CALHOUN -- Gainesville to Calhoun to Columbus in just over 24 hours.
The chance to see a good chunk of Georgia in just over a day might be appealing if you're a sight-seer; not if you're a basketball team.
Unfortunately that's exactly what the East Hall girls basketball team was facing if it could knock off Calhoun Saturday in the quarterfinals of the Class AAA playoffs.
The Lady Vikings can now break out their binoculars and play a little game of billboard alphabet after taking a convincing 68-54 win over the Lady Yellow Jackets.
The win pushed East Hall (20-10) into the semifinals for the first time since 2007 but the Lady Vikings will get a short turnaround as they will take on Beach out of Savannah at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Columbus State.
"It's not something that I think is real fair to the girls, no matter who won, but that's what it is," East Hall coach Justin Wheeler said. "But we're glad to get the chance to play another game. We'll rest a little tonight and then get ready for (Saturday)."
In a campaign that has seen the young Lady Vikings gather steam over the second half of the season, Saturday's win may have shown fans just how far they have come since a 7-6 start. It was their second consecutive road win against a No. 1 seed.
"They're growing up right in front of us," Wheeler said. "Nothing really seems to bother them much. They might have a slight panic but then the next play they get right back to what they do.
"These girls are playing well and doing what we ask of them. It's a tremendous group to be around. They're still peaking. I think they can get even better."
They looked pretty cool, calm, and collected most of the game against Calhoun, who came into the game with a perfect 12-0 home record. The two teams traded the lead eight times in the first 9:15 of the game into the second quarter. East Hall trailed 17-15 after a basket by Calhoun standout Jana Johns but answered with a Chelsea Dale 3-pointer moments later and never trailed again.
It was the second of three consecutive treys by Dale as East Hall would turn a 13-12 first quarter deficit into a 28-19 lead with 4:09 left in the second quarter on a 3-pointer by Jatasia Bailey. The Lady Vikings would take a 35-30 lead into halftime.
Shooting played a huge factor in the Lady Vikings being able to grab control of the game. Calhoun outrebounded East Hall 16-9 in the first half but the Lady Vikings hit 7-of-19 3-pointers in the first half while the Lady Yellow Jackets were 0-for-3. Both had eight turnovers.
Calhoun opened the third quarter strong pulling within four points twice, the final time at 40-36, and three points once, at 43-40 after a pair of steals in a 6 second span with 3:50 left. But East Hall, behind two key steals by Ashlyn Ellison and a 7-0 run over the final 2:29 of the period, pushed its lead to 50-40 going into the fourth quarter.
Calhoun climbed within six points twice but East Hall would hit 11-of-13 free throws in the final period to not only put the game away but push a 52-46 lead into the final score.
Johns led the Lady Yellow Jackets with 18 points and was effective early. But she had just seven points after halftime as the East Hall defense clamped down.
Sydnie Parker and Tamia Wade each had 12 points for Calhoun (25-5). Parker added seven blocks as well.
"We talked about limiting (Johns) but we didn't want to change too much because if you change one thing something else opens up and you have to change for that," Wheeler said. "We just played a little tighter and tried to turn up our defense in the second half. The girls did a great job."
Balanced scoring was another key for the Lady Vikings with six players recording eight or more points and they combined to finish with 11 3-pointers as a team. Jenny Edwards, despite foul trouble the entire game, led the way with 14 points, 10 in the fourth quarter.
Dale finished with 13, Bailey and Carly Winters had 11 points each, Kylah Mize added nine, and Ellison eight. Mize, Bailey, Dale, and Winters each hit big 3-pointers in the game.
"We have several players that can score at any time. When we get balance like that we're pretty tough to defend," Wheeler said.
Now its on to Columbus and Region 1-AAA No. 1 seed Beach. Wheeler said they will just have to rely on what got them to the semifinal round. The Lady Vikings are the only non-No. 1 seed left in AAA.
"We haven't had time to scout them because we couldn't look past Calhoun," he said. "We'll just to do what we do and hope that we can be as effective as we were (Saturday). But we're looking forward to the challenge."
PREP BASKETBALL STATE SEMIFINAL SCHEDULE
SATURDAY
At Columbus State University, Columbus
-- 6:30 p.m., East Hall girls vs. Beach (Class AAA) -- Radio: AM 550/102.9 FM
At West Georgia College and State University, Carrollton
-- 3 p.m., Buford girls vs. Fayette County (Class AAAA) -- Radio: AM 550
PREP BASKETBALL STATE QUARTERFINAL RESULTS
FRIDAY
-- East Hall girls 68, Calhoun 54
THURSDAY
-- Jonesboro boys 50, Johnson 35 (Class AAAA)
-- Laney boys 92, East Hall 67 (Class AAA)
TUESDAY
-- Buford girls 59, St. Pius 55 (Class AAAA)
-- Laney girls 70, Dawson County 64 (Class AAA)
-- Mays girls 47, Gainesville 25 (Class AAAAA)
-- Terrell County girls 45, Commerce 31 (Class A public)
Thursday
January 30th, 2025
3:19AM
