MACON – Union County’s second-half rally came up short in the Boys Basketball program’s first State Championship game appearance in 54 years.
The No. 6 Panthers erased an early 12-point deficit but eventually dropped a 57-49 contest to No. 4 Butler on Thursday, March 6, at the Macon Coliseum.
Continue reading with a subscription.
North Georgia News — serving Union County since 1909.
Cancel anytime.
Union trailed 22-12 after one quarter and dug itself into a 12-point hole on multiple occasions during the second but managed to weather the storm and went into halftime down 33-24.
Butler extended its lead to 44-33 in the third, but the Panthers wouldn’t go away, climbing within 45-38 after three.
Union County opened the fourth with consecutive 3-pointers, cutting the gap to 45-44, but were unable to tie or take the lead down the stretch.
Still down 49-47, a momentum-shifting sequence occurred near the 2-minute mark when Butler knocked down a clutch 3-pointer, growing the Bulldogs’ advantage to 52-47.
On the other end, Union County was hit with a traveling violation, taking 2 points off the board and allowing Butler to put the game away at the free throw line over the final minute.
For more coverage of the 2025 Georgia High School Association Class AA Boys Basketball Championship, turn to this week’s Sports Section.
