Monthly Archives: December 2016

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Girls Recaps, Recaps

GHSA Statewide Recap 12-9

BOYS

Class AAAAAAA

No. 7 Collins Hill 68, Discovery 51: Chris Parks (17), Kenny Stanciel (14), Justin Lee (11) and JaQuan Morris (10) lifted the Eagles over Discovery. Jaylen Bussey led the Titans with 15 points. DJ Young and Jaden Stanley both had 10.

Berkmar 81, Central Gwinnett 59: Unsigned senior Jay Estime was red hot again, banging in eight threes en route to 34 points. Indiana-signee Al Durham had 17 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists. Ian Hardy chipped in 14 points and NJIT-bound point guard Zach Cooks tossed in 10.

East Coweta 59, Raleigh-Egypt, TN 51: Mark Mitchell scored 13 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked 8 shots to help East Coweta over Raleigh-Egypt at the Memphis vs. Atlanta Classic.

Lambert 72, East Jackson 41: Austin Deckard scored 13 points and Jordan McIlwain added 12.

Mill Creek 48, North Gwinnett 39: Jayden Marshall dropped in 12 points to lead the Hawks in a balanced scoring attack. Noah Kenny had 9 points and Matty Dobbs added 8.

Parkview 71, South Forsyth 46: Parkview held UNCW-signee Evan Cole to 11 points to shut down the War Eagles. Ahmir Langlais posted 12 points and Toneari Lane added 11.  The Panthers saw 14 out of 15 players crack the scoresheet.

Woodstock 73, Walton 49: Noah Frith’s added dimension to the Woodstock frontcourt continued to pay dividends as he scored a game-high 17 points and grabbed 7 boards. Tyreke Johnson scored 16 and picked up 5 assists while Nate Garner had 11 points. Dylin Hardeman finished with 8 points and 5 assists. For Walton, Austin Kirksey and Jason McKie both had 8.

Grayson 82, West Hall 47: Travis Anderson torched the Spartans with 26 points, 5 assists and 4 steals. Justin Fleming had 14 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals. Gerald Buncum had 10 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks. Bryce Brown collected 4 points and 8 rebounds while DeAli Thompson had 6 points and 8 boards.

Class AAAAAA

No. 2 Jonesboro 79, Lovejoy 24: MJ Walker posted 22 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Mies Black went for 20 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.

No. 3 South Paulding 66, Douglas County 48: Georgia State-signee Kane Williams went for 19 points and 9 assists while Drew Shepperd netted 17 points.

No. 8 Brunswick 57, Bradwell Institute 51: Big man Kymani Dunham finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks. Jaylen Jackson tacked on 15.

No. 9 Allatoona 64, Osborne 59: Rolan Wooden scored 12 points and drew three charges to help the Bucs escape the Cardinals. Tyler Jackson scored 11 points and collected 4 steals. Trey Doomes finished with 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assist and 1 block. Mike Johnson pitched in 8 points and 6 assists. LaTrell Tate gave the Buccaneers fits by scoring 25 points.

South Cobb 79, Creekview 61: Trevin Wade got off for 22 points and 10 rebounds as the Eagles blew past Creekview. Ralueke Orizu posted 14 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks. Tay Dollar had 13 points and 6 rebounds and Mike McClendon added 9 points and 8 boards. Creekview received 23 points from KJ Jenkins and 15 from Weber Sandlin.

Sprayberry 59, Kell 57: Eddie Figueroa collected 20 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Rodney Pearson had 13 points and 6 assists. Kahdim Samb posted 15 points.

Alexander 60, Mays 54: Alexander went on the road and picked up a massive Region 5 victory behind Grant Howard’s 19 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Rod Rapley supplied 18 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Damion Howell battled for 7 points and 11 boards while Cameron Armstrong chipped in 8 points. For Mays, Reo Wright scored 13, Donald Harris 16 and Clayvon Croom 15.

Dunwoody 62, Johns Creek 51: Sidi Diallo scored 15 points and Christian Williams and Turner Nims netted 12 apiece to carry the Wildcats. Neil Ilenrey scored 9 for Johns Creek while Jordan Dinkins had 11.

Class AAAAA

No. 3 Cedar Shoals 63, Flowery Branch 50: In a game of runs, Cedar Shoals had just enough to hold off a previously unbeaten Falcons group. Phlan Fleming scored 21 points and Snipe Hall had 11. In the loss Brannon Clark had 15 points while Justin Quick scored 14 and John Mills had 12.

No. 6 Fayette County 70, Morrow 64: Phillip Young torched Morrow for 25 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals as the Tigers remained undefeated. Josh Dupree chipped in 16 points, 2 assists and 2 steals. Noah Gurley added 13 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Austin Nesmith had 10 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.

No. 7 Miller Grove 51, No. 2 Southwest DeKalb 42: Even after a sluggish start to the season, the Wolverines flexed their muscle against region rival Southwest DeKalb and earned an important victory. Tae Hardy scored 18 points to lead Miller Grove. Jermon Clark added 10 and Kevin Paige chipped in 8.

No. 8 Riverwood 59, Grady 54: Elijah Dudley scored 20 points to pace the Raiders. Elijah Jenkins had 13 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Josh Brown posted 10 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks.

No. 9 Warner Robins 65, Houston County 49: Nelson Phillips overwhelmed the Bears with a game-high 26 points. JaColbey Owens scored 21 and Champ Dawson chipped in 6. Houston County was led by Amari Colbert’s 13 points and Jalyn Nelson’s 12.

Clarke Central 71, Johnson-Gainesville 36: Dwon Smith scored 23 points for the Gladiators. Brian Dean (10) and Jack Mangel (9) also contributed.

Arabia Mountain 60, Chamblee 56: Jordan Sterling netted 18 points to carry the Rams.

Lithia Springs 65, Banneker 53: Jahrel Reagan dropped 20 points to lead the Lions. Ceaunte Zachery added 13 and Anthony Hardy had 12. Banneker received 16 points from Shamar Kerangu.

