Class AAAA boys: Eagle’s Landing 77, South Atlanta 51
Fort Valley – Trevin Joseph scored 30 points and Isaiah Dennis 24 for No. 1 Eagle’s Landing (27-5), which took control of the game with an 18-5 run over the last five minutes of the third period, then outscored South Atlanta (27-5) 28-8 in the fourth to earn their first appearance in the state final.
Eagle’s Landing opened the game with a 12-0 run, keyed by five points each from Joseph and Eric Wortham, who finished with 13 points.
South Atlanta trailed 23-14 midway through the second period before putting up a 14-2 run to take the lead.
South Atlanta led by as many as five in the early stages of the third before Joseph and Dennis got untracked. The pair combined for 36 second-half points for Eagle’s Landing, making its third straight semifinals appearance. They’ve been eliminated in the semifinals each of the past two years by Columbia, whom they’ll face with the championship on the line.
Naquavious King scored 18 for South Atlanta (27-5).
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66 comments Add your comment
Alexander fan
March 2nd, 2013
10:51 pm
I can’t hear you manny fresh. Where u at.
Manny fresh
March 2nd, 2013
11:05 pm
Shood we got killed on fast break points. They so big every miss shot is a fast break we was in da game up 5 in the 3rd. Shood the best team won the game. We lost we will be back next year. The sad part about it they going to do Columbia the same way. It’s Gonna be hard for tahj to get to the paint on them to big and athletic. They pg 6′6. The shortest player on they starting 5 is Isaiah Dennis but shood he jump the highest on the team he play like he 7′0. We lost hands down no excuses from me they was the better team. I see them winning it all this year finally beating Columbia. I wanna see Columbia win but I don’t think they have a chance
Willie Dee
March 2nd, 2013
11:06 pm
Manny Fresh like I said Coaching!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tbone
March 2nd, 2013
11:26 pm
Tahj will be able to score, but can the rest of the players on columbia’s team beat Eagles Landing? 3rd time a charm go Eagles Landing
Manny fresh
March 2nd, 2013
11:46 pm
Yea tahj going to get his it’s gonna be hard dough he goin have to work for ever shot.
for real for real
March 3rd, 2013
12:12 am
Man! that team is huge, there Football team OL & DL the smallest guy was about 6′4. There is alot height in that school.
Eagles Fans
March 3rd, 2013
12:32 am
smh where should I start on this one, @manny fresh congrats on a good season not a great season because in the end its about state banners not region banners, this the same eagles landing team from the past 3 years, yeah they added the 1 boy this year, can somebody explain to me when the last time they beat columbia I’ll wait………………. NEVER same team, same sorry a** coach and its going to be the same outcome, they had size the past 3 years and they have how many rings……… ZERO, Tahj has 3 going on 4 and we have 5 in 7 years going on 6 out of 8, we got mind control over them LOL, but @ manny fresh since you riding with them since they beat yall a** feel free on thurs to jump on 75 heading south come to macon wearing some eagles landing gear and we will show you why we go to macon every year, hell every top team we played this year was bigger than us but this not no height contest its basketball people, why am I talking to people who know nothing about being on top have a goodnight people and @manny fresh see you on thurs homie
Manny fresh
March 3rd, 2013
12:46 am
@eagles fan I’m saying this only because I know basketball, you gotta understand all those years y’all was winning y’all had good big men, that’s why y’all was winning state every year I’m not hating on Columbia I just don’t think tahj can beat eagles landing by his self without at least 1 decent big man. And eagles landing added 2 new people the dude #3 and #12 from Stockbridge. I will be there and ill bet you whteva you wanna bet with eagles landing.
