brown scored 11 for the Hornets.
Cedar Shoals (27-2) will host Mundy’s Mill Saturday in the round of sixteen. Mundy’s Mill defeated Northside-Columbus 58-42 to advance. Hiram completes its season below .500 at 11-19 and lost 18 of its last 24 games.
The Cedar Shoals Jaguars secured its second straight region championship by withstanding an early push by Gainesville before running away for a dominating 70-48 victory in the Region 8-5A Championship game.
Jerrick Mitchell and Phlandrous Fleming powered the Jaguar effort featuring a big boost from Snipe Hall, pushing the pace and shutting down D’Marcus Simonds.
Cedar Shoals raced out to a 9-0 lead in the opening three minutes of the contest. Over the next 8-plus minutes spanning the first and second quarters, Gainesville outscored Cedar Shoals 14-4 behind timely buckets from Bailey Minor to take a 14-13 lead with just over five minutes left in the half. The Jaguars responded by finishing the half on a 15-4 run capped by back-to-back threes by Fleming and a floater from Mitchell for a 28-18 halftime lead.
D’Marcus Simonds seemed to shake off a poor first half by scoring 10 of his team-high 18 points in the third quarter for the Red Elephants however Snipe Hall cancelled him out. Hall put in 10 of his 14 second half points in the third quarter and Mitchell banked home a buzzer beating three-pointer to end the third with the Jaguars ahead 52-34.
Cedar Shoals Jaguars 2015-16 Region 8-5A Champions
Mitchell, Fleming and Hall closed the game in the fourth quarter with Mitchell putting Gainesville away at the foul line. Mitchell finished with 21, Fleming 16 and Hall 14. Cedar Shoals outscored Gainesville 9-3 off the bench and shot 81% from the foul line to 62% from Gainesville. Minor was the only other Red Elephant in double figures with 13 points, Tae Turner finished with eight.
Gainesville (20-5) is the second-seeded team from the region and will host Villa Rica in the first round of the state tournament.
Top-seeded Cedar Shoals (26-2) enters the state tournament on a 15-game winning streak and host Hiram (11-18) in the first round Wednesday night. Hiram pulled an upset of New Manchester in the region 5-5A quarterfinals to advance to the state tournament, New Manchester swept Hiram during the regular season.
Phlandrous Fleming and Jerrick Mitchell were named to the all-region team while head coach L’Dreco Thomas was named region Coach of the Year. Apalachee’s Kamar Baldwin was named region Player of the Year
The Cedar Shoals Jaguars broke open a two-point halftime lead in the second half to defeat Heritage of Conyers for the third time this season 53-39 to advance to the Region 8-5A championship game. Cedar Shoals outscored Heritage of Conyers 30-18 in the second half.
Junior Phlandrous Fleming stepped up again in a big game for the Jaguars as he has all season with a game-high 24 points and 10 rebounds. Jerrick Mitchell was the only other Jaguar in double figures with 10 points and several nifty assists (4) while commanding the offense and pushing the pace enough to push Cedar Shoals over the top.
Phlandrous Fleming knocks in two of his game-high 24 points vs Heritage-Conyers
Heritage (18-8) was led by Charles Moore’s 10 points and was the only double figure scorer for the Patriots. Bryon Abrams finished with 8 while Isaiah Bans finished with 7 points. Heritage Conyers will take on Salem in the 3rd place game on Saturday
Cedar Shoals (25-2) will look to avenge their only region loss of the season in the championship game when they take on Gainesville (20-4), 60-55 wire-to-wire winners over Salem in the other semifinal. The Red Elephants defeated Cedar Shoals 80-77 in double overtime back in December. Gainesville is led by Mr. Georgia Basketball contender D’Marcus Simonds. Simonds did not start against Cedar Shoals in the regular season but came off the bench to score 40 points in the victory.
Cedar Shoals, a 2015 Final Four team, will be seeking its second straight region title and third since 2012 Â under head coach L’Dreco Thomas, who surpassed 100 wins earlier this season.
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