Fourth quarter charge by Colonels comes up short

Zaylan Chaney scored a game-high 22 points Wednesday night at Villa Rica, but the Colonels came up short in a 72-67 loss.

The Cass boys couldn’t quite complete a big comeback Wednesday night in the opening round of the Class 5A state tournament and fell at second-seeded Villa Rica, 72-67.

One of the biggest differences in Wednesday’s result was Villa Rica’s ability to convert beyond the three-point arc. The host Wildcats made ten three-pointers while the Colonels only coverted four.

Villa Rica led 16-14 after one quarter and 35-31 at halftime. The Wildcats then used a 10-0 run across the middle four minutes of the third quarter to lead 52-40 entering the final quarter.

C.J. Pipkin contributed 19 points Wednesday in the Colonels state tournament first round loss at Villa Rica.

Cass chipped away in the final stanza and pulled to within one possession in the final minute, but the Colonels couldn’t finish the comeback.

Kannon Roberts led Villa Rica with 19 points.

Zaylan Chaney led Cass with a game-high 22 points. C.J. Pipkin contributed 19 for the Colonels. Braxton Benham finished with 15 points.

The loss ends the Colonels’ season with a 19-8 record. It is also the second straight year Cass lost in the opening round of the state tournament. Villa Rica (14-10) will travel to Clarke Central for the second round on either Friday or Saturday.

-- Photos courtesy Randy Parker / The Daily Tribune News