By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

It’s the end of the road for LaGrange High’s basketball teams.

Needing wins on Wednesday to advance to the Region 5-AAAA semifinals and keep their seasons alive, LaGrange’s boys’ and girls’ teams both came up short.

While LaGrange’s boys’ team lost to Cartersville 61-55, LaGrange’s girls’ team fell to Central-Carroll 43-32.

Cartersville and Central will play in the semifinals on Friday, while the season is over for both LaGrange teams.

Both LaGrange teams hung tough against higher-seeded squads on Wednesday.

LaGrange’s boys’ team, the number six seed, was facing third-seeded Cartersville on its home floor.

The Grangers had a 13-point lead at one point in the first half, and they were ahead 29-20 at the break.

The Purple Hurricanes found their offensive footing in the third quarter, and the Grangers’ lead was down to 42-38 heading into the final quarter.

It was tied 45-45 when Cartersville hit back-to-back 3-pointers to go up by six, but LaGrange fought back and made it a two-point game with 15 seconds to play.

While the Grangers didn’t score again, the Purple Hurricanes made four free throws in the closing moments to salt the game away.

Jordan Ogletree, playing his final high-school game, led LaGrange with 20 points.

In the girls’ game, fifth-seeded LaGrange and fourth-seeded Central-Carroll went toe-to-toe in the first half.

It was tied 10-10 after the first quarter, and the teams headed to the halftime break tied 16-16.

Central-Carroll started to create some separation in the second half, and it won by nine points to advance.

The region tournament continues today, with eight teams fighting to earn a shot at the title on Saturday.

Troup’s boys’ and girl’s teams are both seeded second, and they had byes into the semifinals.

Troup’s girls’ team will play third-seeded Cedartown at 4 p.m., while top-seeded Sandy Creek and Central-Carroll will meet at 7 p.m. in the other girls’ semifinal.

Troup (16-7 overall) beat Cedartown in both regular-season meetings, and neither game was close.

After winning 57-38 at Cedartown, Troup won the rematch 61-37 on its home floor.

On the boys’ side of the bracket, Troup (16-8) and Cartersville will play for the second time in less than a week.

On Saturday in the regular-season finale for both teams, Troup used a stingy defensive effort to beat Cartersville 56-50.

In the first meeting, which was played at Cartersville, Troup lost a shoot-out, 88-76.

REGION 5-AAAA 

TOURNAMENT

(At Sandy Creek)

FRIDAY’S SEMIFINAL GAMES

GIRLS

4 p.m. – Troup vs. Cedartown

7 p.m. – Sandy Creek girls vs. Central-Carroll

BOYS

5:30 p.m. – Troup vs. Cartersville

8:30 p.m. – Sandy Creek vs. Cedartown

SATURDAY

GIRLS

3 p.m. – Third-place game

6 p.m. – Championship game

BOYS

4:30 p.m. – Third-place game

7:30 p.m. – Championship game