The Georgiana Panthers fell just two points shy of advancing to the south regional finals Tuesday night as the Wicksburg Panthers proved to be the top cat and took the close win, 49-47.

Georgiana fell behind early, but Jamie Williams and Reco Johnson pulled the Panthers back and gave their team a 16-11 lead at the end of the first period.

Wicksburg closed the lead to within one point twice in the second period, but Jerrod Lee pulled Georgiana out to a five-point lead again and the Panthers took a 28-23 advantage into the locker room.

In the second half, it was all Wicksburg.

After Williams increased the Georgiana lead to seven, Wicksburg answered with a 6-0 run and then took the lead for the first time since early in the game with just three minutes remaining in the period.

Holding a one-point advantage going into the final period, Wicksburg was determined to pull away, but Georgiana put up a hard fight.

Georgiana tied the ballgame at 37-37 a minute and a half into the final period, but Wicksburg quickly took the lead back and never trailed again.

Georgiana was able to pull the game to within one and had a shot to tie or win the game at the end, but Johnson's shot just missed, thus ending the Panthers' season.

Johnson had a double-double for Georgiana with 17 points and 10 rebounds, followed by Williams with 15 points, including 3-of-9 from the three-point line, Andre Paige and Terrance Matthews with six points apiece and Lee with three points.

For Wicksburg, Clay Craig was the leading scorer with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds, followed by Colby Thomley with 15 points, including 5-of-11 from the three-point line, Blake Wallace with eight points and Robert Anderson and Darrell Knight with five points apiece. Anderson also had 10 rebounds in the win.

In the previous game:

Georgiana 63, Bayside Aca. 51

The Georgiana Panthers took advantage of an 11-point halftime lead February 16 as they cruised to the south regional semifinals with the win over Bayside Academy, 63-51.

Jamie Williams was the leading scorer for the Panthers with 25 points, followed by Andre Paige with 12 points, Reco Johnson with eight points, Terrance Matthews with seven points, Gerard Pleasant with four points, Zebbie Mitchell with three points and Damien McIntosh and Jerrod Lee with two points apiece.

For Bayside, Caleb Josephs was the team's leading scorer with 20 points while teammates Joby Allen and Daniel Giabretti each scored 10 in the loss.