Eagles Fans
March 3rd, 2013
1:15 am
@many fresh yeah we had inside play in past years but this year we got THE BEST PG IN THE STATE OF GA, who has willed his team all the way to macon, my boy knows how to win and he is carrying this young team on his back, and when I said they picked up 1 player I was talking about # 3 he cool and that # 12 is ok not really nothing to worry about if you ask me, I thought yall would beat them having seen them play my homeboy team (jonesboro), I wasnt impressed with what I saw from them, do they have talent yes, but they have been had talent on they team, do they coach use them the right way HE** NO, but this is why they the game I’m looking forward to thurs I wonder what excuse people will have when we beat them, when we beat miller grove in they house oh it was early in the year, when beat norcross oh they say somebody was hurt well saw them recently and we still will win, beat marist 3 times and its a excuse everytime, we have beat top teams from alabama and memphis but its always something, we really don’t care what people think of our kids they just wanna add another banner to the school gym and we could make a excuse we dont have our hall of fame coach this year or the fact we dont have a true big man like the past but we don’t we just play with who we have
Manny fresh
March 3rd, 2013
2:30 am
@eaglesfan truuuue I feel u I’m not hating on tahj I like tahj I also said he’s the best pg in the state I just don’t think he can beat this year eagle landing team by his self and the only reason why I say that is because he’s gonna be burned out. He gonna have to stay on the floor the whole game and it’s no way he’s gonna be able to play offense and get back on defense the whole game because all they doing is grabbing the rebound and then it’s off to the races. That mean since tahj at the point he gonna have to try and score and create offense and get back on d. It should be a good game dough it’s all on tahj if he’s gonna be able to play 32mins. Watch what I tell u. No 2nd chance points on eagles landing that’s what hurt us. They so big they grabbing all rebounds. And it’s strait outlets.
Eagle 1
March 3rd, 2013
2:43 am
Ooh i see now, S.Atlanta lost because E.Landing is too tall!! Smh
black123456789
March 3rd, 2013
2:52 am
Nobody goes there 4 academics
Eagles Fans
March 3rd, 2013
8:55 am
@ eagle 1 LOLLLLL, it’s too many excuses when people lose, its all about how you play now if you worry about a team being taller then you then yeah you may lose because you worried about the wrong thing, now if you say I dont care how tall they are Im about to get in there and bang with them thats all I’m trying to say, NO EXCUSES
Jay Are
March 3rd, 2013
9:13 am
Congrats to coach crump and the eagles landing basketball team. Stay focused on the task at hand and demolish Columbia. They don’t stand a chance this year. Quiet all of the haters and the critics once and for all. When the final whistle blows I know eagles landing will be victorious. Great group of young men who have bright futures ahead of them.
Manny fresh
March 3rd, 2013
9:53 am
I don’t have any excuses I said we lost they was the better team that night. All I’m saying if them other guys don’t show up for Columbia it’s gonna be along night. eagle landing can be beat none of them can shoot them people scored almost 60 points off fast break points. I just tahj is not going to be able to beat eagle landing by his self like he been beating everybody else all year with his team mates just standing around I put that on everything I love. It’s gonna take 5 to beat them guys. Good luck dough Columbia. It should be a good game. But if any 1 of y’all eagle fans wanna bet I’m taking all bets.
Eagles Fans
March 3rd, 2013
10:58 am
bet with your team oh I forgot they season over LOL come out to macon you wont have a hard time finding people who will take your money, and tahj is just are best player not our only player, and believe me we know how to beat eagles landing we been doing it, yeah they went and got some help this year but we the champs until somebody beat us 3 in a row 5 out of 7 EAGLES NATION!!!!!!!!
ccw19
March 3rd, 2013
11:21 am
Eagles landing is winning off talent and I salute those young men. The head coach is terrible and had to add 2 “recruits” to do so. He will get exposed on Thursday and word is EL is under GHSA investigation!
THE FAN
March 3rd, 2013
11:27 am
Yeah Eagles Fans you didn’t want to bet a couple weeks ago when S. Atlanta handed you A## to you. LOL at that!!!!!!!
THE FAN
March 3rd, 2013
11:28 am
typo “your”
SAH ALUM
March 3rd, 2013
11:52 am
Columbia Fans are so arrogant i tell ya. You win some and you lose some. Congrats to yall though but fans aka parents don’t bet on high school players at least what i thought. We lost lost fair and square and it has nothing to do with height at all. Eagle Landings wanted it more than we did plain and simple. They have something to prove to Columbia and the rest of the State. I said the winner of the game last night will be the State Champs and im sticking to that.
SAH ALUM
March 3rd, 2013
11:55 am
This is coming from a former player of the 2003 runner up team,
Big D
March 3rd, 2013
12:14 pm
Just one comment: Time to play the Championship. No talking if you not playing in it. As for schools, Eagles landing has been in the Newsweek top 100 schools 2 years in a row in the Nation. Any questions?
