Mike Poindexter scored 20 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, to lead Altavista to a 55-42 win over Franklin in a Group A Division 1 state quarterfinals at Longwood University on Saturday.

Altavista, which advances to Thursday’s semifinals in Richmond, led by just four points to open the fourth quarter, and the game went back and fourth for awhile in the final frame. But it was Poindexter who took charge for Altavista. He dropped two key 3-pointers, including one to break a 37-37 tie, and a jumper at the 3:35 mark to balloon the Colonels’ lead to 47-42.

Franklin, which finished the season 18-6, misfired on several 3-pointers in the last three minutes, opening the door for Altavista to increase the lead. The Colonels went on a 10-point run to finish off the game.

In the first quarter, the Broncos struggled for every shot while Altavista was able to make easy buckets on the fast break. Still, the Broncos only trailed by four points at the end of the first quarter. Jerrell Britt drove to the hoop with two seconds left in the quarter to cut the Colonels lead to 13-9.

It was bombs away for the Colonels in the second quarter. Altavista hit on three straight 3’s to go up 22-11 with 5:59 to play in the half.

Meanwhile, Ashley Lee took matters into his own hands for the Broncos. Lee led a Franklin charge late in the half with seven points. Lee bagged a 3-pointer and Donzell Shearin followed with a 3-ball to drop the Altavista lead to 24-21 with 2:28 to play in the half. With seconds to play in the half, Britt picked Poindexter’s pocket, drove to the hoop and cut the Colonels’ lead to 26-24.

The Broncos went on a 7-0 run to take their first lead of the game at 31-29 when Shearin hit a jumper with four minutes to play in the third quarter. The lead was short-lived, however, when the Colonels scored six straight points, five of those coming from Jerrel Jordan, and Altavista led 37-33 after three quarters.

Franklin was led by Lee with 14 points, Shearin with 13 points and Britt with 11.