Decatur Girls Top GAC, Clinch Second Seed in Regional Tournament

Coming into this season, Decatur High’s girls were 0-12 against Greater Atlanta Christian in basketball.

During those games, Decatur lost by an average of 26.75 points per game, including one loss of 51 points in 2007, and last year’s embarrassing 66-32 loss in the regional tournament.

But Friday night the Lady Bulldogs held on for a 57-55 win over the tenth-ranked Spartans and a two-game sweep of the regular-season series.

“I really think [GAC players and coaches] thought the first time was a total fluke,” said Decatur coach Bill Roberts in reference to Decatur’s five-point win back in December. “I really think they felt they were gonna put it to us tonight.”

But Decatur (ranked fifth in the Coaches Poll and sixth in the AJC) led nearly the entire game, with GAC taking only brief one-point leads twice, late in the second quarter.

Senior Queen Alford, coming off one of her worst games ever last Tuesday against Buford, exploded for 30 points, including one sublime stretch late in the second quarter.

With 2:10 left Queen, who was moved to point guard for the first time this season, made a passing-lane steal and drove the length for a layup, making it 28-25.

A half minute later she nailed a right perimeter three to make it 31-27, and seconds later grabbed rebound and motored coast-to-coast for another score. With 20 seconds left she fed Kris Munson for a short jumper and the Bulldogs had their biggest lead at 35-27.

The sophomore Munson had the best game of her young career with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Decatur never relinquished the lead, but GAC nearly came all the way back.

With Decatur leading 56-53 and 7.5 seconds left, GAC’s Brianna Cummings was fouled on a controversial three-point shot -- it appeared she was actually passing to sharpshooter Cosette Mahre. That gave Cummings a one-shop opportunity to tie it up.

The sophomore, however, made only two of three. Decatur rebounded and GAC fouled freshman Briana Nixon with 1.5 seconds left. Nixon made one of two, sealing the victory.

Decatur’s assured of a second-place seed in the Feb. 13-18 Regional Tournament that will be held at the Spike.  The Lady Bulldogs will get a first-round bye and will play either South Atlanta or Blessed Trinity for a state tournament slot.

The regional tournament’s top four teams go to the state, with the top two (the champion and runner-up) hosting a first-round game.

The victory also gives Decatur a 20-4 record, its second straight 20-win season and third straight winning season after decades of mostly sub-.500 records. Counting his last seven years at Salem High, Roberts earned his ninth consecutive 20-win season.

The boys played valiantly against likely the best or second-best team in AA, dropping a 47-32 decision. GAC is surging, having won 16 of its last 18 games and is now 18-5 overall. In a huge regional showdown, GAC plays at Buford Tuesday night.

Decatur coach Charlie Copp was proud of his team’s defense, holding the powerful Spartans to below 50 points, but after the game Friday he said to one of his assistants, “Tomorrow morning can you go out and try to find me some shooting dust.”

Decatur shot 14 for 44 from the field for 32 percent, including 2 for 12 from three-point land.

GAC had four players at 6-5 or larger, so Decatur had virtually no success going inside.

GAC, incidentally, features two famous basketball names in freshman point guard Jaye Stackhouse (Jerry’s son), and sophomore Isaiah Wilkins, who’s Dominique’s adopted son.

Decatur is now 11-13 and needs a win over Clarkston next Friday – the last regular-season game – to sew up a number four seed in the state tournament.

That would mean a first-round bye and would likely mean, if the Bulldogs could win in the second round, a third-round game against Maynard Jackson or Blessed Trinity for a state tournament berth.

Next Friday’s game at Clarkston starts at 7 p.m., with the girls tipping off at 5:30 p.m.