Category Archives: GHSA Basketball

Game Stories, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Hiram stings previously undefeated No. 7 Villa Rica

Hiram 63, No. 7 Villa Rica 57

With Region 7-AAAAA nearly all sewn up, lone Class AAAAA unbeaten No. 7 Villa Rica traveled to Hiram with their perfect 17-0 record in tow. After dropping in the Week 10 Class AAAAA poll, the Wildcats had an opportunity to pass the eye test and earn yet another road win. Instead, the Hornets (12-7, 6-3) stung Villa Rica (17-1, 10-1) and handed the Cardiac Cats their first flatline of the year, 63-57.

Hiram jumped out to an early 12-3 lead with 1:26 remaining in the first quarter. 6-foot-8 junior center Nathan Presnell hurt the smaller Wildcats inside. The football quaterback set the tone early with seven first quarter points including a put-back slam to get the crowd into it.

Villa Rica was able to compose themselves and clawed back into the game on an 8-0 run to close the quarter. Caleb Smith finished through contact for an And-1, as did JJ Franklin, but both missed their free throw attempts. Franklin was able to grab the carom off his miss and added a lay-up to effectively cap off a four-point play, cutting the Hiram lead to 12-11 after eight minutes.

Threes from Raphael Rogers and sophomore Arshard Crepsac expanded Hiram’s lead to 26-18 at the 3:37 mark of the second quarter. Just when it looked like the Hornets would pull away and push their lead into double digits, Villa Rica would answer back. Latrell Swanigan scored eight points in the second quarter and gave the Wildcats their fourth And-1 opportunity of the half, converting on the free throw to cut the lead to five at 26-21.

Hiram carried a 37-27 lead into the half, led by Presnell’s 11 points and Crepsac’s three threes. Darius Johnson scored eight of his nine points in the frame to give Coach Darius Hodge’s team some cushion.

Crepsac knocked down his fourth three-pointer of the game to give Hiram a 42-31 advantage at the 5:45 mark.

With the game slipping away, Coach Jason Robinson turned to senior guard Javonte Hart. After a quiet two-point first half with no field goals made, the 5-foot-11 playmaker began to go to work. Hart sparked an 8-0 run, fueled by his two threes and an assist.

As Hart came to life, so did 6-foot-6 junior Micah Hodges. The Wildcat used his length on the offensive glass and scored five of his 11 points in the quarter.

The quarter ended on Hart’s 10th point of the stanza, scoring on a buzzer beater to bring the deficit to 48-44.

It looked like momentum was finally swinging into Villa Rica’s corner, but the Wildcats were never able to seize a fourth quarter lead.

Jayden Henry finished on an And-1 off a put-back to grow the lead to seven points and then Presnell found Khalil Baker on a high-low feed to make it 53-44 with 5:57 to play.

Slowly, the Wildcats started to inch closer but were burning clock in doing so. Hart drove and dished to Franklin for a three to make it 56-52 at the 47.3 mark. After a Johnson five-second call, the Wildcats regained possession, but subsequently turned the ball back over on a travel.

With Hiram leading 59-55 with 17.8 seconds remaining, the Hornets threw the ball away on the inbound and Hart came away with the steal and was sent to the foul line. Hart split the free throws and Crepsac was fouled and hit two free throws to seal Villa Rica’s fate, the lefty going 6-of-6 from the line for the game, 4-of-4 in the fourth quarter and finishing with a game-high 18 points.

My Take

I was expecting a very competitive game and that’s exactly what I got. I think this week’s Spielin’ & Dealin’ hit the nail on the head with Villa Rica, so there’s no need to beat a dead horse. Javonte Hart was impressive and nearly willed his team to victory, finishing with 15 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks. He made winning plays and took advantage of Hiram’s smaller/less physical guards. One thing Villa Rica has going for them, is that they are very balanced, seeing four players crack double figures. At the same time, I’m not sure they have a true “go-to guy” that they can put the ball in his hands and he can get them a bucket whenever they need it. Hart was the closest thing to that tonight, but outside of Region 7, the competition is much different and much tougher. No. 1 Buford was in the house scouting – it’s imperative for anybody in the region to avoid the Wolves. Villa Rica doesn’t have much size outside of 6-foot-6 Micah Hodges, who showed flashes in the paint. Wings Latrell Swanigan and JJ Franklin hit two threes apiece.