Paulding County 85, Woodland-Cartersville 67: Shihem Mitchell went for 27 points and 10 rebounds to power the Patriots. Tommy Robinson collected 18 points and 10 rebounds. Marcus Austin gobbled up 8 points, 13 rebounds and 5 blocks.

Cass 74, East Paulding 66: CJ Bennett finished with 25 points and Ashton Burley had 16 in the Colonels backcourt.

Class AAAA

No. 2 Upson-Lee 67, West Laurens 40: Even without Zyrice Scott, the Knights pummeled West Laurens. Tye Fagan dropped in 23 points with Middle Tennessee State, Murray State and Mercer in attendance.  Travon Walker posted 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Woodward Academy 71, No. 3 Henry County 70: Hunter Falconer hit a game-winner and finished with 12 points, 3 assists and 4 steals to stun Henry County. Julian Cameron caught fire with 27 points and 3 assists. Brennan McDaniel posted 15 points, 19 rebounds and 3 blocks. In the loss, Damion Rosser scored 24 points and Javon Greene had 18. Kovi Tate chipped in 10.

No. 4 Thomson 76, South Aiken, SC 69: Radaren Johnson pumped in 33 points while Darius Turman added 10.

North Oconee 75, 6ANo. 7 Dacula 72: Matthew Quint exploded for 39 points and Jack Taylor drilled a three at the buzzer to stun the Falcons.

Eastside 64, Druid Hills 51 OT: Keiodre Perry netted 21 points and Desmeontay Dyer posted 12 points and 8 rebounds on the road in a comeback victory.

Blessed Trinity 52, Forsyth Central 40: CJ Abrams scored a team-high 18 points to pace the Titans. Ben Shappard had 13 and Kyle Swade netted 10. CJ Smith led Forsyth Central with 22 points off five threes.

Northwest Whitfield 88, Pickens 54: Grant Terrell was unconscious, pouring in a school-record 11 threes to lead the Bruins. Terrell finished with 35 points. Paxton Pardee had 10 assists. Luke Shiflett had 15 points. Pickens was led by Blake Gorth’s 15 points and 5 rebounds. Seth Bishop added 11 points and Zach Goss tossed in 7.

Class AAA

Central-Macon 79, No. 1 Westside-Macon 74: Antarius McCoy willed the Chargers to a monumental victory in front of a packed house. McCoy dropped 25 points and received help from Duke Williams who had 15. Kylan Hill worked around the basket for 14 points and 9 rebounds. Wanya Thomas finished with 11 points, 5 coming in succession late in the fourth to close out the Seminoles. Former Charger Kentrevious Jones posted 33 points and 16 rebounds. Khavon Moore had 18 points and 7 rebounds. Terric Allen pitched in 10 points.

No. 2 Pace Academy 58, Westminster 38: Wendell Carter finished with 23 points and Isaiah Kelly added 18 as the Knights’ size hurt the Wildcats.

No. 9 Calhoun 59, Ringgold 46: Chapin Rierson scored a team-high 20 points for the Jackets. Malik Lawrence added 15 and Kaylan Aker had 10.

Lovett 70, McNair 52: Crawford Schweiger hit five threes en route to a game-high 26 points.

Class AA

Banks County 57, No. 2 Monticello 52: Kahmal Wiley was too much to handle inside for the guard oriented Hurricanes as Banks County upset No. 2 Monticello. The burly post hung 27 points while fellow big man Dylan Orr chipped in 11 points. Monticello was led by CJ Adams’ 17 points, 4 steals and 4 assists, Ashton Bonner’s 12 points and 4 assists and Jakeir Stone’s 10 points.

No. 9 Chattooga 94, Dade County 86: The Indians survived 14 Wolverine threes and rode Jay Shropshire’s 35-point performance to victory. Isaiah Foster scored 17 and Jay Broome had 10.

Bleckley County 55, Dodge County 52: Dodge County received 16 points from Nick Cummings, 13 from Demonte Ivey and 11 from RJ Carr in a loss.

Temple 79, Central-Carroll 67: Javin Boles was too much to handle, pouring in 33 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals.

Putnam County 70, Baldwin 66 OT: Carl Johnson wrecked the Braves with 32 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals.

Class A-Private

No. 2 North Cobb Christian 69, Bowdon 45: In the loss, Octavius Meadows scored 27 points and Zaylin Wood added 9.

No. 8 Aquinas 77, Greene County 54: Tre Gomillion went for 19 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists to pace the Irish. Trent Bowdre scored 16 points and Jelani Shakir hung 15 points, 6 assists and 3 steals to his ledger.

No. 3 St. Francis 60, King’s Ridge 50: Wallace Tucker tallied 19 points and 5 assists. Chase Ellis went for 13 points and 13 rebounds. Dwon Odom added 11 points and 7 rebounds. Sophomore Eric Coleman poured in 25 points for the Tigers, hitting five threes along the way.

Wesleyan 73, Mt. Vernon Presbyterian 50: Sean McDonough continued his recent hot streak, pouring in 28 points to lead the Wolves. Christian McLean netted 17.

Prince Avenue 65, Providence Christian 62: Parker Trump scored 15 points while Connor Allen and Al Dorsey chipped in 11 in the loss.

Class A-Public

Fulton Leadership Academy 45, Elite Scholars 24: Tyrese Berrymon scored 22 points to lift the Gryphons.

                                                 

GIRLS

Class AAAAAAA

No. 4 Newton 57, South Gwinnett 53: Lexii Chatman buried five threes and finished with 23 points to power the Rams past the Comets. Janelle Cook put in 15 points and Jurnee Smith added 11.

South Forsyth 57, Parkview 47: Zoe Maisel (16), Emily Dreslinski (15) and Olivia Poff (13) all supplied the scoring to help the War Eagles over the Panthers.

Class AAAAAA

No. 2 Mays 62, Alexander 36: Kamiyah Street dropped in 25 points to power the Raiders to a Region 5 victory.

No. 7 Grovetown 65, Richmond Academy 63: College of Charleston-signee Destiny Marshall scored 26 points for the Warriors as Grovetown withstood a 35-point performance out of Troy-signee Jasmine Robinson.