G-dub
March 3rd, 2013
12:15 pm
Columbia 4 in a row…Stop all the hate, nobody remembers who came in second.
Manny fresh
March 3rd, 2013
12:32 pm
I Hurd alot of people say who ever won the game with south atlanta and eagle landing was going to win the state. I’m not counting Columbia out doe. It should be a good game. @eagle fan I woulda bet it with my team if they would have won, y’all didn’t wanna play us anyway I seen all the Columbia players over there rooting for eagle landing, but I don’t know Why because Y’all all the way out matched with them I’m telling it can’t be a tahj show when y’all playing them the team going have to show up. I’m just being honest.
T Bone
March 3rd, 2013
12:50 pm
Let’s be real. I saw Columbia play against Statesboro yesterday and the team really was not that impressive. Tahj was Tahj. He scored 25 points the 1st half of the game without any effort. That’s great. However, one player cannot beat Eagles Landing. The other players are going to have to show up. I watched their bigs play and they do not compare to Eagle Landing’s bigs. The advantage that Columbia has had over the years over their competition is the fact that they are a magnet school in Dekalb County which means they can use their magnet status as a “front” to pull talent from all over the county. You do not have to live in their school district to attend their school. My prediction for the championship game: EAGLES LANDING WINS!
Eagle 1
March 3rd, 2013
1:01 pm
Ooh I see Columbia has been winning because its a Magnet program?!?!?smh at that too!!
T Bone
March 3rd, 2013
1:22 pm
Eagle 1 since you can’t read between the lines: magnet status and recruiting has been synonymous with your team for years. Everyone knows this so don’t act like you don’t. It does not matter this year because EAGLES LANDING WINS!
G-dub
March 3rd, 2013
1:50 pm
There they go crying recruit. Man just play ball.
TRU
March 3rd, 2013
1:50 pm
@Eagle 1, South Atlanta did actually lose because of the height Eagles Landing…SA could get no rebounds but not ONLY that…..they took SA hearts out of their chest with the prolific dunks and driving the crowd crazy….they scared SA….i’ve NEVER seen those boys scared but you could see the fear in their faces! Eagles Landing looked like grown men with the facial hair and all! But like Manny said….the better team won!!! This is a game of match-ups and SA cant match up with Eagles Landing BUT Columbia “might” match up better because they have more height than SA….and plus they have a superstar whereas SA just have good solid players. I’m still giving the Edge to Eagles Landing to win but Columbia can win if they play well in the paint! Oh and SA would have beat Columbia again…had to throw that in lol! I’ll tune in next week though…should be a GREAT game!
sd82 _CHS_EAGLES
March 3rd, 2013
1:52 pm
Why is everybody hating on Columbia? Some temas are just Destined for GREATNESS!!! S. Atlanta has alot of heart, and are a scrappy team. The problem is they are UNDISCIPLINED and were under- sized last night. Columbia is not as small as S. Atlanta. Another issue for S. Atlanta players and definitely fans is you were soooo focused on beating Columbia in the state championship, you FORGOT TO GET THERE! After watching the first half despite the 2nd qtr run, I knew it was a wrap for S. Atlanta. Tahj is a great LEADER and makes everybody around him great! Anybody who watches Columbia knows, he understands when to score and when & how to get his team members involved. There were others with 10, 15 points! I mean I’m no mathematician but there was approximately another 40 points scored that Tahj did’t score. And 15 points,& 10 rebounds came from one of our bigs Maurice- who has been consistently putting up double doubles throught the playoffs might I add. So just cut it out with he does it all himself. Some of you either have selective memory, are not truely following Columbia, or just don’t know what the Heck you’re talking about- probaly a combination of all 3. Jealously in not a good look for you though!
EAGLE NATION STAND UP, see you in our HOME AWAY FROM HOME, MACON COLUMBIA!” 4 IN A ROW, 6 OUT OF 8 FOR THE EAGLES BOYS AND GIRLS BB TEAM”WILL BE THE HEADLINES ON THE NEXT AJC ARTICLE 3/7/13!
