GHSA Elite 8 Recap

<!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Class 6A</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Freshman phenom [player_tooltip player_id='991134' first='Carib' last='Morris'] ended her rookie season with 36 points in a 68-62 loss to Grayson. Grayson, the four-seed out of Region 4, arguably the toughest in the state, ends up being the lone team to reach the Final 4 as Archer was beat 59-56 by Hillgrove and defending state champion Newton lost for a second time to North Paulding, 58-47 as the Hinkson sisters propelled the Wolfpack between [player_tooltip player_id='904720' first='Kenzie' last='Hinkson']' 19 points and [player_tooltip player_id='1110874' first='Kalee' last='Hinkson']'s 16.&nbsp; [player_tooltip player_id='790258' first='Zoey' last='Jackson'] powered Newton with 14 points. Lowndes lost 58-56 at Campell, [player_tooltip player_id='925220' first='Kayla' last='Jackson'] recording 18 points and 8 rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Class 5A</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sequoyah led 27-18 at the half at Milton but couldn't slow down Deyva [player_tooltip player_id='1242017' first='Davis' last=''] in the second half, losing 54-49 missing out on joining Region 6 rivals River Ridge and Creekview in the Final 4. River Ridge played a nip and tuck game with 28-0 Bradwell Institute but eventually ended the Tigers' dream season 50-48 as [player_tooltip player_id='674569' first='Kyla' last='Cantey'] scored 16 points and [player_tooltip player_id='476459' first='Makayla' last='Roberson'] added 15 as the Knights await the return of [player_tooltip player_id='608120' first='Finley' last='Parker'] who hasn't appeared in the postseason yet. Creekview led by double digits for nearly the entire game at Loganville until a sputtering fourth quarter saw their lead trimmed to 38-34, but the Grizzlies rebounded and held on 43-36 behind [player_tooltip player_id='476495' first='Kailyn' last='Hamby']'s 15 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Class 4A</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jones County controlled the action throughout to knock off defending state champ Creekside 48-34. Kell topped Dalton 52-41 as [player_tooltip player_id='727053' first='Maliyah' last='Gilbert'] scored 17 points. KK Arnold scored 20 points in Cartersville's 64-51 win over four-seed Northview while Marist pulled away from North Oconee 63-49 as [player_tooltip player_id='541419' first='Kate' last='Harpring'] took over.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Class 3A</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A controversial finish saw Monroe edge defending state champs Cherokee Bluff 62-61 as [player_tooltip player_id='674576' first='Taylor' last='McKinzy'] scored on a putback with the clock frozen at 6.8 seconds. [player_tooltip player_id='671764' first='Kie'Aundria' last='Acree'] had the game-saving block of [player_tooltip player_id='674580' first='Bristol' last='Kersh'] at the buzzer. Sandy Creek blew by Stephenson 65-37 while Pickens avenged last year's upset loss to Jenkins by returning the favor, traveling to Savannah to beat Jenkins 60-42 behind 12 threes (5 from [player_tooltip player_id='910481' first='Darbi' last='Stanley']) and [player_tooltip player_id='476460' first='Ellison' last='Steinhauer']'s 25 points. [player_tooltip player_id='1258834' first='Ema' last='Tanner'] had a big game for Heritage-Catoosa with 16 points as he Generals stifled Oconee County 47-41, freshman star [player_tooltip player_id='991147' first='Ella' last='David'] ending her year with 23 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Class 2A</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Radford-signee [player_tooltip player_id='610845' first='Kerri' last='Fluellen'] dumped in 34 points to help Josey beat Hart County 73-54. Hardaway beat Coahulla Creek 57-44, Columbia defeated Tattnall County 51-29 and Murray County raced by Thomson 61-55, building a big lead before holding on late.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Class 1A D-I</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Freshman and Co-Region Player of the Year [player_tooltip player_id='1235271' first='Jaydah' last='Baker'] poured in 24 points to slip Putnam County past Heard County 55-53. Elbert County got revenge for last year's loss at Vidalia, crushing the Indians 61-38 while East Laurens pounded Bacon County 64-42. Thomasville rallied form down 37-27 to win at home against Rabun County 46-44.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Class A D-II</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defending champ Wilcox County steamrolled Brooks County 71-43 while Bowdon upset Macon County 61-57 and Metter won a back-and-forth bout with Terrell County 50-46.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Class 3A-1A Private</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='541423' first='Alanna' last='Beckham'] scored 27 points as Hebron Christian defeated Whitefield Academy 95-46. St. Francis stormed past Christian Heritage 73-53 and GAC controlled the game against Athens Academy, winning 53-33 as [player_tooltip player_id='1228165' first='Milan' last='Johnson'] tallied 18 points and 12 rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->