No. 8 Northview 45, Chattahoochee 39: In a battle of Region 7 undefeateds, the Lady Titans received 14 points, 8 steals and 7 blocks from Shannon Titus.

No. 10 Lovejoy 33, No. 5 Jonesboro 31: Saadia Munford scored 13 points, but it wasn’t enough to stop Jonesboro’s slide. The upstart Wildcats now sit at 7-0.

Creekview 53, South Cobb 26: Kennedy Cater totaled 16 points to lead the Grizzlies. Kendel Bennett and Sydney Rumble both had 9 points.

Johns Creek 65, Dunwoody 18: The Gladiators rolled to 6-2 overall and 3-0 in Region 7 under Coach Kirk Call. Sydney Tanguilig finished with 21 points. Markiema Lancaster had 10 points and Ashley Alexander chipped in 8 points and 15 rebounds.

Class AAAAA

No. 1 Flowery Branch 60, Cedar Shoals 33: Taniyah Worth posted 18 points, 7 rebounds, 5 steals and 4 blocks. Lexie Sengkhammee scored 12 points. Caroline Wysocki finished with 9 points and 4 rebounds and Ashley Woodroffe had 5 points and 5 rebounds.

No. 6 Villa Rica 76, Hiram 30: Deasia Merrill went for 18 points and 10 assists while Aliyah Hindsman added 14 points. Jaila Orozco and Emmy Parham both netted 11.

Class AAAA

No. 1 North Oconee 68, Dacula 55: Emma Weynand posted 23 points and Camryn Williams scored 14.

No. 5 West Hall 72, Grayson 47: Anna McKendree burst out for 37 points in a Spartans rout. Macy Passmore had 15 points and Kinsey Wilson netted 10.

No. 9 Northwest Whitfield 73, Pickens 46: Bria Clemmons led all scorers with 16 points and 4 assists. Jada Griffin grabbed 7 rebounds. Nicole Bates had 11 points and 5 steals. Holly Heath and Chandler Hiland both had 10 points. Jada Griffin grabbed 7 rebounds. For Pickens, Autumn Young scored 13 points and Taylor Wigington finished with 11 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.

Central-Carroll 58, Temple 45: Alexis Farley scored a game-high 22 points to lead the Lions. Haley Luke added 14 points and 6 steals while Haley Fehring went for 9 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks. Temple was led by Ruby Collins’ double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. Sheniah Swint had 11 points and 4 rebounds. Courtney Caldwell finished with 6 points and 6 rebounds.

Class AAA

No. 1 Johnson-Savannah 70, Jenkins 36: Alexis Pierce pumped in 26 points to lead the Atomsmashers. Olivia Owens (15) and Checobia Hugie (18) also did damage.

Calhoun 75, No. 9 Ringgold 67: The Yellow Jackets earned a high scoring victory over the Tigers, riding Jana Johns’ monster 27-point 18-rebound double-double. Erin Hyatt added support with 16 points while Ashlyn Barnes tacked on 13 points, 7 assists and 6 steals. Cassie Henderson went for 11 points and Anna George had 10.

Class AA

No. 3 Rabun County 64, Union County 28: Savanna Scott scored her 1,000th point of her career and led the Wildcats with 17 points and 3 steals. Tessa Matheson added 12 points and 3 steals. Brooke Henricks went for 9 points, 7 rebounds and 4 steals. Laken Stiles chipped in 9 points, 3 assists and 3 steals.

No. 6 Dodge County 64, Bleckley County 44: Sophomore Destanee Wright led Dodge County with 20 points and Jurnee Powell chipped in 12. Tierra Hamilton cracked double figures with 11.

Class A-Private

No. 9 Pinecrest Academy 68, Mt. Paran 37: Margaret Metz dropped 26 points while sister Regina tossed in 17 to lead the Paladins. Molly Dankowski finished with 9 points.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Early Season Surprise Hot Starts

1 Comment

Class AAAAAAA

Mountain View (8-1)
2015-16: 13-13

I praised the team chemistry of Mountain View throughout the summer with the Georgia Heat Check program and their year round commitment has paid dividends so far this season, making it not much of a surprise. Mountain View’s only loss has come to Class A-Private No. 1 Greenforest, 67-49 at the Jared Cook Classic. Outside of that lone defeat, the Bears have already picked up two victories against ranked teams, beating Class AA No. 7 Butler 64-48 and No. 9 Duluth this Tuesday, 72-56. The 8-1 start is the best start in school history, the young seventh year program in search of its first postseason appearance. The sharpshooting of Spencer Rodgers has paced the Bears but the growth of Miles Long at the point guard position has been crucial as he has flourished since Donell Nixon’s transfer to Buford. Long dropped 20 points in the Bears’ win in Augusta over Butler.


South Gwinnett (5-1)
2015-16: 5-20

“I know we got the guys that want to compete and get better. We’ve got the pieces. I’m excited, I think we have a special year in store for us,” is what first-year head coach Ty Anderson said at Gwinnett County Media Day. His proclamation has come to fruition thus far as the fiery leader already has tied last year’s win total. The Comets’ only loss came to against Parkview at the Parkview Tip-Off Classic, 62-55.  Wins over Woodstock and Lambert highlight the resume. Seniors Brycen Lee and D’onte Torrence have led the renaissance under Anderson’s guidance. The Comets face their biggest test of the season on Friday as they host No. 2 Newton.

Class AAAAAA

Richmond Hill (6-1)
2015-16: 17-10 

Following a season-opening loss at Class AAAAA No. 10 New Hampstead, the Wildcats have played well. They were shutout of the postseason last year in disappointing fashion and were tasked with replacing leading scorer Isaiah Hill (20.3 ppg) heading into 2016-17. Richmond Hill scored a signature win this Tuesday, upsetting defending state champion and current Class AAA No. 4 Liberty County, 58-56. The Panthers were without Davion Mitchell and the ‘Cats took advantage, using Trey DeLoach’s 18 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 blocks to stun Liberty County. DeLoach is averaging 11.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3 blocks while fellow senior Montest Bumpers is chipping in 10.1 points and 3 steals.

