Ridgeland, Gordon Lee boys unable to pull off road upsets

For the better part of three quarters on Saturday night, the Ridgeland Panthers earned the Cinderella label that they were given to start the Class 4A state tournament.

The Panthers, the No. 4 seed from Region 6, were tied with Region 7 champion Denmark at 34 apiece just past the midway point of the third quarter as they looked to pull yet another postseason upset, this one against one of Georgia’s newest programs.

Unfortunately, the glass slipper broke as the proverbial clock struck midnight.

Denmark closed out the third quarter on a 12-2 run and then outscored the Panthers 24-11 over the final eight minutes to and the Panthers their final loss of the season, 70-46.

Fred Norman had 16 points and knocked down three 3-pointers in his final game in a Ridgeland uniform. A’zavier Blackwell added seven points, while Ethan Moyer had six points on a pair of 3-pointers.

Chris Turner finished with four points. Cedric Shropshire, K’yan Clark and Riley Harrison had three points each, while Nathan Carver and Dylan Johnson both chipped in with two.

Ridgeland ended the season with a 4-23 overall record.

Montgomery County boys 56, Gordon Lee 48

The Trojans, the No. 23 seed in the 24-team Class 1A Public School State basketball tournament, gave No. 10 seed Montgomery County all they wanted on Saturday. However, it was not enough as the Trojans’ 2019 playoff run came to a close with a loss to the Eagles in Mount Vernon.

Justin Wooden had 20 points for Gordon Lee (1512). Sam Norton added 12 points. Wiley Heming finished with 10 and Weston Beagles dropped in six for the Trojans.