It will be an all-Green and Gold, Lady Gator showdown in the championship game of the GISA Class AAA girls’ state basketball championship today.
    Bulloch Academy (27-4) will try to win its second straight title when the Statesboro girls face the girls of the Gatewood School from Eatonton. The game, slated for a 5:20 p.m. tipoff, is the third of four in the GISA ‘Day of Champions’ at Hawkins Arena on the campus of Mercer University in Macon.
    The AA girls’ title game starts the day at 1 p.m. and features Monsignor Donovan of Athens against Georgia Christian from Valdosta. The teams in the AA and AAA boys’ championship games, 3:40 p.m. and 7 p.m. respectively, will be decided in the Friday’s Final Four matchups.
    Bulloch reached this afternoon’s championship by beating previously undefeated Westwood 57-44 in a semifinal contest Thursday night. Senior Pate Lomax scored 23 points, senior Ashley Burke had 14 and sophomore Mikay Sands added 12 in the victory.
    “I was extremely proud of the way we played,” said BA head coach Paul Webb. “While it might not have been our overall best performance, I thought we played extremely well defensively. To hold an undefeated team that is averaging over 60 points to just 44 says a lot.”
    Against Westwood, Lomax and Sands, with breathers provided by freshman Alivia Collins, were able to effectively control the middle. Junior Sarah Evans just outside the lane. Burke and senior guard Page Spence ran the Lady Wildcats ragged. By the fourth quarter, the girls from Camilla had their hands on their knees. 
    Gatewood (29-1) reached the AAA season finale by whipping The Heritage School 64-33 Thursday afternoon in the other semifinal matchup. Senior Leslie Calvert pumped in 29 points in the win.
    “Gatewood has a lot of really good players, led by All-State post player Leslie Calvert,” said Webb. “The 6-0 senior will be one of the best players we have seen all year. But she is not their only great player. They have some very good shooters, an outstanding point guard and are very well coached.”