#2 Westside Edges Augusta Christian in Overtime
Full highlight reel, complete statistics, game story and photos from the battle between two of the area's most talented and exciting teams
Khalon Hudson (Jr.) scored 29 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, blocked 4 shots and dished 3 assists in Westside’s 86-77 overtime win at home over Augusta Christian Tuesday. Jalexs Ewing (Jr.) added 28 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. And he scored a field goal that tied the game at 71 with 23 seconds left in regulation that eventually forced overtime. Another junior, AuMauri Tillman, who missed the last three games because of a sprained ankle, returned to action and logged 12 points and 6 assists off the bench. Tillman scored 5 quick points in overtime to help the Patriots run away from the Lions.
Select Statistics
Westside
#21 Khalon Hudson - 29p, 13r, 4b, 3a; #0 Jalexs Ewing - 28p, 6r, 4a; #5 AuMauri Tillman -12p, 6a, #2 DeMarco Middleton - 9p, 3a, 2b; #15 William Baker - 6p; #3 Quantavious Bryant - 2p
Augusta Christian
#21 DJ Shine - 18p; #30 Jeremiah Tolbert - 19p; #22 Khaleel Pratt 14p; #24 Elijah Crawford - 12p; #35 Luke Wilson - 4p, 8r, 3b; #25 Cam Slade - 3p; #33 Bryce Reynierson - 6p; #34 Troy Booker - 5
Battle Between Two State Title Contenders
The #2 ranked Patriots (class 2A) improved to 4-0 for the season. All four wins have come against stiff competition, including victories over #9 Jones County (class 5A), #7 Peach County (3A) and Evans (6A).
Augusta Christian (3-2), an early favorite to win the state championship in the highest classification of the South Carolina Independent School Association, started fast Tuesday by taking a 13-0 first quarter lead. And even after star point guard Elijah Crawford (So.) and 6’9” center Luke Wilson (Jr.) fouled out after playing fewer than 16 minutes each, the Lions led by as many as 4 points with less than 2 minutes remaining.
Jeremiah Tolbert (Sr.) led four Lions in double figures with 19 points. DJ Shine (So.) added 18, Khaleel Pratt chipped in 14 and Crawford scored 12. Pratt also grabbed 7 rebounds, dished 5 assists and swatted away 4 shots. Wilson scored 4 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and blocked 3 shots in limited action.
After AC took control early, Ewing helped to steady things for the home team by scoring 8 of Westside’s 12 first quarter points. The Patriots trailed 21-12 after one quarter, but Hudson heated up in the second, scoring 13 in the period, including 9 straight in the middle of a 16-5 Westside run that turned what was once a 13-point first half deficit into a 37-35 halftime advantage for the Patriots.
While Westside clawed its way to a first half lead, Crawford and Wilson, who both had their way in the early going, steadily racked up fouls and entered the break in real trouble. After sitting a considerable amount of time during the second quarter, neither managed to stay on the court for more than 3 minutes in the second half. But Shine, Tolbert, Pratt, Cam Slade (Sr.), Bryce Reynierson (Fr.) and Troy Booker (So.) managed just fine without their high profile teammates until the final two minutes of regulation and the extra period.
Hudson’s Standout Performance
The recent performance by Hudson has been remarkable. After logging 28 points and 15 rebounds in a 70-56 win over Jones County Friday at Augusta University, the 6’5” junior posted another 20-10 night. But the statistics aren’t what impressed me most. Hudson’s effort level, his relentless attack of the offensive glass and his ability to score anywhere from about 18 feet away from the basket and closer make what I’ve seen these past two games from him the best performance of any high school player I’ve watched so far this season.