COLUMBUS, GA – In a semifinal battle filled with momentum swings, clutch plays, and a dramatic finish, the St. Andrew’s Lions edged out Lakeview Academy 45-43 to secure a spot in the Georgia Independent Athletic Association (GIAA) AAA State Championship. The victory not only advanced St. Andrew’s to its fourth title game in the last six seasons but also gave them a shot at their third state championship in the past four years. It was also a measure of redemption—this game served as a rematch of last year’s semi-final thriller, where Lakeview edged out St. Andrew’s in overtime on a last-second layup by Tayden Ware. This time, St. Andrew’s turned the tables and avenged that heartbreaking loss.
The game opened with an early layup from Lakeview’s Jude Ellis, but St. Andrew’s quickly responded with a 10-1 run fueled by three-pointers from Zayden Edwards and MJ Scott, along with two layups from Ja’Cari Glover. The Lions from Savannah controlled the first quarter, taking a 14-6 lead into the break. However, Lakeview came roaring back in the second quarter with a 10-2 run, tying the game at 16 midway through the period. The defenses then took over, as St. Andrew’s managed to scrape together the only three points in the final four minutes to take a 19-16 edge into halftime.
The second half remained a back-and-forth contest. St. Andrew’s never led by more than four in the third quarter, but Lakeview chipped away and finally took its first lead of the game, 35-34, on a thunderous dunk from Ware in the closing seconds of the period. Lakeview carried that momentum into the fourth quarter, holding the lead for the first two minutes before DeShaud Singleton knocked down a mid-range jumper to put St. Andrew’s back in front, 38-37.
St. Andrew’s seemed to be taking control after two free throws from Edwards and a fast-break layup from freshman Page Getter extended the lead to 42-37 with just over four minutes left. But Lakeview’s defense stiffened, and a furious comeback saw them reclaim the lead, 43-42, with 1:17 remaining. After a sequence of scoreless possessions, Lakeview gained a crucial advantage when St. Andrew’s turned the ball over with 48 seconds left. A timeout allowed Lakeview to set up a play, but Edwards delivered the play of the game—intercepting a pass and racing the length of the court for a go-ahead layup, giving St. Andrew’s a 44-43 lead with 3.3 seconds left.
What followed was a chaotic and controversial ending. With no timeouts left, Lakeview was forced to go the length of the court. After a strategic exchange of timeouts between both teams, Lakeview got the ball to Ware, who launched a deep three-pointer that found the bottom of the net—only for officials to waive it off due to a timeout called by the Lakeview bench just before the shot. The mistake proved costly, as the timeout resulted in a technical foul, sending Edwards to the line for two free throws. He hit one, extending the lead to 45-43, and with St. Andrew’s retaining possession, the final inbound pass ensured no further scoring opportunities for Lakeview.
Edwards led all scorers with 16 points, while Glover dominated the paint with 15 rebounds and 11 points, recording his 14th double-double of the season. Ware paced Lakeview with 12 points, and Eli Mayfield added 10.
With the win, St. Andrew’s advances to the state championship game on Friday at Columbus State, where they will face Brookwood (28-2) at 8 p.m.
St. Andrew’s Scorers:
Zayden Edwards 16, Ja’Cari Glover 11, Scott 8, S. Singleton 6, Cook 2, Getter 2
RECORD: St. Andrews 25-3; Lakeview 23-7
PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy St. Andrew's School Athletic Department
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