Bradwell Institute (5-1)
2015-16: 6-19 

William Douberly has turned around Bradwell Institute in his first year at the helm. The Tigers won just 10 games in the past two seasons before Douberly’s arrival. Bradwell Institute has won five straight after losing at Class AAA No. 4 Liberty County to open the season. They have drilled Savannah 70-42 and blew out a tough Long County team 86-54. Senior point guard Darryll Johnson has been on a scoring binge averaging over 18 points per game while 5-foot-8 backcourt member Anthony Vicente has tossed in 10 points on average his final season. The Tigers test themselves against Region 2 power Brunswick on Friday.  Bradwell Institute and Richmond Hill will fight for playoff position all year long in the tiny five team region.

Class AAAAA

Chamblee (6-2)
2015-16: 7-19 

A blowout 66-47 loss against Stockbridge to open the year at the Southwest DeKalb Showdown has been the worst outcome of the season for the Bulldogs. Chamblee nearly upset No. 7 Miller Grove, 61-56 in their only other loss. They beat Class AAA No. 10 Redan 59-55 as their best W of the year. Seniors Odell Ferrell, Dazz Riggins and Glen Robinson have been crucial to the ‘Dogs’ turnaround.

Maynard Jackson (6-1)
2015-16: 15-14 

The Jaguars snuck into the playoffs last year by upsetting a then 22-2 Westminster team in the region tournament. There will be now more sneaking around this season however as former Tennessee State head coach Travis Williams now has the group playing to their full potential. The Jags’ lone loss came at No. 8 Riverwood, 68-67. Senior forward 6-foot-6 JaQuavius Hayes has been a monster inside, averaging 23.7 points, 13.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1 steal and 1.3 blocks a night. As good as he has been, the Jags have taken their game to the next level thanks to an improved supporting cast. Juniors Marquavis Carter and Keshun Byrd have provided scoring around Hayes. Carter is hitting 47% of his threes and is averaging 15.3 points while Byrd is pitching in 10.7 points.

Class AAAA

Salem (8-1)
2015-16: 17-12 

A lot graduated from last year’s playoff team, but the Seminoles are out to a quick start. Their only loss has come to Class AAAAAA No. 10 Tri-Cities, 57-51. Salem’s best win is a 67-56 home win over Arabia Mountain. Tehjuan Powell, Montez Swann, Kendrick Harris and Brandon Smith have all played important roles. They will try to keep pace with No. 3 Henry County in Region 4 as they visit No. 10 North Clayton on Friday, who is currently 0-2 in the region standings.

LaFayette (7-1)
2015-16: 12-13 

Although they aren’t ready to become a statewide player, LaFayette is taking baby steps to become a playoff contender in a wide open Class AAAA. The Ramblers have breezed past week competition up in Region 6, but were handed a 65-63 loss by Heritage-Catoosa, who takes over first place in the standings. Head coach Hank Peppers has rode star sophomore Alex Kelehear this season as the versatile playmaking guard projects to be an all-time LaFayette great. Tyrese Hunter, LaTrail McClinic, Andrew Pendergrass and Caleb Boyd have helped take some scoring burden off Kelehear’s shoulders.

Class AAA

No Surprises yet

Class AA

No. 8 Therrell (6-0)
2015-16: 14-9

The drop to Class AA has helped Therrell who is now ranked No. 8 in the state. Wins over Mays (76-71 OT) and at South Cobb (66-57) are high quality. Sophomore guard Anthony Edwards stands 6-foot-4 and is a future D-I ball player with a high ceiling. After playing with the Atlanta Xpress, Edwards is in tip top form, pouring in 36 points against Mays and 23 points and 9 rebounds vs. South Cobb. Consistent help will be key to Therrell sustaining their early success. Deandre Brown has helped out thus far, the 6-foot-2 freshman averaging double figures.

No. 5 Glenn Hills (4-1)
2015-16: 3-19 

Coach Travis McRae has already surpassed last year’s 3-win total. The Spartans announced their presence with a 62-56 win at Class AAAA No. 7 Richmond Academy last week, but fell at Lakeside-Evans on Tuesday, 88-83 in overtime, not a bad loss. Junior center Timmy Seller has been the anchor inside. The 6-foot-8 big man is averaging 12.6 points and 7.8 rebounds. On the wing, 6-foot-4 freshman John Whitehead is adding 9.6 points a night. CJ Bowers, Eric Farmer, Jordan Lord and Robert Drew are all scoring over 8 points per game, giving Coach McRae a dangerously balanced attack.

Class A-Private

Tallulah Falls (7-0)
2015-16: 13-13 

The Indians missed the Class A-Private playoffs last season and are clicking on all cylinders early on. A pair of 6-foot-5 seniors power Coach Jim Van Hooser’s offense. Josey Keene is averaging 15.4 points and 4 rebounds while Michael Van Hooser is dropping in 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists. Michael Weidner is a scrappy guard that is posting 9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 3.6 steals. The veteran group’s top five scorers are all seniors. The Indians’ best win came against White County, 78-62. They will see a step up in competition in the upcoming weeks with their toughest game coming on January 6 at No. 6 Lakeview Academy.

Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy (4-1)
2015-16: 4-19 

Derrick Mason has changed the culture of the program, already matching last year’s win total. The Chargers’ best win was their season opener against Preseason Top 10 ranked King’s Ridge Christian, 47-32. ECLA’s only loss was a 58-55 decision against Class AAAAA 6-2 Union Grove. On Friday the Chargers host No. 7 Tattnall Square Academy.

Class A-Public

No. 6 Twiggs County (5-0)
2015-16: 9-15 

Another case of a new coach maximizing talent, Twiggs County has skyrocketed to No. 6 in the state after a handful of impressive wins. They beat Preseason Class AA No. 9 Swainsboro 76-58 and stunned current AA No. 3 Dublin at Dublin 82-74 behind senior guard Zuri Brown’s 30 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists as well as senior Cortavious Ates’ 26 points and 6 boards. Coach Andrew Johnson has the Cobras striking with a potent offense that averages 75.6 points. Ates is averaging 20 points, Brown 19 and Juwan Brown 15. Twiggs County draws Dublin in a rematch this Friday with a chance to really solidify themselves as a Class A-Public power player.

