By Kevin Eckleberry

kevin.eckleberry@lagrangenews.com

It’s a rematch.

A year ago, the Sandy Creek Lady Patriots beat LaGrange to win the Region 5-AAAA championship.

Those same two teams will meet again on Saturday in the region-title game, and LaGrange is hoping for a different result this time around.

LaGrange and Sandy Creek both won their games on Thursday to reach the title game.

LaGrange overwhelmed Central-Carroll 45-21, while Sandy Creek outlasted Troup 46-44.

Troup and Central-Carroll will meet in the third-place game at 3 p.m., and LaGrange and Sandy Creek play at 6 p.m.

Both games will be at LaGrange High.

On Tuesday, the Lady Grangers were up 12-6 after the first quarter, and they led 29-13 at the half and 36-18 through three quarters.

Aryan Dozier led LaGrange with 13 points, and fellow senior Chnaireia Strozier made a pair of 3-pointers and scored 12 points.

Blair Herrod made two 3-pointers, both in the fourth quarter, and scored six points.

Troup had an outstanding chance to beat Sandy Creek and earn a title shot, but it dropped a two-point heart-breaker.

Sandy Creek won it by getting to the boards in the closing moments.

The Lady Patriots missed six straight free throws in the final 35 seconds, but they grabbed three consecutive offensive rebounds to maintain possession.

Jania Hodges made a free throw with one second left to give Sandy Creek a two-point lead, and Troup was unable to get a final shot off.

Amber Gilbert had a big game for Troup with 23 points, and she scored 14 points during a remarkable three-minute span at the close of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth period.

Kiya Fulton added nine points, and she was 5-of-6 from the free-throw line.

Jedda Madden scored six points, and she was 2-of-3 from the line.

The semifinals of the Region 5-AAAA boys’ tournament is today at Sandy Creek.

LaGrange plays Cartersville at 6 p.m., and Troup and Sandy Creek meet at 7:30 p.m.

The championship game is Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and the third-place game is at 5:30 p.m.

OF NOTE: For much more on Thursday’s games, as well as a preview of Saturday’s games, see our weekend edition.

And for more photos, check out Facebook.com/LDNSports