Nathan Presnell should be on college programs’ radars. The 6-foot-8 junior averages 15 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. He is the quarterback of the football team. He is a good athlete with nice footwork in the low post. If he focused all his time into basketball, he could be a guy that receives D-I interest. He has a little current Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket and former South Forsyth star Evan Cole in his game, but he’s not as refined. He was comfortable taking 15-footers, although his shot was flat tonight. He was active on defense, not just blocking shots but getting deflections and saving loose balls. In a state that’s often been starved for true size in the post, Presnell could be an option in 2019. Sophomore Arshard Crepsac caught my eye as well. The sophomore is 6-foot tall and possesses a pretty lefty stroke that was on point. He showed his mettle going 4-of-4 from the line late in the fourth quarter as well. He has some smooth qualities but will have to be able to get to the hole more, as on Thursday, all his points came from beyond the arc or the foul line. Khalil Baker hurt the smaller Villa Rica frontline at times too. He’s not as polished as Presnell in the post and didn’t look like much of a threat when on the baseline from 10-15 feet, but Baker worked hard on the glass and had a nice left-handed hook on a duck-in seal off a high-low. Baker is a guy who’s not afraid to mix it up in the paint and can scratch out some good minutes.

Top Performers

Hiram
Arshard Crepsac – 18 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Nathan Presnell – 16 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block
Khalil Baker – 10 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Darius Johnson – 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal
Jayden Henry – 7 points, 1 rebound

Villa Rica
Javonte Hart – 15 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks
Latrell Swanigan – 13 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks
JJ Franklin – 12 points, 5 rebounds
Micah Hodges – 11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks

GHSA Basketball, Spielin' & Dealin' Podcast

Spielin’ & Dealin’ Ep. 41: Newton, Powderpuff schedules, the rich get richer

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***SUBSCRIBE/DOWNLOAD/LISTEN ON iTUNES***
***FOLLOW/DOWNLOAD/LISTEN ON PODBEAN***
  • Road Trip Recaps [0:40]
  • GHSA upholds Discovery’s appeal [7:35]
  • Gainesville climbs back to No. 1 [13:22]
  • Buford usurps Warner-Robins to get back to No. 1 in 5A [16:01]
  • No. 3 Newton’s big week [17:31]
  • Why undefeated No. 7 Villa Rica and No. 8 Maynard Jackson (19-1) drop [19:55]
  • New 4-star at McEachern? [27:45]

Sponsored by:  @sportalspace

Game Stories, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

No. 8 Elbert County withstands 11 three-pointers to sweep No. 9 Banks County, 61-56

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No. 8 Elbert County 61, No. 9 Banks County 56

Wins don’t come easy in Homer, Georgia for opponents that enter the jungle. Heading into Tuesday’s Region 8-AA Top 10 clash, No. 9 Banks County (18-4, 7-2) held an 11-1 record at home and a 34-5 mark over the past three seasons in their friendly confines, often covered in blue. The defending region champs welcomed in No. 8 Elbert County (19-3, 9-1) as the two teams held a share of first-place with the Blue Devils defending their homecourt back on January 5th with a 61-50 win, jolting Elbert County into the rankings. After finishing 14-15 (6-6) in Year 1 under longtime Etowah head coach Don Hurlburt, the upstart Blue Devils have taken on Hurlburt’s style of play and have found success and swagger. But to officially announce themselves as the team to beat, they would have to find a way to win in Banks County, where they lost 65-47 and 52-45 a season ago.