No. 10 Schley County (4-0)
2015-16: 4-21 

Who knows how long it’ll last, but the Wildcats have already matched last year’s win total and find themselves ranked in the Top 10. They hang their hats on wins over previously ranked Hawkinsville (51-45) and at Marion County (82-78). Both wins very well may not be all that impressive in two weeks, but for now it’s been enough to get the ‘Cats recognized.

 

Game Stories, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Donell Nixon & No. 1 Buford sink No. 3 Cedar Shoals

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No. 1 Buford 72, No. 3 Cedar Shoals 66

Coming off of a 59-54 overtime loss at Duluth, two-time defending Region 8 champion No. 3 Cedar Shoals was looking to get back on track. Standing in their way was new Region member, No. 1 Buford who suited up for the first time as the top ranked team in Class AAAAA.

Over the next 32 minutes, the two state powers traded blows until Buford came away victorious after a late mental error by the Jaguars.

A fast pace opened up the action as Alex Jones pushed the Wolves offense down the floor finding open men. He made sure to get powerful forward Marcus Watson in the mix early on, but Charleston Southern-signee Phlan Fleming lifted the Jags in the first quarter, gliding to the basket for six points.

Buford held a 16-11 lead after David Viti worked the glass for an And-1 and helped the Wolves finish the first quarter with a 20-15 lead.

In the second quarter starting point guard Jai’Vanni McDavid and reserve Damarrea Lowe got loose. The two sliced and diced, Lowe scoring all six of his points in the frame and McDavid netting eight of his 14 in the frame for Cedar Shoals.

As the two teams went back and forth, the one constant all night for Buford was Watson. The strong 6-foot-6 forward attacked the basket and punished the slighter of build Jaguars trying to defend him. He posted 12 points and seven rebounds in the first half and finished the game with 25 points and 13 boards.

The heavyweights entered the half deadlocked at 31, but Cedar Shoals had reason for optimism as key pieces Stavion Stevenson, AJ Jones and Snipe Hall combined for just seven points in the opening 16 minutes.

Before the Jaguars could get their footing, Jones hit Donell Nixon for the third of his six threes to open up the third quarter. Nixon, standing only 5-foot-8 on a good day, peppered Cedar Shoals from beyond the arc the entire game, the Jags losing sight of the little man as he floated on the perimeter dropping in 18 of his game-high 26 points in the second half.

Hall began to heat up for the Jaguars after a quiet first half and scored five straight to tie the game at 36, but in the blink of an eye Buford poured in a 12-0 run to take a commanding 53-40 lead, the spurt keyed by a Jones assist to Viti and then Jones and Nixon trading triples.

Up 13, Watson grabbed a rebound and tried to ignite a fast break but threw an errant pass into the chest of Stevenson who laid up an easy hoop, sparking a Jaguar run of their own. Cedar Shoals closed the third quarter on a 7-0 surge and entered the fourth quarter down 53-47.

The Jaguars ripped off 10 straight points to close to within three and eventually took the lead 60-57 as Hall and McDavid attacked Buford’s smaller guards. The 20-4 run had the home crowd in a frenzy as the Jaguars forced turnovers and picked up the tempo.

After Viti split a pair of free throws, the Jaguars somehow left Nixon open for another three, the Wolves regaining a 61-60 lead with 3:53 to play. Fifty-seven seconds later, Watson grabbed a miss and led the break, passing up to Jones. Jones took one dribble before dumping the ball off to Watson for a slam on a 2-on-1 fast break, one of Jones’ dazzling 12 assists on the night making it 63-60.

Hall answered however with an And-1 tying the game at 63 with 1:58 remaining, three of his 14 second half points. Just over 30 seconds later, it was Nixon again supplying a dagger from deep to give Buford a 66-63 lead.

The Jags were able to get a stop and raced down the court for a chance to either tie or cut it to one, but Bobby Miller came out of nowhere to poke the ball away from behind to give possession back to the Wolves.

Having to foul, Cedar Shoals sent Nixon to the line where he sank two attempts to go up five. With time ticking down, AJ Jones put on an array of moves in the corner to get free and splashed a step-back three to breathe life into the Jaguars, cutting the lead to 68-66 with 21.2 seconds left.

Nixon was sent to the line for a 1-and-1, but inexplicably as he attempted his first free throw, the Jaguars had six men on the floor, resulting in a technical foul. Nixon was awarded with four free throws and buried them all as he went 6-for-6 from the line in the fourth quarter and as a team the Wolves finished the game 18-of-22 from the stripe, clinching a wild Region 8 road victory.

My Take

No. 1 vs. No. 3 lived up to the hype albeit a sour ending to the game. Alex Jones was masterful at point guard for the Wolves. Pound-for-pound he is one of the best point guards in the state and I can fully endorse he is the best passer I’ve seen in the state of Georgia over the past two seasons, ranking in the top echelon with Will Washington formerly of McIntosh. Close to the group is also Xavier Bledson of Gainesville. Jones’ court vision is elite. He can drop dimes on the best defenses in the state. Donell Nixon was absolutely lights out from deep. Cedar Shoals had to hold their breath whenever he attempted a shot from beyond the arc. He may have missed one or two tops. Nixon was simply automatic when left open and had ice water in his veins at the line in the fourth.  Of course possibly the most important due to his X-factor ability, is Marcus Watson who moved in from North Carolina. He is a physical presence attacking the hoop but also showed the willingness to attempt threes, hitting one. As exciting as his two-handed flushes were, I was most impressed by the forward’s free throw shooting. He went a perfect 8-of-8 from the line. He has D-I written all over him. He and Nixon are just sophomores. Scary. Even scarier? David Viti and Jones are still juniors and senior Sahil Patel isn’t even playing due to a knee injury. And by the way, the biggest play of the game bar none? Bobby Miller’s chase down steal on the fast break. That was HUGE.

