PORTAL — Leading by two points with 3.7 seconds remaining, Portal coach Jeff Brannen could only watch as Mitchell County’s Jermaine Hartsfield Jr.’s was able to get open for a potential game-winning 3-point attempt.
    “Honestly, it looked good,” said Brannen.
    Fortunately for the Panthers, Hartsfield’s shot hit off the back rim and gave Portal a 56-54 victory to propel the Panthers to the GHSA Class A Final Four.
    “We didn’t do what we were supposed to do and he got a clean look,” Brannen said of the final play. “I guess it was just meant for us to win.”
    Stacy Morgan led the way for the Panthers with 23 points, including back-to-back 3-pointers with less than three minutes remaining to reclaim the lead for Portal.
    “This means a lot to our team, our school, our parents, our fans and our community,” Brannen said. “We’re a small town, but we had a lot of support tonight from everyone who came out.”
    Morgan also credited the enthusiasm of the crowd for helping the Panthers to victory.
    “The crowd was really behind us and really intense,” he said.
    The Eagles took a one-point lead with 3:20 remaining on a 3 by Joquan Williams, but on the Panthers’ next possession, Morgan answered back with a three of his own to put Portal back up by two. Following a jumper by Williams, Morgan hit another 3 to give Portal the lead with 1:38 to go.
     Mitchell County’s Joquil Chester bobbled the ball as he went up to shoot, but somehow managed to regain possession and get a 3-pointer off that went in to tie the game at 51-51.
    Morgan connected on two free throws and then got a steal with 26 seconds remaining and called time out.
    Portal struggled from the free-throw line down the stretch, making only 3 of 6 over the final 20.4 seconds, but it was just enough for the win.
    “It feels great,” Morgan said after the game. “I came here wanting to get to the championship.”
    The Panthers led for virtually the entire first half, taking a 4-2 lead just two minutes in to the game that they held until late in the third quarter. Robert Lee hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to spur a 12-4 run for Portal who ended the quarter leading 19-10.
    Mitchell was able to cut the lead to 21-19 two minutes into the second period, but a layup by Cory Reese, a 3-pointer by Morgan and two free throws by Reese extended the lead back to eight, where it remained at halftime.
    “Offensively we didn’t do what we needed to do and defensively we had some breakdowns,” Brannen said. “But when the game was on the line, we picked it up and did the little things we needed to do to win.”
    The Eagles were able to close the gap and take their first lead of the game with 2:05 remaining in the third on a 3 from Daron Hodge, Jr. However, Reese made a bucket Morgan got a steal and a layup to put the Panthers ahead by three going into the fourth.
    This is the second trip to the final four for the Panthers, who were last there in the 2008 season. The Panthers will face Wilcox County, which Wednesday knocked off Turner County, on Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Fort Valley State.