Columbia Goes Back-To-Back, Defeats Butler To Defend Class 3A Title

Columbia (30-3) pulled away in the second half en route to a 19 point win over Butler (25-8), who last won the state championship in 1966.

For Columbia, a metro Atlanta school, the 56-37 win was the program’s second consecutive title and fourth since the 2006 season under head coach Phillip McCrary.

Butler, located in Augusta, trailed by eight at the half, but was able to muster only 15 second half points as Columbia gradually pulled away.

Tahj Shamsid-Deen led Columbia with 22 points on 9-14 shooting and four assists. 13 of those points came in the first quarter as Columbia led from buzzer-to-buzzer.

Chris Washington scored 14 points to lead Butler. Dan Lambert also chipped in 12 in the losing effort.