Milton outscored Campbell 10-0 in the final 1:47 after watching most of a 19-point lead disappear and escaped with a 94-83 victory in the Class AAAAAA boys basketball quarterfinals Friday at the University of West Georgia.
The Eagles (23-8) overcame a 39-point performance by Campbell guard Mike Olmert, who scored 15 in the fourth quarter as the Spartans made a game of it.
Milton advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2012, the final year of a run that produced four consecutive championship-game appearances and two state titles. Campbell finished the season 21-9.
Milton had its biggest lead of the game at 66-47 late in the third quarter on a dunk by Alex O’Connell, who led the Eagles with 27 points. Campbell got within 14 points by the end of the quarter, but Milton’s lead was still a seemingly comfortable 12 with five minutes remaining.
Olmert then made three free throws and a layup and, after a free throw by Milton’s Chris Lewis, the Spartans scored seven consecutive points, cutting it to 84-83 on a 3-pointer by Olmert with 1:59 to play.
Those would be Campbell’s final points, however. Lewis made four free throws, Kendrick Summerour had two free throws and a layup, and O’Connell had one more dunk for the final 11-point margin.
Milton also had a 15-point lead early in the second quarter, but Campbell cut it to 37-36 on a layup by Olmert and eventually trailed 41-36 at halftime.
Lewis finished with 22 points for the Eagles. Kyrin Galloway scored 19 points, and Summerour had 12. Campbell got 20 points from Tyree Crankfield and 18 from Lazarus Walker.
