DECATUR, GA -- Columbia High School doesn't lose on its home court. Hardly ever, borderline never. Keep that in your mind before you read the next couple of paragraphs.

Chamblee junior Deonte Davis took a gorgeous pass from Daniel Graves and gently put the ball through the cylinder to make the score 51-50 in favor of Columbia with 3:24 to play in the Region 6-AAAA quarterfinal game.

This was the closest the game had been all night. The crowd was into it and Chamblee was rightfully excited about the turn of events.

But, remember, this game was at Columbia. No one loses at Columbia. Nobody. The Eagles certainly remembered that note. The Class AAAA powerhouse didn't let Chamblee score after Davis's basket. Columbia went on a 14-0 run in the final three minutes of the game, closing the door to any sort of comeback Chamblee may have envisioned.

Columbia won 65-50 and did so in convincing fashion. Why did it take so long to close the door?

"I don't know," Kerry Sandifer said with a big laugh. "The main thing is familiarity. This is the third playing them and you know it is hard to beat someone three times in a season. They are very familiar with us. I don't think we played tied. I know we missed a lot of free throws and made a lot of bone-headed plays to keep it close but we closed when the game was on the line."

Home court magic came into play. Senior Keuntay Puckett cut through the lane and scored an everyday lay-up and on the next possession junior Bryce Brown hit a nothing-but-net three-pointer. The one-two punch frustrated Chamblee. The Bulldogs were whistled for a technical foul out of frustration shortly thereafter.

The standing 10 count was on. Columbia delivered the knockout punches. Sandifer said was glad the game was played on Columbia Drive on Monday night.

"(Home court advantage) is invaluable. Last year was a big difference for us. Tonight was big for us," Sandifer said. "If this game was on the road, I don't think it would have been the same outcome. We regrouped and got it together."

Brown led the way with 18 points while Nick Singleton added 15 in the victory. Maurice Rivers chipped in with 11 and Anthony Rice put in eight.

Chamblee was led by senior Daniel Graves, who pumped in 23 points in the defeat.