TRU
March 3rd, 2013
1:58 pm
@sd82 _CHS_EAGLES that was a great comment! I agree with almost everything you stated…I havent followed Columbia enough to debate your comment but it definitely sounds like you know what you are talking about!!!
sd82_CHS_EAGLES
March 3rd, 2013
2:23 pm
THANKS, Yea, sometimes a WOMAN have to school ya’ll guys(assuming they are)- and they say women get too emotional! LOL.. That Manny fresh hating on all DeKalb county Schools, smh. Misery loves company!
Eagles Fans
March 3rd, 2013
2:25 pm
see the haters in macon, and to all you s atlanta fans yall lucky eagles landing beat that a** because if we wouldve saw yall again it was about to be on thats why you probaly saw players rooting for yall unlike yall we not scared of nobody and why should we be scared of a team that hasnt beat us smh, everybody talking about tahj this and tahj that I guess he scores all the points now, we have a team and thats why once again we the 5 TIME STATE CHAMPS, enough said see ya in macon
Manny fresh
March 3rd, 2013
2:43 pm
Good luck Columbia that’s all I’m saying, if anybody trying to bet let me know, other than keep being a fan,
SAH ALUM
March 3rd, 2013
2:54 pm
How many of you Columbia Fans actually played a minute of highschool basketball? I will wait, because if you have you will know what it actually takes to win it all.
Mr. Uknown
March 3rd, 2013
3:02 pm
@ mannyfresh, i totally agree with you. Eagles Landing will be too much for Tahj to beat by himself on thurs. @Eagles fans is so brain washed he cant see anything. All that past glory doesnt mean anything this time. Eagles Landing and Columbia are two totally different teams this year. Hell Columbia only beat them by 7 in their christmas tournament last year and 13 in the Semi-finals without #11 who was out with a seizure. I can tell hasnt been doing his homework bc he say #12 is just ok. he would start for columbia and be their leading scorer. he has been their leading scorer throughout the whole season. Thats what he does. He had two 40 pt games last year at Stockbridge and multiple high 20’s pt games this year. I agree Tahj is a animal one of the best pg and leaders i have ever seen, but he doesnt have enough supporting cast this year in my opinion. If they are going to win this game they are going to have to be hot from the outside. bc they hold you to one shot which allows #12 and #23 to leak out and Columbia doesnt have the bigs to rebound with them trees. Not to mention columbia coach isnt that good either. I like Eagles landing by 11 in this game. Tahj gets 3 rings out of four season. Thats still great. See ya in Macon!
Eagles Fans
March 3rd, 2013
3:02 pm
@manny fresh wear your purple and a sign that says Im with s. atlanta but since they got they a** kicked by eagles landing i’m betting with them lets go blue and gold, you sound bout crazy, but come to where us eagles fans will be somebody will be glad to take yo money with yo confused a**
sd82_CHS_EAGLES
March 3rd, 2013
3:09 pm
@EALES FANS, TOO FUNNY!
sd82_CHS_EAGLES
March 3rd, 2013
3:13 pm
@ SAH ALUM, fans don’t need to know what it takes, the players do. But last time I checked CHS EAGLES HAVE WON THE LAST 3 YEARS IN A ROW, I THINK THEY HAVE A PREETY GOOD IDEA ON WHAT IT TAKES! MAYBE YOU SHOULD BE ASKING EAGLES LANDING THAT QUESTION- they have 0 rings! LOL
Eagles Fans
March 3rd, 2013
3:18 pm
I played highschool ball so I know what the hell Im talking about, and to you Mr. Uknown last year when WE STILL BEAT THEM we was without #32 who passed out the game before but once again we still won key word WON, and yeah #12 ok I saw yall play and he ok thats better than being a bum, and you talking about our coach yeah he’s nowhere near as good as Dr Phil was but yall coach is clueless, but Ill see you in macon
sd82_CHS_EAGLES
March 3rd, 2013
3:23 pm
@Mr.Uknown, CO-SIGNNING WITH MANNY FRESH HUH? how you go be anoymous, but take a stabb at our coach saying he’s not that good? He’s in the championship coaching, are you?SMH-Get some balls and say who you are with comments like that-coward! At least Manny Fresh says who he is-no respect.
