Columbia’s Aalon Turner (3) hits a turnaround jumper against Hardaway’s Rhianna Boyton (33) during second half action of Columbia’s Class 2A girls’ state quarterfinal playoff loss. (Photo by Mark Brock)
A battle of Top 10 ranked Class 2A girls’ basketball teams ended in a 76-27 defeat for the Columbia Lady Eagles as the host Hardaway Lady Hawks cruised to the state playoff quarterfinal win in Columbus on Tuesday night.
Hardaway’s Mikayla Johnson hit a three-pointer 15 seconds into the game and the Hawks (24-6) never trailed in the game.
Three-point play and two more free throws by Hardaway’s Akilah Shelton made it a 10-0 game with 3:02 to play in the first quarter before Columbia got on the scoreboard with a three-point play by Londyn Durden.
Hardaway reeled off seven consecutive points in less than two minutes including six by Johnson to make it 17-3 before the Eagles (23-6) scored on a three-pointer by Assata McIntyre.
Durden cut the Hawks’ lead to 12 (8-20) with a floater from the baseline just before the first quarter ended. Hardway scored 20 points in the first six and half minutes of the second quarter to extend the lead to 40-8 before the Eagles scored again.
Columbia managed just two free throws (both by Kendall Campbell) in the period trail 46-10 at the half. The taller Hawks used their height to their advantage grabbing 11 offensive rebounds for second chance opportunities in the first.
Meanwhile, the Eagles hit just three shots of 22 in the first half to go with 18 turnovers while getting just eight rebounds (4 offensive) to Hardaway’s 22.
Columbia came out of the locker room with some fire despite the big deficit and played an almost even third quarter with home team. Aalon Turner opened the second half with back-to-back baskets and finished the quarter with seven points.
But a couple of shooting lulls couple with turnovers allowed Hardaway to stretch the lead to 60-16. Both Turner and Kennedi Johnson scored three points in the final 1:09 of the period to finish the quarter down 62-24.
Columbia extended its 20-win season streak to four consecutive under Coach Eric Bell who is 88-27 over the past four years and 168-81 as the head of the Lady Eagles’ program.
DeKalb has two boys’ teams playing quarterfinal playoff games on Wednesday including Cedar Grove (26-3) hosting Baldwin (23-7) in Class 3A play and Tucker (24-6) hosting Jonesboro (22-8) in Class 4A state tournament play. Both games are set for 6:00 pm tip-off times.
DCSD STATE BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE
Tuesday, Feb. 25
GIRLS
CLASS 2A QUARTERFINALS
Hardaway (24-6) 76, Columbia (23-6) 27
Wednesday, Feb. 26
BOYS
CLASS 3A
Baldwin (23-7) at Cedar Grove (26-3), 6:00 pm
CLASS 4A
Jonesboro (22-8) at Tucker (24-6), 6:00 pm