MARIETTA - Lanerryl Johnson checked out of school after third period Tuesday afternoon, and doctors told him he had a temperature of 101 just three hours before Walton's tip-off against archrival Wheeler.

That made the high-scoring guard's status doubtful, but he was determined to play if he could walk because he knew his team needed him.

Not only did Johnson take the court against Wheeler, he led the Raiders with 31 points en route to an 89-78 upset of the state's No. 2 team.

The win also gave the rivals a split of their Region 5AAAAA series.

Johnson was 7-for-9 from inside the paint in the second half and helped Walton (11-6, 4-1) preserve a three-possession lead for most of the second half. He contributed in different ways in the first half, going 9-for-11 from the free-throw line.

"I checked out to go to the doctor, and he told me I had a fever, but I had to suck it up and play," Johnson said. "With me being a leader, I needed to be on the floor."

Two former Wheeler players now donning a Walton uniform stepped up against their former team. Karl Cochran scored 22 points, while Chevelan Pearson had 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Rico Overall was also in double figures for Walton. He finished with 11 points behind three timely 3-pointers.

Wheeler's leading scorer, Karriem Simmons, matched Johnson's total with 31 points. But unlike Johnson, Simmons didn't get as much help from his teammates.

Chris Longoria had a huge second half for the second consecutive game and finished with 14 points, but Wheeler (14-5, 6-1) as a team struggled to finish.

Normally a strong team from the free-throw line, Wheeler barely eclipsed 50 percent in the second half and missed some clutch shots that could have tightened Walton's lead.

Charles Mitchell, known for scoring quick buckets inside, struggled and had to settle for eight points and was 2-for-10 inside the paint. Nigel Snipes and Kharon Butcher also had eight points apiece for the Wildcats.

After hitting six 3s in the first half, the Wildcats were 1-for-7 from long range in the second.

Walton slowly increased its lead in the third quarter after leading 45-42 at the half. The Raiders attacked Wheeler by finding open lanes, and the Wildcats weren't shooting well enough to catch up.

The Raiders started the second half with four unanswered points to stretch it to seven before Wheeler cut it back to three. Then Walton pushed it back to seven on back-to-back buckets by Cochran.

The Wildcats pulled within four late in the frame on a 3 by Simmons, but Walton answered back with a second-chance bucket by Cochran and Overall's layup off a feed from Johnson to take an eight-point lead.

Walton's lead then jumped to 12 on a Johnson layup early in the fourth quarter. Knowing the Wildcats were capable of producing quick 10-point runs at any time, the Raiders' lead was far from secure.

Instead of chewing clock against Wheeler's stellar perimeter defense, Walton stuck to what was working.

"We didn't hold Wheeler (in the fourth quarter). We just outscored them," Walton coach Joe Goydish said. "We didn't hold the ball and run clock, which would have been dangerous.

"They are so good defensively in the backcourt."

Wheeler gave itself a chance to come back late in the fourth when it scored six unanswered points to cut Walton's lead to 78-74 with just over 2 minutes left in the game.

But Walton continued outscoring the Wildcats.

The Raiders pulled away after Wheeler's run on Pearson's three-point play and a Cochran layup.

The loss was the first against a Georgia team for the Wildcats, who had lost to teams from Florida, Kentucky, New York and Ohio.

Wheeler coach Doug Lipscomb was not available for comment after the game.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Walton 51, Wheeler 44: The Lady Raiders came from behind in the second half to win, boosted by 17 points and 17 rebounds from Sarah Durdaller.

Rachael Gibson was also in double figures for the Lady Raiders with 11 points, while Kathy Johnson added 10.

An 8-2 run late in the third quarter gave Walton (10-7, 3-2) a six-point lead, which was enough to hold off Wheeler (7-10, 1-6). Two of Walton's three 3-pointers of the game came during the run when Johnson and Hannah Patterson connected from long range.

The Lady Wildcats battled back in the fourth and got within one, 42-41, but Walton quickly took a six-point lead on a 3 by Durdaller with 1:53 left. Wheeler never got within five.

Kaina Griffin led Wheeler with 13 points, with Tashayla Steede adding eight points and 10 rebounds.