Aarika Judge. Shakima Wiggins.

Area basketball fans might want to go ahead and get used to those names. They'll be seeing them a lot the next few years.

Judge is a freshman at Hephzibah. Wiggins is a sophomore at Washington County. The budding superstars could not be missed Wednesday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the Region 3-AAA girls tournament at Cross Creek.

Judge netted seven 3-pointers against the Golden Hawks. Wiggins countered with six against Hephzibah.

The main difference in a 93-44 Hephzibah runaway was that Judge had help to go along with her 32 points.

Lots of it.

Aubern Marshall put up 18 points and Kenya Drayton had 13 in a game Hephzibah (23-3) had control of from the outset. The Lady Rebels led 30-14 at the end of the first quarter.

Wiggins had 23 for the Golden Hawks. She was surprised to learn that Judge was just a freshman.

"She can sure shoot it," Wiggins said. "I mean really shoot it to just be in the ninth grade."

Judge's effort came as a surprise to the Hephzibah coaching staff. She had been demoted from the first team after the first few games this year because she didn't have the right amount of focus.

Hephzibah coach Wendell Lofton decided to write her name into the starting lineup Wednesday.

"I don't know why I did it," Lofton said. "I really don't. I just had a feeling."

Chalk that up to more than 35 years of experience leading the Hephzibah team. Judge came out determined with eight points in the opening quarter. She had already topped her scoring average by halftime.

"I had to show my coaches I was ready to start," Judge said. "I had to show them I am a good enough player to start every game now."

Hephzibah secured a state playoff berth with the win. The Rebels face Butler or Richmond Hill on Friday. Expect Judge to be ready for that one, too.

"This game I wanted to prove a point," Judge said.

"I wanted to let my actions show my coaches that I am ready to step up and start for this team now."