TIGER, Ga. — Rabun County advanced to their second Final Four in three seasons with a 71-45 rout of Bryan County at home on Tuesday in the Class A Division 1 playoffs.
The Lady Wildcats next will take on Galloway at 1 p.m. at GSCU in Milledgeville on Saturday. They will be looking for their third trip to a state title game after making the Class 2A finals in 2017 and 2022.
Rabun County (24-6) started strong, running out to a 44-27 lead by halftime.
Against Bryan County, Lucy Hood had 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists to lead the way. Mili Watts added 13 points and swiped 4 steals, Addy Beth Owens had 12 points and 3 assists, and Jacie McCall chipped in with 9 points and 4 rebounds for Rabun County.
NORTH PAULDING 74,
BUFORD 69 OT
Ava Grace Watson sparked a huge fourth quarter rally for the Lady Wolves but they could not complete the comeback falling in the quarterfinals of the Class 7A playoffs at The Buford Arena on Tuesday.
Buford trailed most of the game as the Lady Wolfpack led 17-10 after the first quarter and 33-23 at halftime as the Lady Wolves offense struggled. But Watson and Buford began to heat up in the second half.
The Lady Wolves (26-4) trimmed the lead to 48-39 heading into the fourth quarter before Watson nearly led them to the comeback win. The senior poured in 10 of her game-high 36 points in the fourth as they rallied to tie the game at 60.
Watson hit a pair of 3-pointers in the overtime but they could not hold off Ava Andrews and Jayda Jackson, who combined for 7 of their 14 points in the overtime.
Andrews finished with 21 points and Jackson had 18 for North Paulding.
Lydia Ledford had 10 points for Buford.
JOSEY 65,
BANKS COUNTY 48
The Lady Leopards bid for a repeat trip to the Class 2A semifinals come to a half at home on Tuesday.
In a rematch of last year’s semifinal showdown, Josey (27-3) blew open a close game outscoring Banks County 30-16 in the second and third quarters to lead 50-32. The Lady Leopards, who saw their 18-game win streak snapped, never recovered.
Addison Hoard paced Banks County (25-5) with 15 points. Carley Segars had 13 and Reese Murphy 9 for the Lady Leopards.
Josey was led by Zy’Miyah Jenkins’s 20 points. Shaniya Sanders added 18 points, all on 3-pointers for the Lady Eagles.
MONROE-ALBANY 67,
WHITE COUNTY 64
The Lady Warriors were outscored 11-3 over the final 2:38 to see their Cinderella season come to an end on Tuesday on the road.
White County, the No. 3 seed out of Region 7-3A, knocked off one region champ, Adairsville, on the road, and was looking for its second playoff road win of the playoffs.
And it looked like they were going to get it after the long drive to Albany, leading most of the game. The Lady Warriors led 19-14 after the opening period and pushed their lead to 36-19 by halftime. White County took a 51-44 lead into the fourth quarter and led 61-56 with 2:38 left.
But the Lady Tornadoes (21-9) stormed back to pull off the late victory.
GEORGIA HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
QUARTERFINAL ROUND, Tuesday, Feb. 27
GIRLS
CLASS 7A
North Paulding 74, Buford 69 OT
CLASS 6A
North Forsyth 61, Woodward Academy 49
CLASS 4A
Fayette County 77, Chestatee 71
CLASS 3A
Monroe-Albany 67, White County 64
CLASS 2A
Josey 65, Banks County 48
CLASS A DIVISION 1
Rabun County 71, Bryan County 45
GIAA CLASS 3A SEMIFINALS (at GCSU, Milledgeville)
Wednesday, Feb. 28
Lakeview Academy boys (3) vs. St. Andrew's (2), 4:30 p.m.
Lakeview Academy girls (1) vs. Terrell Academy (5), 6 p.m.
