Sexton's 29 Points Not Enough As Norcross Moves Past Pebblebrook To Final Four In 82-60 Win
On Wednesday, the Norcross Blue Devils would travel to face the Pebblebrook Falcons in Georgia High School Association Class 7A Elite 8 action. The Blue Devils would look to avenge their 77-69 loss to the Falcons back in December. Pebblebrook’s #4 Sr. Elias Harden would get it going for Falcons with a 3-point basket as the home crowd erupted but Norcross’ #1 Sr. Lance Thomas and #5 Sr. Jordan Goldwire would score to make it a 5-3 Norcross lead and then the Blue Devils would go up 7-3 after #0 Sr. Rayshaun Hammonds (22 pts) slammed home alley oop. Hammonds would then lift Norcross 9-5 but Pebblebrook’s Harden would nail a 3-point basket to make it a 9-8 game with 5:10 remaining in the first quarter. The Falcons would eventually tie the game at 12 but Norcross would regain lead after back to backs by #3 So. Kyle Sturdivant and #10 Jr. Joseph Toppin.
As continued, the Blue Devils would find themselves up 22-16 with under :10 remaining in the first but Pebblebrook’s #1 Sr. Colin Sexton (29 pts) would draw a shooting foul and make 1 of 2 free throws and Norcross would lead 22-17 at the end of the quarter. With the second quarter started, Pebblebrook’s #3 Sr. Dante Spann would knock down a 3 pointer to cut the Norcross lead to 22-20 but Hammonds would score off a steal by the Blue Devils defense to make it 24-20 with 7:12 to go. As play continued, Norcross would go up 28-24 with 3:20 remaining and as time ticked away, the Falcons’ #2 Jr. Drue Drinnon would knock down 3 point basket to cut the lead to 1 as Norcross led 28-27 with 1:20 to go in the first half and the Blue Devils would go on to take a 30-29 lead into halftime.
In the second half both Sexton and Hammonds would get their respective teams on the scoreboard in their first possessions and the Falcons and Blue Devils would exchange several baskets over the next 1:42 as Norcross would go up 37-36 with 6:18 remaining in the third. At that time a double technical would be called on both teams following a foul drawn by sexton. As play continued, the Blue Devils would take a 42-38 lead after Goldwire drew a shooting foul off a Blue Devil steal and then a Thomas scored for Norcross off a put back dunk that would lift Norcross 44-38 with 4:40 to go in the third. Norcross would then score 4 unanswered points to go up 48-40 with 3:55 remaining in third.
Pebblebrook would cut into the Norcross lead making it a 50-45 game but Norcross and as the Blue Devils went up 55-48, Sexton would draw a shooting foul on a 3-point made basket and make it a 58-52 Norcross lead as the third quarter came to an end. As fourth quarter started, Blue Devils would come up with steal off Sexton turnover which would lead to a Hammonds dunk and Norcross would go up 60-52 forcing PB to use a timeout just :23 into the quarter. Out of the timeout, the Blue Devils would go on quick 5-2 run to make it a 65-54 game and the Falcons would call another timeout with 5:51 remaining.
Out of the timeout, Norcross would go on another 4-0 run making it a 69-54 game and momentum looked to be in full swing of the Blue Devils as they would eventually find themselves up 21 with a 75-54 lead with 2:56 to go in the fourth quarter. As the quarter continued, Norcross would then go up 79-56 following a technical foul call on Sexton and Norcross would go on to win by a final score of 82-60. Norcross advances to the Final Four and will face Grayson, who defeated Brookwood 73-51 on Wednesday.
