MACON - Newton avenged three previous losses to Grayson this season and denied its region rival’s bid for a second consecutive state title with a 59-56 victory in the Class 6A girls basketball championship game Saturday at the Macon Coliseum.
Seventh-ranked Newton (25-5), which lost to Grayson 76-52 and 76-51 in the regular season and 50-44 three weeks ago in the Region 4-6A championship game, secured its first state championship. The Rams had lost in their previous two trips to the finals in 1963 and 2018.
“We had that conversation. After losing three times to them, one of them in the region championship, I asked them would you guys rather have a region championship or a state championship,” Newton coach Jawan Bailey said. “We knew we were in a position to make a run and prove ourselves. I’m just super proud of these kids. They’ve worked really hard to get to this point, and I’m glad to see the fruits of their labor.”
Grayson was one of four reigning state champions that made it back to the finals this year, along with Jackson-Atlanta, Baldwin and Hebron Christian. All four lost in the finals this time around. Grayson, which was ranked No. 2, lost its first game of the season and the last one and won all 30 in between.
Neither team led by more than six points in the first half - Grayson went up 22-16 with 4:14 to play in the second quarter - but Newton went into halftime with a 26-25 lead.
The teams traded leads twice in the first three minutes of the third quarter before Newton claimed it for good on a layup by London Smith that made it 30-29 with 4:52 left in the quarter. The lead grew to eight on a three-point play by Smith with 1:15 left in the period, but Grayson cut it back to four heading into the fourth quarter.
Grayson stayed within six points in the final eight minutes and had two chances to tie the game or take the lead in the final minute, but Smith blocked a shot by Grayson’s Tatum Brown with 49 seconds remaining and Grayson missed a 3-pointer with four seconds left.
Smith, a sophomore, finished with a game-high 23 points and 11 rebounds along with three assists, a steal and a blocked shot.
“Superstar,” Bailey said of Smith. “She had a point to prove this season. She missed her freshman season with an ACL injury, and she was really down about not being on a couple of top-whatever lists that they put out at the beginning of the season. She had a chip on her shoulder. She wanted to prove herself to the state that she’s one of the best players in her class. I think she absolutely did that.”
Camille Files added 10 points and four rebounds to help Newton control the inside game. Newton finished with a 35-23 advantage in rebounds, scored 32 points in the paint and had 17 second-chance points.
Brown, the Region 4-6A player of the year, led Grayson with 16 points, six rebounds and three assists. Coco Rudolph had 15 points and six rebounds, and Zoie Lofton scored 11 points.
“You’re talking about a defending state champion with, to me, a Hall of Fame coach in Tim Slater, who does a really good job with his program,” Bailey said. “Tatum Brown and Coco Rudolph can play with the best of them in the state of Georgia. You’re never gonna dominate a team like that, so the back and forth is expected. I’m just happy we came out on the right side of it this time.”
Newton - 13-13-22-11 - 59
Grayson - 13-12-19-12 - 56
Newton (59): Mya Perry 8, London Smith 23, Camille Files 10, Desiree Davis 7, Skylar Levell 2, Jazmine Flournoy, Jakaia White, Zoey Jackson 3, Alissa Sandifer 4, Jamira Flournoy 2.
Grayson (56): Tatum Brown 16, Coco Rudolph 15, Zoie Loftin 11, Jayla Bennett, Tamera Rudolph 3, Liyah Williams 7, Jahmaica Clegg 4, Bri Williams.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