Cedar Shoals could have laid over and died when Buford stunned them with a lightning quick 12-0 run, but the heart of a winner can’t be taken for granted. The Jaguars are some junkyard dogs that don’t fold when games get tough. Last year it was Jerrick Mitchell powering the offense at the point and now this year it was Jai’Vanni McDavid, a junior, that did it all for Coach L’Dreco Thomas. The Jags don’t have the D-I sex appeal that other programs have, but their players play hard. McDavid finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals. Damarrea Lowe, who I loved at the Miller Grove Shot Clock League, gave the Jaguars a spark in the second quarter and is an exceptional guard off the bench that could start for most teams. AJ Jones and Snipe Hall were quiet in the first half but loud in the second. Jones scored nine of his 12 points in the fourth while Hall carried the group throughout the final 16 minutes. Phlan Fleming got off to a quick start, looking smooth getting to the cup but then faded off until he hit a big three late in the third quarter. Stavion Stevenson had a quiet night inside with just four points. The Jags are yet to hit their stride but have all the pieces in place to make another run to the Final Four. Region 8 will be a dog fight between the two statewide powers.

Top Performers

Buford
Marcus Watson – 25 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Donell Nixon – 26 points (6 threes), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block
Alex Jones – 10 points, 2 rebounds, 12 assists, 1 steal
David Viti – 11 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist

Cedar Shoals
Snipe Hall – 18 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assists, 4 steals
Jai’Vanni McDavid – 14 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals
AJ Jones – 12 points, 1 rebound
Phlan Fleming – 9 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
Damarrea Lowe – 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist
Stavion Stevenson – 4 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals

GHSA, Girls Basketball, Girls Rankings

Week 3 Girls Rankings

Class AAAAAAA

  1. Norcross (8-0)
  2. McEachern (4-2)
  3. Collins Hill (5-0)
  4. Newton (5-0)
  5. Mill Creek (6-1)
  6. Westlake (5-1)
  7. North Forsyth (8-0)
  8. Archer (4-2)
  9. Colquitt County (5-0)
  10. Lambert (5-0) 

Class AAAAAA

  1. Harrison (4-1)
  2. Mays (1-2)
  3. Winder-Barrow (2-3)
  4. Douglas County (5-2)
  5. Jonesboro (5-1)
  6. Tucker (7-0)
  7. Grovetown (4-3)
  8. Northview (5-1)
  9. Sequoyah (4-0)
  10. Lovejoy (6-0) 

Class AAAAA

  1. Flowery Branch (6-1)
  2. Buford (2-0)
  3. Griffin (5-0)
  4. Southwest DeKalb (4-2)
  5. Warner Robins (5-0)
  6. Villa Rica (4-0)
  7. Carrollton (3-0)
  8. Harris County (7-0)
  9. Arabia Mountain (6-0)
  10. Loganville (4-3) 

Class AAAA

  1. North Oconee (5-1)
  2. Cross Creek (3-2)
  3. Columbus (4-1)
  4. Carver-Columbus (5-0)
  5. West Hall (2-3)
  6. Jefferson (4-1)
  7. Americus-Sumter (2-1)
  8. Henry County (5-2)
  9. Northwest Whitfield (3-2)
  10. Sandy Creek (5-0) 

Class AAA

  1. Johnson-Savannah (6-0)
  2. Beach (5-0)
  3. Greater Atlanta Christian (3-4)
  4. Hart County (5-0)
  5. Morgan County (3-3)
  6. Haralson County (4-1)
  7. Redan (5-1)
  8. Monroe (4-0)
  9. Ringgold (4-1)
  10. Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe (6-0) 

Class AA

  1. Model (3-1)
  2. Laney (1-1)
  3. Rabun County (4-1)
  4. Putnam County (2-2)
  5. Fitzgerald (2-0)
  6. Dodge County (1-1)
  7. Vidalia (3-1)
  8. Dade County (5-2)
  9. Heard County (5-2)
  10. Pepperell (2-0) 

Class A-Private

  1. Wesleyan (5-0)
  2. St. Francis (4-1)
  3. Holy Innocents’ (6-1)
  4. Our Lady of Mercy (5-1)
  5. Calvary Day (2-0)
  6. Lakeview Academy (5-2)
  7. Stratford Academy (5-0)
  8. Savannah Country Day (4-2)
  9. Pinecrest Academy (4-1)
  10. Landmark Christian (4-3)

Class A-Public

  1. Pelham (2-0)
  2. Terrell County (3-0)
  3. Greenville (3-0)
  4. Telfair County (5-0)
  5. Treutlen (2-0)
  6. Wilcox County (4-0)
  7. Taylor County (1-1)
  8. Wheeler County (3-1)
  9. Marion County (2-0)
  10. Hancock Central (2-1)

Archer falls from No. 3 in Class AAAAAAA to No. 8 after losing 46-39 to North Oconee and 61-51 at No. 5 Mill Creek, who rises two spots even after a loss to Wesleyan. Archer will attempt to stop their slide as they visit No. 7 North Forsyth on Tuesday. Collins Hill is the state’s new No. 3 after crushing Woodstock 82-37. No. 9 Colquitt County picked up a nice 58-54 win over Bainbridge. Cherokee has lost three straight games and falls out of the Top 10. The Warriors fell to North Cobb (45-41), Marietta (57-43) and Creekview (51-32) who are a combined 16-4. Entering the poll is Lambert. The Longhorns edge the likes of North Cobb and Marietta thanks to their two latest wins coming against a slumping East Hall team 45-36 and a previously undefeated McIntosh, 62-48.

Class AAAAAA Preseason No. 1 Winder-Barrow slips to No. 3 after Flowery Branch beats them for the second time this season, 50-43. No. 9 Sequoyah won an ugly game against rival Creekview, 35-32 in overtime. Glynn Academy drops out after a 3-2 start to the season. Replacing them is No. 10 Lovejoy. They face their biggest test of the early season on Friday against No. 5 Jonesboro. The Cardinals host No. 6 Tucker on Tuesday, as it’s a big week in Region 4.

No. 2 Buford took it to North Oconee on the road 54-36 as the Wolves begin their march to a Class AAAAA title. No. 3 Griffin survived two close games to remain undefeated, beating Luella 67-66 and Fayette County 49-47. No. 5 Warner Robins escaped their meeting with Perry, 60-58 in overtime. No teams in the Top 10 lost this past week.

