DaJohn Williams’ game-winner lifts Calhoun County boys to state title | PHOTO GALLERY

MACON — DaJohn Williams had dreamed of this moment.

On a big stage, in front of a large crowd and with the game on the line.

Thursday afternoon at the Macon Coliseum in the Class A public school state championship game, Williams sank an unorthodox jump shot that rolled around the rim, hit the backboard, then swished through the next to break an 82-all tie.

Williams’ basket was the game-winner with 1.5 seconds left on the clock, lifting Calhoun County to a thrilling 84-82 victory over Greenville Thursday at the Macon Coliseum.

And with the game-winner, Calhoun County unleashed a year of frustration while exploding with joy at the same time.

After coming up short in a heartbreaking loss to Wilkinson County in the state semifinals last year, the Cougars were settling for nothing less than a state championship.

“That was in the back of our minds all season long,” Shaw said of the way last season ended. “The Savannah experience, losing to Wilkinson County … we didn’t want to come back to the locker room upset again. So we had to leave it all on the floor.”

Calhoun County (30-2) did just that. After blowing a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter, the Cougars buckled down, cut down on their turnovers and played smarter basketball.

“We had to pick it up,” Calhoun County guard Quenten Taylor said. “I knew we were going to pick it up.”

Greenville’s Renault Griffin tied the game at 82 when he hit one of his two free throws with 28 seconds left. Calhoun County tried to burn the final seconds off the clock and get a shot attempt.

With Taylor having fouled out with 28 seconds left, Williams ended up with the ball and the chance to make history. Shaw said Williams’ defender was a mismatch and he sought to take advantage.

With nine seconds left and the clock ticking, he penetrated the lane and launched the ball at the basket.

“Coach told us to attack the goal,” Williams said. “He said the worse thing that could happen is we get fouled and we go to the line.”

Williams didn’t have to worry about getting fouled. After his shot went through, the Patriots had less than two seconds to launch a desperation attempt.

Their last-ditch effort failed, and Williams was mobbed in the middle of the court by his teammates with a statewide audience watching on Georgia Public Broadcasting.

The players had said last week after beating Treutlen in the state semifinals at Armstrong State that they weren’t going to celebrate until they won the state title.

The final buzzer sounded and the Cougars’ celebrated wildly.

“For a kid that just about missed the whole basketball season because of a football injury, to be able to come back and hit the game-winning shot, that’s unreal,” Shaw said. “This is the prize right here. This is it.”

Williams finished with 18 points, while Taylor and Sherrod Williams finished with 20 points each to lead the team. Rashun Williams and Jalin Gray added eight points each. Gray proved to be a standout on Thursday off the bench.

Taylor had helped Calhoun surge back from a pair of seven-point deficits in the first half. He sank back-to-back lay ups just before halftime to pull the Cougars to within a point at 45-44.

The senior Herald Super 6er said he never doubted Williams’ game-winner would fall through.

“I knew he was going to make it,” Taylor said. “I’ve been playing with him for eight years.”