Southwest DeKalb’s Xzaviah Traylor (with ball) examines the defense as Miller Grove’s Javon Terrell comes out to cover during the Panthers 49-35 win over the Wolverines. (Photo by Mark Brock)
The Southwest DeKalb Panthers gave the home teams a sweep of Miller Grove in Region 6-4A high school basketball action with a 49-35 victory at Southwest DeKalb on Tuesday night.
Miller Grove’s Javon Terrell grabbed an offensive rebound and drove under the goal for a reverse layup to tie the game at 19-19 with 4:53 left in the third quarter. The Wolverines (4-3, 0-1) had battled back from down as much as 12 points in the second quarter.
Southwest DeKalb (3-1, 2-0) responded as Josh Clemons hit a short jumper in the lane that rolled around the rim twice before falling in to give his team the lead for at 21-19.
Turnovers then proved costly for the Wolverines as an inbounds pass was stolen by Jon Turner for an easy layup. A push off called the Wolverines on the next inbounds play gave Southwest the ball again and Savion Mathis hit one of two free throws to make it 24-19.
A steal by Mathis and pass up the floor to Turner for another easy basket made it 26-19 with 3:24 left in the third quarter.
Marion Hopkins completed an old fashioned three-point play on Miller Grove’s next possession to trim the lead back to 26-22 only to have Southwest DeKalb end the quarter on a 6-0 run. The run was started by a Clemons’ three-pointer followed by two free throws by Isaiah Taylor and another by Mathis to make it 32-22 with one quarter to play.
Clemons would hit for six consecutive points in less than a minute span in the fourth quarter including a three-pointer, a layup on an assist from Turner and one of two from the free-throw line to extend the lead to 40-24 with 4:44 remaining on the clock.
Miller Grove ended the game with a 7-2 run on a pair of free throws by Taison Mathis, a basket and free throw by Seydina N’Diaye and a bucket by Xavier Lewis.
A three-pointer by Thomas Glanton to end the first quarter coupled with a basket by Isaiah Taylor to open the second quarter opened a 12-point lead for the Panthers.
Miller Grove’s Xavier Lewis hit a three-pointer in the final 1:30 of the first half as the lead was cut to 18-13 going into the break.
Clemons led the Panthers with 16 points. Marion Hopkins had 8 points to lead Miller Grove while Xavier Lewis finished with 7 points and Seydine N’Diaye had 5 points and 9 rebounds.
Miller Grove’s Katimah Grogan battles Miller Grove’s Miriya Shields (12) and Brooklyn Scrubb (20). (Photo by Mark Brock)
GIRLS
SW DeKalb 50, Miller Grove 16
The Southwest DeKalb Lady Panthers forced 31 turnovers against the Miller Grove Wolverines as they ran to a 50-16 Region 6-4A win in the opener at Southwest DeKalb.
Miller Grove scored first on a free throw by Jalisa Payne-Wright but Southwest DeKalb (2-2, 2-0) would run off 14 consecutive points to take control of the game. Jah’Neasia Spiers hit for four points in a 9-0 run to end the first quarter. The four points included a basket on an assist by Bailee Canty in the final two minutes to send her team into the second quarter up 9-1.
Spiers had an offensive putback and a three-pointer by Janiya McCoy to open the second period with five quick points to push the lead to 14-1 with 6:58 remaining in the half.
Back-to-back three pointers by Londyn Durden and Saniya Rice helped Southwest to a 24-6 lead at the break.
Canty had a three-pointer and a three-point play on back-to-back trips down the court, s 13 second time span, as the lead ballooned to 35-7. She would add a steal and layup with two seconds left in the quarter to make it a 39-10 advantage with the final quarter to play.
Payne-Wright had a three-point play with 1:33 left in third period to get Miller Grove into double digits at 10-37.
Jah’Naesia Spiers finished the game with 13 points to lead Southwest DeKalb and Bailee Canty finished with 10 points. Payne-Wright led Miller Grove with 8 points on the night and Jaylen Clark had 3 points and 17 rebounds.