Miller Grove’s Jermon Clark (14) pulls a rebound down on the defensive end in front of teammate Kevin Paige (22). (Photo by Mark Brock)

The March to Macon is officially underway for Region 5-5A in DeKalb County as region openers were played on Tuesday.

Miller Grove took the first big step with a sweep in boys’ and girls’ high school basketball action at the Purple Palace. Miller Grove capped the night with a 71-54 win over the Bulldogs.

The Wolverines (2-2, 1-0) exploded for 26 points in the first quarter behind two dunks, and three long range bombs on the offensive end while holding the Bulldogs (3-1) to just eight points with three steals and two blocked shots.

Chamblee’s Andrew Brown got the Bulldogs out to a 3-0 lead hitting a trey from the right corner on an assist by Rodney Smith, but the Bulldogs would go scoreless for almost four minutes following that short-lived lead.

Jarmon Clark hit a pair of free throws on the Wolverines’ first possession and Lorenzo Anderson would give Miller Grove the lead for good at 4-3 with a dunk following a steal and pass from Timothy Stargell with 6:41 left in the quarter.

The Wolverines would go on to score 14 consecutive points as Maurice Harvey made a steal and dunk. Harvey and Stargell would hit back-to-back three-pointers and Kevin Paige scored a layup on another Stargell assist as the lead went to 14-3 with 4:00 left in the quarter.

Ahmed Scott hit a three for Chamblee to break the run and Andrew Littleton’s drive to the basket cut the lead to 15-8 with 3:16 remaining.

Miller Grove would all but put the game away with an 11-0 run to end the first period as Zyair Greene got the open three from an assist by Harvey to start the run. Anderson’s drive to the basket with 18 seconds remaining made it 26-8 heading into the second quarter.

Chamblee’s Andrew Littleton drove for a dunk in the second half rally for Chamblee. (Photo by Mark Brock)

Harvey would add another three and dunk early in the second quarter and Terrance Edwards rebound and layup with 3:11 made it 39-13 with 2:16 left in the first half.

Zachary Markson hit a pair of driving layups and two free throws to slow the Wolverines down, but Jalen Stuckey’s three from the left corner at the buzzer sent Miller Grove into the half with a 43-22 advantage.

An evenly played third quarter sent the Wolverines into the final period of play up 55-34, but Rodney Smith and Andrew Littleton heated up to combine for 14 points in a 14-6 run to cut the lead to 13 (61-48) with 4:30 to play in the game. Smith hit a pair of threes and Littleton hit a three and completed a three-point play in the run.

Paige got an offensive put back and Clark drove to basket for another layup as the Wolverines would answer with an 8-2 run. Anderson would finish with a pair of layups to push the lead to 69-50 with 2:25 to play.

Miller Grove was led by Lorenzo Anderson with 16 points and 7 rebounds, Maurice Harvey with 16 points and 5 rebounds, Kevin Paige with 12 points and 9 rebounds and Jermon Clark with 11 points and 7 rebounds.

Chamblee was led by Andrew Littlejohn’s 16 points, Zachary Markston’s 15 points and 14 points from Rodney Smith.

(G) Miller Grove 50, Chamblee 40

Miller Grove’s Dejah turner (20) contests a shot by Chamblee’s Tija Lemons (10). (Photo by Mark Brock)

Senior Keshuna Patterson pulled off a 28-point, 10-rebound double-double to lead the Miller Grove Lady Wolverines to a 50-40 victory in the night’s opening girls’ game.

The first quarter was a 7-7 tie and Chamblee (2-2, 0-1) went up 10-8 as Trinity Edwards downs a driving shot and hit one of two free throws with 6:30 to play in the first half.

Patterson had entered the game in the second quarter to face a box and one as Chamblee had someone shadowing her on the offensive end. She used picks from her teammates to get open and hit three consecutive threes to put the Lady Wolverines (3-1, 1-0) up 17-13 with 2:36 left in the first half.

Jalisha Mann would follow with a three of her own and Kaylen Ponder would hit a pair of free throws for a 22-15 lead with 1:01 to play in the half.

Divine Drayton and Simone Robinson hit shots in the final 44 seconds to pull within 23-20 at the half.

Patterson’s three-point play and Shania Montoya’s layup on a pass from Deyonce’ Lewis made it a 35-26 Miller Grove lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Edwards scored nine points and grabbed six rebounds in the fourth quarter pulling the Lady Bulldogs within 39-38 on a free throw with 2:09 to play.

After Patterson pushed the lead back out to four (42-38) on a three-point play with 2:03 to play Edwards answered with a drive to the basket to cut it to 42-40 with 1:53 remaining. It would Chamblee’s last points of the game.

Paterson would hit six of 10 free throws and hit a layup with 18 second to play to make the final of 50-40.

Montoya joined Patterson in double figures for Miller Grove with 13 points. Chamblee was led by the double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds by Edwards.