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The Callaway boys basketball team is sweet 16 bound after defeating East Jackson 68-57 in the opening round of the state playoffs. It has been a dramatic couple of weeks for the Cavaliers, who went from on the outside looking in as the fifth seed in the region tournament to winning the region and now a playoff game.

The two teams traded blows in the first half. Callaway was able to stay just out in front for the majority of the time and lead 16-10 after one quarter. East Jackson came back to tie the game in the second quarter,  the Cavaliers closed the half well in large part due to Bryceton Sanders getting a couple of tough baskets to drop late in the second quarter. Sanders had seven of his 11 points in the second to help keep the Callaway offense afloat when it began to get bogged down a little bit.

Callaway’s lead at halftime stood at 31-25.

Coming out of halftime it felt like anybody’s game, but senior point guard DeShun Coleman made sure that was not the case. He scored 16 of his game-high 23 points in the third quarter including four 3-pointers to single-handedly outscore the Eagles in the quarter (16-9).

Going into the fourth quarter, Callaway’s lead had ballooned up to 52-38.

With the lead no longer in doubt, Callaway took its foot off the gas in the fourth and the Eagles went on a little run to make the final score flatter them a bit more.

Torri Truitt had a strong game for the Cavaliers and finished with 14 points. 

Callaway will host the winner of Fannin County vs. South Atlanta on Saturday.