Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

It was a championship-winning weekend for the Callaway High basketball program.

On Friday night, it was Callaway’s girls’ team securing the Region 5-AA title with a road win over Heard County.

One day later, the Callaway Cavaliers hosted the boys’ region-championship game, and they outlasted Heard County 62-55.

It was the first time Callaway’s boys’ and girls’ teams won region titles in the same season.

“We wanted to make history,” said Callaway senior guard Javontay Boddie. “The girls did it last night, and we did it tonight.”

Callaway will host Union County, the number four seed from Region 8-AA, in the first round of the state tournament on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

“We’re looking to make a stretch of two weeks (in the playoffs), and I believe our girls can do it, and I believe we can do it,” said Callaway head coach Andre Johnson.

In Saturday’s championship game, the Braves were hot early, and they led 20-15 after the first quarter. The Cavaliers rallied to take a 34-32 lead at the half, and by the time the third quarter ended they were ahead 50-43.

The Braves didn’t go away, and they got within four with 50 seconds remaining, but the Cavaliers held on, and a pair of Jalin Shephard free throws with 15 seconds left put the game on ice.

“We came out and played hard, and played defense,” Boddie said. “They wanted to win, but we kept our foot on their neck and we just came out with the win.”

Demetrius Coleman led the Cavaliers with 20 points, and he had 14 points in the first half. Exavious Reed added 12 points, and Boddie scored eight points.

While the Cavaliers did solid work on the offensive end, Johnson felt the defensive effort made the difference.

“I told my boys, defense will win the game,” Johnson said. “Once we came out in that second half and we made our adjustments, it started happening.”