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Published Thursday, February 16, 2012 in Sports

Photo by Jeffrey Leo

Newnan head boys basketball coach Rod Ladd runs on to the floor in triumph after watching the No. 6 seeded Cougars pull out an upset of No. 3 Langston Hughes in the first round of the Region 2-AAAAA tournament.

It's Not Over: Newnan advances to state with upset of Langston Hughes

By Doug Gorman

The Newnan Times-Herald

ATLANTA – Newnan's boys basketball team is back in the Class AAAAA state tournament.

After a two-year hiatus, the Cougars punched their ticket on Wednesday by way of a dramatic 42-41 victory over Langston Hughes Wednesday in the first round of the Region 2-AAAAA tournament.

Seeded sixth, Newnan managed to upend the third-seeded Panthers while earning a bit of revenge from a one-point, double-overtime loss to Langston Hughes at home on Jan. 27.

This time, the Cougars managed to pull out the win in regulation.

"I am so proud of my kids," said Newnan head coach Rod Ladd. "They never quit."

The Cougars built a 42-34 lead with 4:11 remaining in the game on Donnell Dean's basket but had to hold off a comeback effort by Langston Hughes, which ended its season at 17-9.

After a 7-0 run by Langston Hughes cut the Cougars lead to one, the scene was set for a dramatic ending in the final seconds of the game.

Both teams had chances down the stretch to grab the momentum with trips to the free-throw line but each team missed the front end of one-and-ones at the line on three consecutive trips.

After Newnan's final miss at the line, Langston Hughes brought the ball down the floor with four seconds left, but Junior Powers' potential game winner at the buzzer fell short.

Dean and Tray Matthews helped pull off the upset with 18- and 10-point efforts, respectively, to lead the Cougars.

Unable to pull off his last shot, Powell still led the Panthers with 15 points.

"We just thank God for the way we were able to play tonight," Matthews said. "We just stayed focused and it paid off for us."

Dean's basket late in the fourth quarter gave the Cougars their largest lead of the game at 42-34, but Newnan hit a dry spell at from there and had to hold off the Langston Hughes comeback attempt.

"It just feels so good to be able to pull this game out" Dean said. "We knew coming in we had a chance if we played well."

Newnan extended its record to 14-13 and its winning streak to four games.

For Ladd, making the team's first trip to state since becoming the Cougars' head coach in 2010 is icing on the cake.

"We talked about how important it was to win just one game here," Ladd said."We knew that one win would get us to state."

Newnan spent the first half trying just to keep the game close. Dean and Matthews were the only players to score in the first quarter, but Newnan trailed 12-9.

Despite getting just one field goal in the second quarter, the Cougars stayed in the contest with solid free-throw shooting.

Newnan converted 7 of 10 shoots from the line in the second quarter and only trailed 23-20 at the break.

Immanuel Griggs' basket early in the third quarter on a monster dunk gave the Cougars a 24-23 lead. Dean hit a 3-point shot and the Cougars took a 34-31 lead into the final period.

Newnan had just three baskets in the final period as Kaceon Person and Darrallel Morrow joined Dean with field goals.

From there, the Cougars had to play defense.

"We missed some big free throws, but we were able to play good defense and control the boards. That was big," Ladd said.

Newnan now plays the winner of Wednesday's late boys game between No. 7-seed Stephenson and No. 2 Newton on Friday at 5:30 p.m., also at Westlake High.

"We aren't going to have to work too hard to stay motivated," Ladd said.

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