It was a slow start for both teams offensively as Banks County’s 3-2 zone forced Elbert County into lengthy possessions, typically upwards of 10 to 15 passes before the Blue Devils could take a shot, but even then, there were no promises it would be a good look. Elbert was tentative in attacking and getting all the way to the basket due to 6-foot-7 shot-blocker Dylan Orr lurking in the paint and the Leopards’ team defense, Gaitlin Lunsford drawing two of Banks County’s five charges in the opening quarter.

Carl Cleveland opened the scoring for the Leopards. The 6-foot-5 sophomore and coach’s son, drilled two threes while Orr provided a lefty hook off the glass to give Banks a 10-8 lead after 8 minutes.

Elbert County edged ahead at the 4:34 mark, 14-13, behind an AJ James bucket in the paint.

With a major size advantage inside, Coach Mike Cleveland wanted to play inside out. Carl spun in the lane and dumped down an assist to Orr.

Soon after, Orr returned the favor by drawing a crowd on the block and swinging it to an open Cleveland for a three to take a 20-16 lead.

Banks’ cushion didn’t last long as the Blue Devils closed the half on a 7-0 spurt to regain a 23-20 lead. Lefty Jacquavious Ramsey scored five points in the quarter while Jamison Syphore’s activity on defense gave Elbert the late advantage.

Only Cleveland, Orr and point guard Darius Bonds scored in the first half for the Leopards while Elbert County saw five players crack the scoring column.

Banks County quickly took back the lead at the 6:18 mark up 25-23 following a Gabe Martin trifecta. Elbert County, not panicked, tightened up their full court press with junior guard Ty Hill picking up the pressure on Bonds, collecting two steals and an assist while James, who scored 22 points in their first meeting, knocked down a three as the Blue Devils took their largest lead of the game on an 11-0 run, 34-25, before a Cleveland three sliced the lead back down to six with 3:20 remaining in the third.

With the deficit nearing double digits, the Leopards came out of their zone and attempted to match up man-to-man, an advantage for the quicker Blue Devils. But while the defense was leaking points, Bonds made up for it with three threes in the frame, cutting the lead to 36-34 with 1:18 to play.

Elbert County, who hit only three three-pointers on the night, received an answer from Jaqirus Harris right before the horn to nurse a 41-37 lead into the final quarter.

Both student sections were on their feet and the crowd in full throat as first-place in Region 8 came down to the wire. The Blue Devils pushed ahead in front of their raucous fan base to take a 47-40 lead with 5:16 to play.

Ramsey and Kobe Gaudelock found life easier with Banks County out of their zone, combining for nine points in the quarter, but it was James who did the heavy lifting for the Blue Devils. The 6-foot-4 junior scored nine of his game-high 19 points in the final frame, working the post and getting to the line, going 7-of-8 from the stripe.

Always dangerous with the three-ball, hitting 11 for the game, Banks County still had life as they crept closer on Martin’s second of the night, bringing the score to 51-47 with 2:50 left.

Down to 1:29 remaining on the clock, the Leopards began fouling trailing 55-49, but the Blue Devils were 6-of-6 from the line in the quarter at that point. The strategy began to work as Elbert went 6-of-12 in the final 89 seconds and three Martin free throws had the score at 56-52 at the 1:15 mark.

Banks County’s last chance to make things interesting came with 29.5 seconds to play when a Bonds three-pointer was half way down before popping out, which nearly made it a two-point game, but instead the score read 57-52 with Ramsey heading to the line to help ice it and secure a season sweep for Elbert County.

My Take

Class AA is probably my favorite classification to cover. Small school basketball with the vast majority of the kids growing up through the pipeline. The atmosphere at Banks County is unlike any other with the gym packed from the opening tip of the girls game to the final buzzer of the boys game. The strong tie to the community is apparent as little Leopards watched their favorite players and knowledgably cheered them on.

