Smith's 50-piece propels Panthers to second round, 77-52

Elijah Smith scores career-high 50 points to lead Tiftarea to playoff victory over Dominion Christian.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Freshman guard Elijah Smith scored a career-high 50 points to lead the 6-seed Tiftarea Panthers to a 77-52 victory over 11-seed Dominion Christian in the first round of the GIAA AAA state playoffs. Smith scored 24 points in the first half and 26 in the second, knocking down 7 three-pointers to power the Panthers' offense.

Why it matters

Smith's dominant performance helped the Panthers advance to the second round of the state playoffs, where they will face a tough 3-seed Lakeview Academy team. The win also showcases the hard work and development of Smith, who has been putting in extra time in the gym to improve his shooting.

The details

Smith scored at will all game long, whether from beyond the arc or right at the basket. He helped the Panthers close the first quarter on a 10-2 run to take the lead, and Tiftarea never relinquished that advantage, leading by as much as 19 points in the second half. The Knights had no answers for slowing down Smith, who continued to pour in points to put the game out of reach.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.
  • Tiftarea will face Lakeview Academy in the second round on Saturday, February 21, 2026 at 8 p.m.

The players

Elijah Smith

A junior guard for the Tiftarea Panthers who scored a career-high 50 points in the team's playoff win over Dominion Christian.

Parker Pope

A freshman guard for the Tiftarea Panthers who went down with an injury in the second quarter of the game.

San Antonio Taylor

A junior guard for the Tiftarea Panthers who assisted Elijah Smith on the final basket that gave him 50 points.

Tiftarea Panthers

The 6-seed high school basketball team that defeated Dominion Christian 77-52 in the first round of the GIAA AAA state playoffs.

Dominion Christian

The 11-seed high school basketball team that lost to the Tiftarea Panthers 77-52 in the first round of the GIAA AAA state playoffs.

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What they’re saying

“The hard work finally paid off a little bit. We've been putting in the work with our team, practicing every day. We played a good game. We came out hot. We came out with a good start and realized that we needed to win, so we came out strong.”

— Elijah Smith, Junior Guard (Tifton Gazette)

“Yeah, he has worked his trail off all summer. Not many people got to see it because he kind of finds wherever he can to get work in all summer when we're not doing our stuff, so not everybody sees it. Sometimes he's in a gym by himself, or it's him and coach Tay Mallory in a gym by themselves working. It was good that everybody got to see it from start of the year till now. This game especially is kind of what really shows all that extra hard work that he puts in.”

— Head Coach (Tifton Gazette)

“I have faith in my team. I knew we could pull it out. That's a big loss. He's one of our best players. I mean, once I saw him go down — I hate seeing people get hurt — but we battled and we came back stronger.”

— Elijah Smith, Junior Guard (Tifton Gazette)

“My man, San Antonio, I was like, 'Give me a steal.' He got me one. He gave me a good pass, and I got the layup. So, it's all thanks to him for that.”

— Elijah Smith, Junior Guard (Tifton Gazette)

What’s next

The Panthers will be at First Presbyterian Day School for the second round of the GIAA AAA state playoffs as they take on 3-seed Lakeview Academy on Saturday, February 21, 2026 at 8 p.m.

The takeaway

Elijah Smith's career-high 50-point performance showcases the hard work and development of the Tiftarea Panthers' junior guard, who has been putting in extra time in the gym to improve his shooting. The win also advances the 6-seed Panthers to the second round of the state playoffs, where they will face a tough challenge against 3-seed Lakeview Academy.