Basketball: Tucker, Stephenson Split Thrilling Contests

Region 6-AAAAA high school basketball is considered one of the toughest regions in the state and Tuesday’s action at Tucker with both games decided in the final seconds upheld that thought.

Tucker’s Tori Robinson drove the lane for the game-winning layup with 1:08 to play as the No. 2 ranked Lady Tigers upended the No. 1 ranked Stephenson Lady Jaguars 46-45 in girls’ play.

Kerry Watson had given Stephenson a 45-44 advantage by scoring on a steal and a three-point shot to rally the Lady Jaguars (18-3) from a 44-40 deficit to the one-point lead with 3:47 to play.

Tucker’s Erykah Davenport forced a jump ball with 1:27 to play and the Lady Tigers inbounded the ball to Robinson who worked her way down the floor. She passed and moved back to the top of the key where she got the ball again and drove the lane for the winning basket.

Stephenson missed four consecutive free throws in the final minute with Tucker coming down with the rebound of the second miss both times, but could not add to the one-point lead.

The teams traded jump balls in the final 10 seconds and a Tucker turnover gave Stephenson one last chance with just one tenth of a second remaining and inbounding the ball from near half court. The inbounds pass was intended for Kaliyah Mitchell, but the pass tipped off her hands and out of bounds as the clock went to zero.

Stephenson had led 25-24 at the half on Miracle Gray’s driving layup at the buzzer to end the half. Tucker improved to 17-3 with the victory as Erykah Davenport had 18 points and 13 rebounds to lead the way. Stephenson was led by Mitchell with 14 points and Watson with 11.

(B) Stephenson 51, Tucker 49
Daniel Kinchen drilled a three-pointer from the top of the key with four seconds remaining to give the Stephenson Jaguars a thrilling 51-49 come-from-behind victory over the home-standing Tucker Tigers.

Tucker’s Devonte Fitzgerald, a Texas A&M signee, drove the lane for a layup with 2:24 to go giving Tucker a 49-46 cushion, but Stephenson’s Montez Sweat answered with a drive of his own to cut the lead to 49-48 with 1:30 to play.

The two teams traded turnovers and missed shots over the next 1:10 of the game with the final Tucker turnover giving Stephenson the ball with 20 seconds to play. The Jaguars held the ball and Kinchen saw an opening and calmly knocked down the three-pointer for the win.

Shembari Phillips scored seven points over the final 43 seconds of the third period and first 17 seconds of the fourth quarter to propel the Tigers to a 41-34 lead with most of the fourth quarter remaining.

Stephenson rallied and on the second three-pointer in less than two minutes by Trae Gresham took a brief 43-42 lead. Fitzgerald hit two free throws and Jabari Craig added a short jumper and a free throw for a 47-44 Tucker lead with 3:02 to play. Sweat closed the gap to 47-46 before Fitzgerald’s drive to make it 49-46.

Sweat finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds to lead Stephenson (10-11) while Kinchen finished with 15. The Tigers (12-7) got 15 from Fitzgerald and 13 from Shembari Phillips.

Friday, Jan. 25
SW DeKalb at Arabia Mountain, 5:30/7 p.m.
Towers at Cedar Grove, 5:30/7 p.m.
Chamblee at Therrell, 5:30/7 p.m.
Clarkston at Dunwoody, 5:30/7 p.m. (boys play first)
South Atlanta at Columbia, 5:30/7 p.m.
Cross Keys at St. Pius, 6/7:30 p.m.
Druid Hills at Rockdale Co., 6/7:30 p.m.
Lakeside at Stephenson, 5:30/7 p.m.
Washington at Lithonia, 5:30/7 p.m.
M.L. King at Miller Grove, 5:30/7 p.m.
McNair at Decatur, 5:30/7 p.m.
Grady at Redan, 5:30/7 p.m.
Banneker at Stone Mountain, 5:30/7 p.m.
North Atlanta vs. Tucker at Tucker Middle, 5:30/7 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 26
Chamblee at Lithonia, 5:30/7 p.m.
Stone Mountain at Columbia, 5:30/7 p.m. (boys play first)
Dunwoody at Blessed Trinity, 5:30/7 p.m.
Cambridge at Lakeside, 5:30/7 p.m.
McNair vs. Maynard Jackson at Crim, 4/5:30 p.m.
Miller Grove vs. Memphis East (TN), at Norcorss, 2:30 p.m.
Redan at Marist, 5:30/7 p.m
Forest Park at SW DeKalb (JV/V), 2:30/7 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 29
Woodward Academy at Cedar Grove, 5:30/7 p.m.
Redan at Chamblee, 5:30/7 p.m.
Stephenson at Clarkston, 5:30/7 p.m.
Lithonia at Columbia, 5:30/7 p.m.
McNair at Cross Keys, 5:30/7 p.m.
Morrow at Druid Hills, 6/7:30 p.m.
Tucker at Dunwoody, 5:30/7 p.m.
North Atlanta at Lakeside, 5:30/7 p.m.
Mays at M.L. King, 5:30/7 p.m.
Miller Grove at SW DeKalb, 5:30/7 p.m.
Marist at Stone Mountain, 5:30/7 p.m.
Towers at Blessed Trinity, 5:30/7 p.m.


Mark Brock is the Information Officer/Statistician/Web Manager for DeKalb County Schools Athletics