Tucker’s Akhiyah Johnson (with ball) dove to the floor to get a loose ball and Tucker’s Kennedi Thomas (left) and Mariya Shields (back) battle for the loose ball. Southwest DeKalb came away with the jump ball and a 64-33 win in the Region 5-4 meeting between the DeKalb rivals. (Photo by Mark Brock)
The Southwest DeKalb Lady Panthers set the tone for a Region 5-4A matchup with DeKalb County rival Tucker with a 22-point run in the first half on the way to a 64-33 girls’ high school basketball victory to kick off as weep of their rivals at Southwest DeKalb on Tuesday night.
The win moved Southwest DeKalb (13-8, 8-4) to within one game of third place St. Pius (13-7, 9-4) to set up a crucial matchup at St. Pius on Thursday in the make up of a game cancelled due to the snow earlier.
Leading 7-4 with 1:05 to play in the first quarter, a steal and layup by Mariya Shields kicked off the 22-0 run for the Panthers to take control of the game. Shields would finish off the first quarter with three more points to give her team a 12-4 lead going into the second quarter.
An offensive put back by Ryann Chaney to open the second quarter was the start to a 17-run to open the period on the way to a 29-4 lead. Jayla Walton put together a four-point play by draining a three-pointer while drawing a foul and then adding the free throw to make it 25-4 with 5:48 to go in the half.
A steal and layup by Bailee Canty was the last basket before Tucker broke their scoreless streak on a steal and basket by Elaina Parker with 3:55 to play to make it a 29-6 deficit.
Harmonie Cooper ended the half with a flourish with a layup and a three-pointer that would pull Tucker (11-9, 4-8) within 35-11 the half.
Southwest DeKalb’s Jalaina Alford (10) slices past Tucker’s Azaria Tolen (14) for a shot during second half of Southwest DeKalb’s 64-33 win. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Walton opened the second half with steal for a basket then benefitted from a steal and a pass from Kennedi Thomas to start an 8-0 run to open the second half.
The Panthers, despite a pair of threes from Cooper, kept plenty of distance between themselves and the Tigers taking a 57-21 lead into the fourth quarter on a last second offensive put back by Shields.
Tucker would triple their first half output in the second half as Cooper, Parker and Kayla Bradley all hit from downtown in the fourth quarter as Southwest DeKalb cruised to the 64-33 victory.
Jayla Walton finished the night with 13 points to lead the Panthers and Mariya Shields added 12 points. Kennedi Thomas added seven points and eight rebounds for Southwest DeKalb.
Harmonie Cooper led all scorers with 18 points for the Tigers. Elaina Parker added nine points and eight rebounds for Tucker.