Lady Tigers move on in basketball playoffs, Fayette boys, McIntosh girls edged out

Three local basketball teams started the state basketball playoffs last weekend and only one remains.

Clarke Central took the Fayette County Lady Tigers (24-5) to overtime where Anma Onyeuku took over and secured the win for her team. The game was a defensive struggle. Clarke Central led 6-4 after one quarter and 15-12 at the half. In the second half there were six lead changes as the two teams slugged it out. With 26.6 seconds left in regulation, Clarke Central’s Asia Sorrells hit two free throw to take the lead, 34-32, but Sasha Sims tied it 11 seconds later, sending it to overtime. In the extra period, Onyeuku scored 10 of Fayette’s 12 points. The Lady Tigers had a six point lead with a minute left, but Clarke Central cut it to two with five seconds left.

Onyeuku hit two free throws with four seconds left to give them a 46-42 win.

Onyeuku finished with 22 points, while Elem Ibiam and Sims each had nine.

“The name of the game now is survive and advance,” said head coach John Strickland. "We’ll address a few things but I won’t be critical of this game. We found a way to turn it up in overtime and we’ve been there before, winning close games.”

The win puts them in a rematch of last year’s state final. This Wednesday, the Lady Tigers will travel to take on Southwest DeKalb (23-4), the team that has knocked them out in the state final the last two years. The Lady Panthers have only lost once in 2010, falling to Redan 64-58 on Feb. 6. They defeated Sequoyah 85-49 on Saturday to advance to the sweet sixteen.

The winner of this game will meet the winner of Rome and Loganville at the University of West Georgia on Saturday.

The night before, Fayette County’s varsity boys (21-7), the fourth seed from region 5-AAAA, traveled to take on top ranked Rockdale County on Friday. They lost 75-72 in overtime in what many considered a controversial game. There were reports from fans that a technical foul called on Fayette near the end of regulation for calling a timeout when they had none was incorrect. The Tigers did have a timeout left, but the call was not reversed, Rockdale tied the game and sent it to overtime where they won.

Adam Smith led the Tigers with 27 points, while Larry Erves added 20 and Maurice Williams chipped in 14. Ekene Anachebe had a double-double with 19 rebounds and 13 blocks and Eric Lauderdale added 13 rebounds in the loss.

On Saturday, McIntosh’s Lady Chiefs (18-11), the third seed from region 5-AAAA, gave Loganville all they could handle on Saturday but fell short 41-39. Gabby Seiled led McIntosh with 17 points and four assists, while Shelbi Sims had eight points and four rebounds and Crystal Ojukwu added five points and seven rebounds.