A thrilling night of top-tier high school basketball was on display at Longhorn Arena last night as Kell advanced both their girls and boys teams to the state Final Four round. The Lady Longhorns topped Bradwell Institute Tigers, 68-54, while the boys ended the Dutchtown Bulldogs' season with an impressive win, 73-60.
Although the girls' game was never really in question, the Tigers did manage to claw back within eight points early in the fourth quarter, 51-43. An and1 answer by senior leader Crystal Henderson got the Longhorns back on track and Kell never looked back. They dismantled the Tigers on both ends of the court. An impressive defensive showing by Jamiah Gregory, Jada Green, and Sydney Moss took away many Bradwell second-chance shots.
Henderson was a scoring machine as usual, tallying 32 points on the evening. Makayah Harris scored 18 points, including a clutch three-pointer in the fourth to keep the momentum going the Longhorns' way.
The team now advances to the 5A Final Four to face a very tough Jackson Atlanta team. While most will focus on stats and records, the Lady Longhorns have a key advantage that isn't easily quantified: they have played together for four years. They still remember the sting of the loss to Buford in the 2020 finals. And while they have plenty of talent, they more importantly have cohesion. Each one knows exactly what the other will do on every play. Crystal, Jada, and Jamiah have grown up together, and Sydney is picking up right where her sister, Amaya, left off. The 2023 Lady Longhorns aren't just a team; they're a family. And that family is heading to Carrollton for the Final Four.
As the celebration of the girls' win wound down, the boys took the stage for their Elite 8 matchup. Playing in front of a near-capacity home crowd, the Longhorns put on a show.
Head Coach Jermaine Sellers was appreciative of the turnout. "That atmosphere was electric," he said. "It really made a difference once we got going in the fourth quarter."
Kell had the momentum heading into the second quarter, but allowed the Bulldogs back into the game with a 10-0 run to tie the score at 21. A physical back and forth game ensued through the remainder of the second and the third quarter and the final period began with the contest deadlock once again at 50.
The fourth quarter was all-Longhorns though. Kell outscored Dutchtown 23-10, and most of those Bulldog points came late in the period when the outcome was already evident. Back-to-back three-point shots by Jaylen Colon, and back-to-back-to-back slam dunks by CJ Brown early in the fourth lifted the crowd to their feet and gave the Longhorns a 12-point lead, 64-52. Kell's inside big man Peyton Marshall logged a double-double and scored the penultimate points with his third dunk of the game. Marshall's looming presence in the paint was also a key to shutting down Dutchtown's offense.
The Longhorns will now face the winner of tonight's matchup between Union Grove and Chapel Hill at University of West Georgia. It is clear to most that Kell is playing a tight game right now and they are the favorites in 5A, but anything can happen in the Final Four.
"Getting to the Final Four is a testament to the hard work our guys put in year-round," Coach Sellers said. "It’s a great accomplishment for our program to achieve this for the third time in four years. This puts us one step closer to achieving our goal of a State Championship!"
Great job, Longhorns! All eyes will be on UWG this weekend for two great games and the chance to advance to the 5A state finals! Good luck and Hook 'Em Horns!
(Boys photos by Shawn Riddle)