THE FAN
March 3rd, 2013
3:41 pm
I see your coach is just a clueless, Dr. Phil was walking around giving him pointers. I guess you guys didn’t see that though. Any how the last I checked SA 3 Columbia 0 with a state title that went threw none other than Columbia with that same clueless coach we have and you had the great Dr. Phil on your sideline!!!!!!!!!
sd82_CHS_EAGLES
March 3rd, 2013
3:48 pm
Again I WILL REITERATE, he’s in the championship…ENOUGH SAID! We all know there are alot of talented teams that will be sitting at home watching the game on Ch.8, but their coaches couldn’t get their teams there. So he may not have Dr. Phil’s legacy, but he’s on his way to building a legacy of his own.
THE FAN
March 3rd, 2013
4:01 pm
That remains to be seen, and only if the two coaches on the bench choose to hang around. I guess you didn’t about the little birdie saying most of the kids would leave had they not stuck around!!!!!
Eagles Fans
March 3rd, 2013
4:07 pm
@ the fan what the hell are you talking about 3-0 S. atlanta has won 1 time and that was favors sr year, didnt win with banks there or any other time and as of right now we have 5 going on 6 so once again what the hell you talking about, and so what, they were talking he does work for the county and he is the one who told him to apply for the job and to something else you said earlier, talk to your friend manny fresh he was the one talking about betting, so before you get on here talking crazy know what you talking about before you type
Zone3canE
March 3rd, 2013
4:08 pm
Manny Fresh doesn’t hate DeKalb county schools, he just love’s the CITY OF ATLANTA, ZONE 3 TO BE EXACT, just like everybody else that’s on this page blogging and posting about South Atlanta High on the ATLANTA, I REPEAT ATLANTA Journal-Constitution sports blog. Nobody from ATLANTA is jealous of anything in DeKalb, Henry, Cobb or any other SUBURBS, we love OUR city just like all you SUBURBANITES LOVE OUR CITY. Good luck Columbia Drive and good luck to Eagles Landing, the state final should be interesting. Eagle’s Landing is by far the best and most atheletic team we’ve played all season. South Atanta will be back, we got the best program in Georgia’s greatest city, 2 Mr. Georgia Basketball POY, plenty of D-1 talent in THE 3 we good… Shawty!
sd82_CHS_EAGLES
March 3rd, 2013
4:12 pm
@Zone3canE. You don’t have to down other teams to love your team! When you do its referred to as hating. That’s what he’s doing.
THE FAN
March 3rd, 2013
4:12 pm
What the hell i’m I talking about? If you pull your head out of your A%% you would be about to count, the 3 meetings between SA and Columbia, SA has won dip sh&@t!!!!!!!
Eagles Fans
March 3rd, 2013
4:18 pm
only played 2 times and yeah s atlanta won both games yeaaaaaaa they 2-0 against columbia but they a** done for the year and will be watching us on tv thurs playing for our 6th state ring so once again keep adding region banners over at yall school we about them state banners and rings over here homie
Eagle 1
March 3rd, 2013
4:20 pm
I love my Eagle Fans!!!lol
THE FAN
March 3rd, 2013
4:20 pm
I said the last 3 meetings not two, those banners will stop homie when they finally figure that your is as clueless as you are.
Eagles Fans
March 3rd, 2013
4:21 pm
you know what im be back on thurs after my eagles win, its no fun in going back and forth with fans of a team who nt playing nomore but riding somebody else **** who beat them either make the drive down on thurs or tune it **** riders tip off is 845
THE FAN
March 3rd, 2013
4:34 pm
No, i’m not for Eagles Landing I actually hope Columbia win. I’m one of the few people other than the Eagle Nation that actually think you are going to win this game. So, by no means am I hating on you guys, I love when a little man does his thing on the floor. Except for when they play SAH!!!!!! Good Luck to you guys.
Eagles Fans
March 3rd, 2013
4:37 pm
can’t be mad at cha homie, I just know my boy going to do his thing and the rest of the team will follow his lead one more time before he heads off to AU next year come on down its going to be a party in macon starting at 7 and lasting the rest of the night
THE FAN
March 3rd, 2013
5:16 pm
I may just do that and again Good Luck!!!!!!
xmarc89-CHS
March 3rd, 2013
5:44 pm
SAH Alum and Manny Fresh, I haven’t watch any ball this year, and i played at CHS. The one thing that seperates us from everyone else is we are prepared MENTALLY to win. Size does matter, but if you played, the game is 60/40. That’s 60% mental and 40% physical. Why you think eagles-landing lost 5 games this year. They might beat Columbia, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Once you’ve been cheated of championships the way we have by the state, you then no what it takes. It’s not yall fault that we roll the way we do. The state owe us, from taking championships from us in the past. I no you want understand, you just happen to be here while its happening. Get Some!!!!!!