Even with their loss to Buford, North Oconee remains No. 1 in Class AAAA thanks to their 46-39 victory at Archer. Cross Creek jumps Columbus for No. 2 in the state. The Razorbacks beat Grovetown 64-53 behind Memphis-signee Alana Davis’ 27 points. Cross Creek gets a rematch with North Augusta, SC, a powerhouse that has gone 4-0 vs. GHSA competition this season. Columbus meets No. 7 Americus-Sumter on Tuesday with a chance to build their resume. No. 6 Jefferson dispatched of Morgan County 64-60 in an impressive win over the defending Class AAA champs. No. 9 Northwest Whitfield jumps Sandy Creek after a 52-30 rout of Ringgold.

In Class AAA, Morgan County tumbles three spots to No. 5. They lost to Jefferson and were then upset by Cedar Shoals 53-52 before righting the ship with a 66-35 win over Putnam County. Beach claims the No. 2 spot as No. 3 Greater Atlanta Christian struggled against its brutal schedule, losing to McEachern 86-55 and St. Francis 59-38, possibly the two best teams in the state when all is said and done. Calhoun was knocked out of the Top 10 by No. 10 Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe. The Warriors are off to a hot start thanks to senior Jazzmyn Elston and sophomore Macey Gregg. Elston is averaging 17.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.2 steals while Gregg, who has upped her scoring by nine points in Year 2, is pitching in 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.3 steals. The duo combined for 53 points in their 60-50 win over the Yellow Jackets.

Banks County and Dublin have fallen out of the Class AA rankings. The Leopards lost to Hart County 53-28 while Dublin dropped a heartbreaker to Treutlen 64-63. Replacing them for the moment is No. 9 Heard County and No. 10 Pepperell.  Heard County picked up a 50-44 win at Our Lady of Mercy while the Dragons knocked off No. 8 Dade County 42-39 at home. Putnam County suffered losses to Baldwin (51-24) and Morgan County (66-35) to drop two spots.

Class A-Private sees Greenforest drop from No. 4 to unranked after an eye opening 49-44 loss to No. 10 Landmark Christian, who squeaks into the bottom of the poll. Also gone are Tattnall Square and Southwest Atlanta Christian. Tattnall lost to Landmark 54-44 and to Westside-Macon 49-40. The Warriors were blown out by No. 3 Holy Innocents’ 68-20. SACA’s strong schedule should bode well down the stretch in region play. No. 8 Savannah Country Day and No. 9 Pinecrest Academy enter the rankings and will try to stick around.

Pelham laid the boom in their Class A-Public opening week, scoring two wins including a thumping of Mitchell County 73-31, knocking the Eagles out of the Top 10. No. 3 Greenville is being powered by Brittany Davis, who is flirting with averaging a triple-double over her first three games of the season. The Patriots humbled Taylor County 66-51, sinking the Vikings four spots to No. 7. Treutlen picked up wins over Woodville-Tompkins (61-59) and Dublin 64-63, knocking both teams out of their respective rankings. With Woodville-Tompkins and Mitchell County gone from the poll, No. 9 Marion County and No. 10 Hancock Central jump in.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Rankings

Week 3 Boys Rankings

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Class AAAAAAA

  1. Norcross (6-0)
  2. Newton (6-0)
  3. Wheeler (3-1)
  4. Pebblebrook (4-2)
  5. Westlake (4-1)
  6. McEachern (3-0)
  7. Collins Hill (5-1)
  8. Tift County (5-1)
  9. Duluth (5-1)
  10. Shiloh (3-3) 

Class AAAAAA

  1. Gainesville (5-0)
  2. Jonesboro (3-1)
  3. South Paulding (4-0)
  4. Langston Hughes (4-3)
  5. Heritage-Conyers (5-1)
  6. Alpharetta (7-0)
  7. Dacula (4-1)
  8. Brunswick (4-0)
  9. Allatoona (1-2)
  10. Tri-Cities (7-1) 

Class AAAAA

  1. Buford (5-0)
  2. Southwest DeKalb (6-1)
  3. Cedar Shoals (4-1)
  4. Columbia (4-2)
  5. Eagle’s Landing (3-1)
  6. Fayette County (3-0)
  7. Miller Grove (2-2)
  8. Riverwood (7-1)
  9. Warner Robins (1-1)
  10. New Hampstead (4-2) 

Class AAAA

  1. Sandy Creek (3-1)
  2. Upson-Lee (7-0)
  3. Henry County (5-3)
  4. Thomson (1-0)
  5. St. Pius X (3-2)
  6. Westover (3-1)
  7. Richmond Academy (6-1)
  8. LaGrange (3-1)
  9. Perry (5-1)
  10. North Clayton (1-3) 

Class AAA

  1. Westside-Macon (1-1)
  2. Pace Academy (2-1)
  3. Cedar Grove (1-0)
  4. Liberty County (3-2)
  5. Greater Atlanta Christian (3-1)
  6. Morgan County (2-1)
  7. Islands (3-1)
  8. Jenkins (2-3)
  9. Calhoun (2-0)
  10. Redan (4-2) 

Class AA

  1. South Atlanta (2-0)
  2. Monticello (5-2)
  3. Dublin (1-2)
  4. Callaway (0-0)
  5. Glenn Hills (4-0)
  6. Thomasville (2-3)
  7. Butler (3-1)
  8. Therrell (3-0)
  9. Chattooga (2-0)
  10. Toombs County (5-1) 

Class A-Private

  1. Greenforest (4-2)
  2. North Cobb Christian (5-1)
  3. St. Francis (5-0)
  4. Southwest Atlanta Christian (1-3)
  5. Holy Innocents’ (2-2)
  6. Lakeview Academy (4-1)
  7. Tattnall Square (0-0)
  8. Aquinas (0-0)
  9. Whitefield Academy (1-1)
  10. Our Lady of Mercy (5-1)

Class A-Public

  1. Wilkinson County (2-1)
  2. Crawford County (3-1)
  3. Calhoun County (4-0)
  4. Turner County (1-0)
  5. Quitman County (6-1)
  6. Twiggs County (4-0)
  7. Taylor County (1-1)
  8. Treutlen (2-0)
  9. Manchester (2-1)
  10. Schley County (3-0)

