High school basketball playoffs: Christian Heritage girls, Murray girls reach second round; Lady Bruin playoff win streak comes to an end with first round loss

Published 9:15 pm Tuesday, February 20, 2024

The Dalton High School girls played Northview in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs Tuesday. For a full story from that game, click here.

Girls Christian Heritage 57, Macon County 50

Christian Hertiage is headed to the Sweet 16.

The Lady Lions (17-11) defeated Macon County (18-10) 57-50 Tuesday night in the first round of the Class A DII playoffs, punching a ticket to the second round.

Christian Heritage advances to the second round to play at Lake Oconee Academy, the Region 8-A DII champion. Christian Heritage was the second seed in Region 7-A DII.

Christian Heritage came out on the winning end of what was a tight battle throughout. The score was tied at 7 after a quarter, Christian Heritage led 23-20 at halftime and the Lady Lions took a 35-32 advantage into the final quarter.

Christian Heritage put together its best offensive quarter, scoring 22 points, in the fourth to hold on for the win and advance to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

Carly Bramlett scored 19 points to lead the way for Christian Heritage. Brooklyn Stallion finished with 12, wile Alli Grace Hembree hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored eight. London Wagner also scored eight.

Murray County 70, Booker T. Washington 34

Murray County rolls into the second round of the Class 2A playoffs.

The Lady Indians (21-9) crushed Booker T. Washington (13-10) 70-34 at home in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs Tuesday night, punching their ticket to the Sweet 16 for a third straight season. Before 2022, Murray hadn’t made a trip to the second round since 2000. Now, the Lady Indians have done it three seasons in a row.

The Lady Indians will host either Union County or Landmark Christian in the second round.

The Region 7-2A champions led 19-5 after a quarter, 38-12 at half and 59-19 after three quarters.

Miley McClure scored 21 points for Murray. Callan Ledford had 13 points and five steals, Bayleigh Winkler had 10 points and nine rebounds and Hadley Dotson had nine points and seven assists.

Southwest DeKalb 71, Northwest Whitfield 68

A streak of eight consecutive seasons with at least one playoff win finished a few points shy of becoming nine Tuesday night.

Northwest Whitfield Lady Bruins (15-12) nearly pulled a road upset in Decatur, but Southwest DeKalb (22-7) held on for a 71-68 victory that ended the Lady Bruins’ streak.

Northwest had reached at least the Sweet 16 in every season since 2016 and had reached the Elite 8 in both of the last two seasons.

Northwest held a 52-46 lead after three quarters, but Southwest DeKalb came alive for 25 fourth-quarter points to steal the win.

Kennedy Baker powered Northwest’s upset bid with 25 points, and Sloan Pender hit four 3-pointers and finished with 18 points, but the junior duo’s efforts left Northwest just short.

Boys North Cobb Christian 77, North Murray 56

The season for North Murray (19-7) came to an end Tuesday night, as the Mountaineers fell to North Cobb Christian (20-6) 77-56 on the road in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs.

North Cobb Christian, the Region 6-2A champion, opened up a 45-24 halftime lead over North Murray, and the Mountaineers couldn’t climb back in the game.

Senior Isaiah Morrison led North Murray with 16 points, and fellow senior Gavin Pittman put in 12.

North Murray ends the season at 19-7. The Neers made back-to-back appearances in the state playoffs for the first time since 2020-21.