The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Odom scores 28 to lead St. Francis to state title
Junior guard rises up to score 17 points in final quarter.
Dwon Odom wasn’t going to allow St. Francis’ boys basketball team to leave Macon without a state basketball championship trophy this week. So when the No. 1-ranked Knights saw their lead vanish in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s opening games, the junior guard decided to take control.
Odom scored 17 of his game-high 28 points in the final period to help St. Francis hold off Eagle’s Landing Christian 73-69 in the Class A private-school championship at the Macon Coliseum.
“I wanted to give the seniors one last memory,” Odom said. “We did it all year. It started last year in April, and we told ourselves we will make it back to state, and we will get a win, and we did it here. I’m so proud of my teammates.”
St. Francis, with its first title since 2015, was one of four teams, all ranked No. 1, to win championships in the first day of the finals.
Holy Innocents’ won the Class A private-school girls division, avenging losses to Wesleyan in the previous two finals.
In the Class A Public games, Calhoun County’s boys completed an undefeated season with a last-second victory against Treutlen. Marion County’s girls won their first-ever state title, beating Calhoun County.
Odom’s St. Francis team trailed 53-51 early in the fourth quarter, but the Region 6-A player of the year changed the momentum. He made a 3-pointer, scored on an offensive rebound and drove to the basket to convert a three-point play. St. Francis never trailed again.
“He’s the ultimate competitor,” St. Francis coach Drew Catlett said of Odom, who is committed to Xavier. “He just wants to win. He’ll do whatever it takes. He’s not a great 3-point shooter, but he makes two big 3’s. He gets to the rim and makes foul shots, plays defense.”
St. Francis (28-4) also got 16 points and nine rebounds from Jusaun Holt. No. 2-ranked ELCA (22-9) was led by K.J. Jones II and Mekhi Cameron with 17 points apiece.
Holy Innocents’ girls (236) led from start to finish in a 75-48 victory that completed a three-game season sweep of third-ranked Wesleyan (27-4), which had beaten Holy Innocents’ in the past two state finals. It was Holy Innocents’ third state title, first since 2016.
Sophomore forward Jillian Hollingshead scored 25 points and had 10 rebounds.
Calhoun County’s boys finished 32-0 with their 69-67 victory against Treutlen. Quanderious Powell scored only three baskets, all in the fourth quarter, the last one off a pass from Tykevious Curry just ahead of the buzzer to break the tie.
“Ty pushed the ball up court, saw me wide open and dished it and I finished it,” Powell said. “It was an amazing feeling.’’
The victory gave Calhoun County its third state championship, first since 2015. Treutlen finished 30-2, with both losses to Calhoun County.
Marion County’s girls capped off a 28-1 season with a 50-38 victory against No. 3 Calhoun County. Ansley Whitley scored 20 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked three shots. The victory helped soothe some wounds from losing to Greenville in the championship game last season.
“Last year, being here was awesome, but when we left it was the most horrible feeling, not finishing what we thought we could do,’’ Marion County coach Fran McPherson said. “I think that fueled our whole season.”