Milton Falls To Norcross In State Championship Game

The defending state champion Milton boys basketball team came into last night's state title game against Norcross with high hopes of retaining their title. It was not to be as Norcross pulled the 59-55 upset to duplicate what the Lady Blue Devils did the game before: winning the Class AAAAA state championship.

The Eagles led 55-52 with 1:30 left in the game and had a chance to put the game away, but a three pointer by Norcross, a couple of key free throws made by the Blue Devils and missed by Milton ended with Norcross taking the state championship.

As they did last night against Tift County, the Eagles started out slow to start the game, but began to spread their wings later on. Norcross scored the game's first points on a three pointer by Alonzao Nelson-Ododa. Milton senior guard Shannon Scott, who led the Eagles in scoring with 16 points, scored the Eagles' first two points on a baseline jumper that bounced on the rim and fell in.

Both teams went cold from the field for a few minutes before Norcross Coach Jesse McMillan called a time out with the Blue Devils up 5-2. Alonzo Nelson-Ododa was fouled going up for a score and hit two foul shots, putting Norcross up 7-2. Milton responded with a three pointer from senior guard Evan Nolte. The rest of the first quarter was evenly played, and by the end, Norcross was up 11-9.

In the second quarter, Milton began to assert themselves as Shannon Scott began to heat up. By halftime, the Eagles had a 29-22 lead.

In the third quarter, Milton began to pull away as Scott, along with fellow seniors Dai-jon Parker and Jordan Loyd, led the Eagles to a 14 point bulge at 37-23. However, Norcross made a crucial 13-5 run keyed by E. Victor Nickerson, Alonzo Nelson-Ododa and Jason Croom to end the third quarter. That run gave the Blue Devils the chance they needed to score a huge upset.

Milton jumped out to a 46-36 lead thanks to baskets from Evan Nolte and Julian Royal. However, Norcross senior guard Josiah Moore nailed a three pointer to cut the lead to 7.

After Moore's three pointer,  Norcross Coach Jesse McMillan called a time out with 6:51 to play in the game. When play resumed, Evan Nolte hit another three pointer to put Milton back up by 10. Chris Bolden responded with a fade away jumper, making the score 49-41 Milton. Norcross senior forward E. Victor Nickerson then dished a pass to Jason Croom who dunked home two points, and Milton's lead was cut to 6.

After a basket by Milton's Jordan Loyd, Alonzao Nelson-Ododa was fouled, and he calmly hit both free throws. At that point, the score was 51-45 in favor of Milton.

Norcross got a defensive stop, and on their next possession, Chris Bolden nailed an NBA range three pointer to cut the Eagles' lead to three.

After another defensive stop by the Blue Devils, Jason Croom was fouled while going up for a rebound, and made both free throws.

Norcross doubled teamed Jordan Loyd and Milton was forced to call time out. After the time out, Loyd took a short jumper that was no good and the ball went off Dai-jon Parker, giving the Blue Devils the ball and a chance to take the lead. E. Victor Nickerson drove the ball towards the baseline and stroked a short jumper. 

With just under two minutes to play, and Milton leading 53-52, Shannon Scott was fouled, and he made both free throws to extend the Eagles lead to 55-52.

Then Nickerson came through again as he made a three pointer to tie the game at 55 with 1:31 to play, and sending the Norcross student body into a state of delirium. Nickerson was fouled on the play, but missed the free throw.

However, Jason Croom grabbed the rebound off the missed free throw, and was fouled. But Croom missed both foul shots, giving Milton a chance to win the game in the waning seconds.

With about 1:28 left in regulation, Milton decided to run the clock down close to 1 minute remaining. That plan failed as the Eagles turned it over before making their move to score. Making it worse, the Eagles fouled Chris Bolden. The Norcross junior guard calmly knocked down both free throws and Norcross led 57-55 with 28.7 seconds left.

With about 15 seconds left and Milton trailing by two, Evan Nolte's three pointer was no good, but Jordan Loyd got the rebound and was fouled. Unlike Norcross's Bolden, Loyd failed to make good on the opportunity, missing the front end of a 1 and 1 and the Blue Devils got the rebound with 7.5 seconds left.

The Eagles fouled Chris Bolden immediately. Bolden sank both free throws and Norcross pulled off the 59-55 upset to join their Lady Blue Devil counterparts as state champions.

While the Norcross players, student body and fans were celebrating, the Milton fans, who expected their Eagles to repeat as state champions, sat stunned.

E. Victor Nickerson led the Blue Devils in scoring with 15 points, while Alonzo Nelson-Ododa chipped in 13. Chris Bolden and Jason Croom each had 11, and Derrick Herbert had 6 points.

Shannon Scott led the Eagles in scoring with 16 points.

"We have a motto on the Norcross High School Web site that says 'We believe we will win,' Norcross Coach Jesse McMillan told GPTV's Mark Harmond. "I told the guys that if we play smart, play good defense, and take high percentage shots, that we would have the opportunity to win. I'm really proud of these guys," McMillan told Harmond.

The Blue Devils capped off the championship season with a record of 24-9, while Milton, the state Class AAAAA runner up, finishes the season at 29-3.(info on team records and rankings obtained from ESPN Rise and gasports.com)