The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Pace, Mays among champs
Langston Hughes boys capture school’s first state title in any sport.
Schools from Fulton County had a big day of basketball Thursday in Athens, where Pace Academy, Mays and Langston Hughes won state championships at the University of Georgia’s Stegeman Coliseum.
Pace Academy won its second consecutive boys championship behind 20 points and 17 rebounds from 6-foot-10 forward Wendell Carter, a McDonald’s All-American suiting up for the Knights for the last time. Pace Academy defeated Morgan County 54-46 in Class AAA.
Mays won the girls’ AAAAAA championship, its first title since 2003, with a 52-51 win over Harrison.
The boys’ AAAAAA champion was Langston Hughes, a 7-yearold school, which won its first state championship in any sport. Hughes beat Brunswick 73-52.
The first championship of the day went to Beach, which defeated crosstown rival Savannah 59-44 for the girls’ AAA title.
For Pace Academy, Carter enhanced his case for state player of the year. Last week, the Duke signee got a phone call from his future coach, Mike Krzyzewski, and was told to get another ring. Carter did when he and the
Knights beat the defending AAA champion. Pace Academy won AA last season.
“It’s been a goal, and I’m getting a little emotional,” Carter said. “It’s my last high school game, and we went out with a bang. I’m happy.”
Pace Academy trailed Morgan County by two points at halftime, but took over midway in the third quarter. The Knights used a 9-0 run, which included a tip-in by Carter that gave them a 31-30 lead with 1:30 left in the period. Pace Academy never trailed again.
“We took the lead with defense,” coach Demetrius Smith said. “Defense is our motto.”
Mays’ girls were a bigger surprise.
They started the season 5-7, were never ranked and finished only third in their region. In the final, Mays never trailed after breaking a 33-33 tie with an 8-0 run in the third quarter. Kamiyah Street scored 26 points.
“We started the season with 10 players, and I told them that we might not have the most talent, but we can be the best team,” Mays coach Chantay Frost said.
“We went to California and went to Tennessee, and we took some real bad losses. I told them to just stick to the plan and we’d get better, and we kind of endured.”
Kendall Pack had eight points and nine rebounds for Mays, and Kyra McWhorter had seven points and nine rebounds.
McWhorter made two big 3-pointers in the third quarter as the Raiders were trying to hold off the Hoyas’ comeback. Mays finished with a 40-24 rebounding advantage.
In the nightcap, Hughes shot 65.1 percent from the field (28 of 43) and outscored Brunswick 26-8 in the fourth quarter of what had been a tight game.
Landers Nolley, a 6-7 guard, scored 26 points (7 of 12 field goals, 11 of 12 free throws), and his three-point play started an 11-0 run to open the final quarter.
Derrick Cook had 19 points and seven rebounds. Richard Matthews scored 14 points.
“This isn’t just for the basketball program,” Hughes coach Rory Welsh said. “This is for every program at the school. We’re a family. This is for everybody in the school and everybody in South Fulton County.”
Beach’s girls (29-2) won their first championship since 2000 and second overall. Those are the only two girls basketball titles for Savannah public schools.
Beach won the season series 3-2 against Johnson (27-3), and neither team lost to anyone but each other this season.
Beach opened the game on a 9-0 run and held Johnson to 3-of-31 shooting in the first half.
Beach’s Jabrekia Bass finished with 10 points, 14 rebounds and five assists. Judasia Hills had 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Today and Saturday, the finals move to Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion.