8-AAA tournament: Spartans advance to state, rout Oconee

OAKWOOD -- Region 8-AAA top seed West Hall made sure there would be no upset in its quarterfinal matchup with Oconee County on Friday night.

After a sluggish start, the second-ranked Spartans used a 20-5 run in the first half to blow open a close game en route to a dominating 68-35 win over the Warriors, who came in as the lowest seed left in the tournament.

West Hall (22-4) found itself in a surprising tie at 6-6 but consecutive baskets by Shunquez Stephens gave the Spartans the lead for good. They would lead 26-11 before taking a 31-17 lead into halftime. Oconee would not get closer the rest of the way.

The Spartans next will take on Monroe Area at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Chestatee in the semifinals. West Hall knocked off the Hurricanes -- who were ranked as high as No. 2 in AAA during the season -- twice during the regular season. But West Hall coach Warren Sellers said he expects a big challenge from the Hurricanes, who were without two starters in one of the earlier games.

"It should be a battle," Sellers said. "They have several guys that can really score. The key will be for us to play good defense."

Stephens finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds. His brother Jamaad Stephens had one of his best games of the season with 22 points and five rebounds. Jarquise Young finished with just six points but added six assists and three steals.

It was the kind of game that makes most coaches nervous as Oconee County came in with just four wins but managed to knock off Chestatee in the first round on Tuesday.

"You can never take anyone for granted when it comes to getting into the state tournament," Sellers said. "We hadn't played in nine days and I think at the beginning we were a little off. But we finally got going a little in the second quarter and I was real pleased with how we played in the second half."

Oconee County came out firing 3-pointers hitting a pair early to take a 6-4 lead in the first two minutes of the game. But the Warriors went cold over the next eight minutes going just 1-for-14 on 3-pointers during that stretch. They shot more 3-pointers than two-pointers in the first half.

West Hall took advantage inside as the Stephens brothers dominated on the glass while Young found the open shooter.

Oconee County (4-20) was led by Byron Sufken with 19 points.