Decatur Girls Beat Pace, Advance in Tourney

After a blasé performance Thursday, Decatur High’s girls bounced back for a 42-34 win over Pace Friday morning in the Westminster Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament.

 The Lady Bulldogs were led by Jordan Dillard who had 16 points, 10 rebounds and two steals despite battling flu symptoms, requiring her to sit for long periods.

Also on Friday MaxPreps.com released its current Georgia rankings, with Decatur fourth in the state’s AAA class, the Bulldogs first Top 10 appearance this season. Region 6-AAA rivals St. Pius X (which Decatur hasn’t yet played) and Woodward Academy (Decatur won 55-40 on Dec. 4) are second and 11th respectively. Buford is ranked first in the state.

Friday against Pace juniors Kori Anderson had nine points and Kris Munson eight. Freshman Kayla Thomas had five rebounds, and a game-high five steals and three assists.

Decatur will play in the fifth-place game at noon Saturday in the Westminster High gym.

The Bulldogs, now 8-3, did have several minor injuries Friday. Freshman point guard Jayla Morrow tweaked a hamstring a few minutes into the game and didn’t return. Sophomore point guard Brianna Nixon also played sparingly because of a turned knee and Anderson turned her ankle.

Decatur coach Bill Roberts said it’s possible he’d sit all three players, along with Dillard, out of Saturday’s game. “It’s a fifth-place game,” he said, “so it would be a good opportunity to give some of our bench players a chance to play more.”

Decatur doesn’t play again until next Friday at home against Mt. Vernon Presbyterian. Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m.