Taylor County (18-6; Sweet 16)

The Vikings are one of the most consistent programs in Georgia’s smallest classification, routinely over .500 except for a blip from 2018-2020. Replacing Alasia Montgomery (Georgia Southwestern) and her 17.7 points per game will be challenging but seniors 5-foot-10 Bathsheba Bell (11.2 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 2.9 spg) and Eliana Brown (11 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 3.2 apg, 3 spg) are productive pieces capable of leading the ship. The emergence of a third scoring option will be important.

Macon County (25-4; Elite 8)

Graduating South Carolina State-signee Morgan Cochran will make the Bulldogs look extremely different, but Macon County does have everyone else back except for their third scoring option. 5-foot-4 junior Quonneisha Raines put up 11.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1 assist and 1.2 steals per game and will likely be asked to power the backcourt alongside 5-foot-2 senior Aniah Lake (9.6 ppg, 4 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.5 spg). Senior Kynnedy Thomas along with junior Dakota Champion and sophomore Teaghan Story have the most experience to round out the roster.

Randolph-Clay (18-9; First Round)

The Red Devils are in a position to make some noise in Region 1 with their top three contributors set to return led by Preseason Third Team All-State guard Justice Mock who tallied 16.3 points per game as a sophomore. Kamerria West is a junior who chipped in 8.3 points while senior Akia Seymore added 8.2 points a night.

McIntosh County Academy (13-12)

McIntosh County Academy missed out on the postseason last year but was a major thorn in the side of Top 10 teams as they posted a 12-4 record, scoring wins over Bryan County and Metter as well as sweeping this year’s Preseason No. 6 ECI. With Bryan County, Metter and Screven County jumping up a classification, it feels like a two-horse race to win Region 3 between the Bucs and ECI. McIntosh County Academy has three of their top four back anchored by high scoring junior J’Myiah Moore. Sophomores Heaven Cooks and Iyanna Curry were All-Region Second Teamers as freshmen.