TRU
March 3rd, 2013
5:55 pm
As I look at these comments, much as I like South Atlanta…we only have ONE ring….and should have 6….so good as “WE” have been, Mays, Miller Grove, and Columbia ALL have MULTIPLE rings….so “WE” cant say ISH!!! As of now we are identical to the Atlanta Braves Dynasty…ONE ring but should have many more. So we gotta shut up and atleast win another ring THEN we can talk some ISH! Forget all this crying…Columbia Rolling like the Crimson Tide…so back to Zone 3 we go and step it up next year….I’m super proud of the year SA had…they were not picked to do NOTHING this year….this has to be the least talented team they’ve had in atleast 15 years!!! Now we have to learn how to win the RING….Favors year was a given…he was number 1 player in nation….but I gotta give it to Columbia and Miller Grove, ya’ll making history out there!!! We gone eventually put it all together at SA and join the club!
THE FAN
March 3rd, 2013
6:59 pm
@ TRU, I’m with you all the way on your last post. As much as I like Coach Reddick as a person, he kills me a lot of the times with his bad coaching most times. He gave away two or three state title all by himself!!!!!!
fambro
March 3rd, 2013
7:50 pm
i like eagles landing columbia good but they will not beat eagles landing i don watched columbia all year without taj they not even a average team but eagles landing will cancel taj out n win their first state chamoionship thursday night
Big Cat "ELHS"
March 4th, 2013
10:07 am
Colunbia High has a good team, Eagle’s Landing has a good team. I’m just glad that the Atlanta metro area basketball teams are some of the best teams in the state and country. One thing that I do know, the AAAA state champions will be an Eagle.
Kyle
March 4th, 2013
12:27 pm
People must forget that the two time region player missed last year’s tourney with a heart ailment. Eric makes ELHS go. Composed player that always knows what to do with the ball.
Snakedaddy
March 4th, 2013
7:14 pm
Eagles Landing is Outstanding because the players and coaches are very Demanding. But Columbia’s Tahj Shamsid-Deen is the King and on the court he does his Thing and he wants another Ring. Its gonna be a good game.
KL Southside
March 4th, 2013
7:49 pm
It was a great game! South Atlanta brought their guards down in the lane to help with rebounding and got beat on the fast break by Eagles Landing. They couldn’t get back fast enough. Congrats on a great season South Atlanta. EL big men played big under the bucket, and that was the difference.
Lithonia Head Coach
March 5th, 2013
5:19 am
As a former assistant to Coach Sandifer and head coach in Dekalb, I don’t think coach gets much credit for the job he has done at Columbia this year. Taking over for Dr. McCrary was a tall task. It took a special type of coach to take that job. Look at his past stops Lakeside (final 4) Stephenson (final 4) Northeast Macon ( Elite 8, Coach of the Year). While its hard he has done a great job there, and no matter what people think, he has done a great job. As his assistant coach I learned more in 2 yrs with him than I learned from others in my entire tenure. As a result, during my first year as head coach @ Lithonia, I went 12-12 (first season at .500 in 7 yrs). One of the biggest wins at Lithonia was a double overtime win over South Atlanta this season. While we all agree, no one will be Dr.McCrary, the best coach to ever coach high school basketball in the state of Georgia. Allow him to be Coach Sandifer. As far as South Atlanta goes, Coach Reddick and his group will be back next year. It was truly my honor to even be on the same sidelines and have a chance to coach against Coach Reddick. Respect should be given to Reddick and Sandifer.
G-dub
March 5th, 2013
8:14 am
Well said Lithonia Head Coach…A lot of people think that they can coach from the bleachers but it is not as easy as it looks.
Tpuck
March 5th, 2013
12:09 pm
Small preview of what Eagles Landing will bring to the party in Macon. The building will be electric. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3ffbwQQiLw4