 

Things are starting to settle in for a moment in Class AAAAAAA as the Top 7 remains unchanged. The most impressive wins of the week belong to No. 1 Norcross (75-67 Berkmar) and No. 3 Wheeler (53-42 1ANo. 1 Greenforest). No. 5 Westlake won a sluggish game against Class A-Private No. 4 Southwest Atlanta Christian 75-63 without point guard Jamie Lewis who is out 6 weeks with a foot fracture. Berkmar drops out of the Top 10 after a 2-3 start. The Patriots lost to No. 4 Pebblebrook 66-52 and are replaced by No. 9 Duluth, Head Coach Cabral Huff scoring a his first signature win with the Wildcats beating Class AAAAA No. 3 Cedar Shoals in overtime 59-54 just a day after edging Discovery in double OT 76-63.

Without three integral pieces including star forward KJ Buffen (broken ankle 6-8 weeks), Class AAAAAA No. 1 Gainesville hasn’t made any excuses and remain undefeated. The Red Elephants beat Class 4A No. 5 St. Pius (48-43), Milton (70-61) and Lee, AL (46-44). Bailey Minor has dumped in 53 points over his last two games to power the offense. No. 6 Alpharetta is now 7-0 and hosts 5-0 Pope in a Region 7 showdown. No. 7 Dacula’s only loss has come to Peachtree Ridge 76-71. The Falcons quickly bounced back with a 75-72 win over Grayson. With Davion Mitchell (Auburn) and Kymani Dunham (College of Charleston) both out for their respective teams, No. 8 Brunswick rode Marcus Scott to the tune of 25 points to upset the Panthers.

There’s major shakeup in Class AAAAA after last week’s No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams lose. Columbia fell to Southwest DeKalb at home 62-51 while Cedar Shoals was knocked off by Duluth in overtime. The result is Buford slotting in at No. 1 while Southwest DeKalb moves up five spots to No. 2. Southwest DeKalb’s wins over Collins Hill and Columbia sparkle in Class AAAAA. Buford’s top ranking gets put to the test right away as they travel to No. 3 Cedar Shoals on Tuesday. The Jaguars beat AAA No. 6 Morgan County 57-50 a day before their loss to Duluth. Columbia held on for a 54-53 win over Shiloh at the Wheeler Hoops Classic on Saturday. No. 5 Eagle’s Landing and No. 6 Fayette County are on the move. The Eagles handed Class 6A No. 5 Heritage-Conyers their first loss of the season, 76-71. Fayette County beat Class 4A No. 3 Henry County 79-65. The Tigers have now beaten Class AAAA’s No. 1 (Sandy Creek) and No. 3 ranked teams. Warner Robins falls four spots to No. 9 after blowing a 38-28 third quarter lead and losing to Perry, 57-53.

In their first true test of the season, Class AAAA No. 2 Upson-Lee handed Class A-Public No. 2 Crawford County just its second home loss since 2014, 77-66. No. 3 Henry County lost to Fayette County, but New Orleans-signee Damion Rosser is now back healthy. He went for 18 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in a 62-59 win against No. 10 North Clayton. The Eagles have sputtered to a 1-3 start and drop five spots. They have played a tough schedule, getting blown out by Westlake 83-46 last week, but their lone win wasn’t in convincing fashion, slipping past Riverdale 41-40. Stephens County exits the poll at 2-1 and are replaced by No. 9 Perry, who came back to upset Warner Robins. The Panthers received 18 points from junior Jacori Burks in the win and have now won 4-straight road games. Westover moves up three spots after an overtime win against Albany and extracting revenge against Dougherty, 85-77.

Cedar Grove sits at No. 3 in Class AAA after beating Lovett 48-35 and Liberty County’s loss to Brunswick. The Saints should be getting some help as football players such as 6-foot-8 center Jelani Woods are expected back to the hardwood. Islands moves up three spots to No. 7 and will host No. 8 Jenkins on Tuesday in a potential “changing of the guard” game if the Sharks can take a bite out of the perennial Savannah power. Lovett drops out and is replaced by No. 9 Calhoun who has allowed 19 points in each of their two victories this season.

Class AA sees Dublin slip one spot after losing to Twiggs County and Truetlen. Due to Callaway not playing a game yet, the Irish don’t fall out of the Top 3. They picked up a huge 57-56 win over Class A-Public No. 1 Wilkinson County to remain ranked highly. The biggest surprise in Class AA is the play of No. 5 Glenn Hills and Vidalia. The Indians are now unranked after a 1-3 start. The Spartans are making some noise in Augusta, rising four spots after a statement victory over Richmond Academy 62-56. Inside, 6-foot-8 junior Timmy Sellers has led the charge, posting 17 points in the win over the Musketeers. New to the poll is No. 8 Therrell. Sophomore Anthony Edwards has led the attack as the Panthers have earned wins over Hiram (49-42), Mays (76-71) and Rockdale County (61-48).

The only movement in Class A-Private sees Christian Heritage replaced at the bottom of the poll by No. 10 Our Lady of Mercy. Whitefield Academy moves up a spot to No. 9 after a 60-57 win over Grady. No. 2 North Cobb Christian romped Stratford Academy 57-38, but it’s still not enough to unseat No. 1 Greenforest. No. 3 St. Francis went to Hall County and came away with a 67-64 win over No. 6 Lakeview Academy.

Calhoun County rises to No. 3, jumping Turner County in Class A-Public. The Cougars drilled Randolph-Clay 74-50. Idle No. 9 Lincoln County, No. 10 Hancock Central and No. 7 Hawkinsville are replaced by No. 6 Twiggs County, No. 8 Treutlen and No. 10 Schley County. The Cobras of Twiggs have been a big surprise, led by senior guard Zuri Brown. They have two wins over Northeast-Macon and drilled Swainsboro (76-58) and upset Dublin at Dublin, 82-74. Schley knocked Hawkinsville out of the poll with their 51-45 win over the Red Devils. Treutlen handled Dublin 78-67 in their meeting with the Irish.