But on Tuesday, it was Elbert County’s night. The Blue Devils don’t jump off the court with major size, with AJ James their tallest at 6-foot-4, but the effort and tenacity are there. They battled the bigger Leopards and after landing a few body blows throughout, finally knocked out the defending region champs, sweeping the season series. Elbert was extremely patient and almost shy when probing the Banks County 3-2 zone. It took them a while to adjust, but they did. Instead of forcing up bad shots, they were content with swinging the ball around until they got an open look. James was the man inside and provided physicality and toughness in the post. Jamison Syphore is very active and rebounds well for his size, collecting 11 on the night. Elbert County doesn’t have a ton of floor spacers, hitting three threes as Kobe Gaudelock, one of their best shooters who had 18 points in their first meeting, was held to six points. Elbert will likely be more of a by-committee three-point shooting team with a handful of players able to knock one down here and there. Once Banks County came out of their zone, Elbert County’s athleticism took over and they were able to find much easier looks. The Blue Devils’ press really exploited Banks County’s lack of ball handlers outside of Darius Bonds. As a team, Elbert County came away with 12 steals.

Banks County drilled 11 threes at home but still lost – a tough pill to swallow. Carl Cleveland came out firing, hitting four from deep to finish with a team-high 18 points along with Bonds who also drilled four. Dylan Orr was a non-factor in the second half, held to zero points and two rebounds after posting seven points and six rebounds in the first half. Orr plays above the rim and blocks shots, but he went 1-of-6 at the foul line and was unable to impose his will. North Georgia Head Coach Chris Faulkner was in to see him. Darius Bonds shot the ball extremely well from deep. He has a ton of pressure on him to handle the ball handling duties and Elbert County’s Ty Hill and Tay Huff really dug into him in the third quarter and forced some turnovers. Banks County’s zone was very effective, but once pulled out of it, there were some holes. Their ability to draw charges makes their zone that much more effective, but when in man, it’s harder to be in position to take them on the chest. Banks County has been dinged up with injuries this year but are getting healthy at the right time and will be a tough team to beat if they can clinch home court advantage.

Top Performers

Elbert County
AJ James – 19 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal
Jacquavious Ramsey – 14 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals
Ty Hill – 9 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 4 steals
Jamison Syphore – 8 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

Banks County
Darius Bonds – 18 points (4 threes), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 block
Carl Cleveland – 18 points (4 threes), 6 rebounds, 2 assists
Gabe Martin – 9 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist
Dylan Orr – 7 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks

Game Stories, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Troup County “Trusts the Process” in 65-62 upset of No. 7 Cartersville

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Troup County 65, No. 7 Cartersville 62

There’s no better way to start your work week than with some Monday night basketball, afforded to us by last week’s snow-outs. Class AAAA No. 7 Cartersville (14-3, 7-1) entered with a perfect Region 5 record while host Troup County (9-8, 4-3) was in search of a signature win in Year 1 of the Blake Craft era. A successful defensive game plan coupled with red-hot shooting helped the Tigers weather a late Hurricane surge to send shockwaves through the rest of the region.

Cartersville opened with an early 5-2 lead with Isaac Gridley causing problems inside defensively, swatting away two shots in the first four minutes of the game. After seeing the interior temporarily closed down by Gridley, the Tigers turned to star senior guard Jay Jefferson to set the pace.

The unsigned 6-foot-2 playmaker created offense for his teammates, finding Tristen Ware for two of his eight points.

From that point on, Jefferson took it upon himself to carry the offensive load. He poured in 12 points including two threes that would give Troup a 16-12 lead after one.

While Jefferson paced the Tigers, senior TJ Horton led the Hurricanes. Known primarily as a slasher, the athletic 6-foot-3 guard got loose for two of his four three-pointers in the opening quarter, while Furman-signee Jaylon Pugh was held to two points on a pair of free throws.

Troup made a concerted effort to hone in on Pugh and forced the potent scorer to take contested shots, firing two air-balls in the first half.

As Pugh struggled, Jefferson continued to shine. He knocked down two more threes to finish with 18 first half points. He received help from sophomore point guard Trey Williams, who orchestrated the offense, collecting seven assists on the night and teaming up with Lenntavis Harper and others to slow down Pugh.

After trailing 28-18, on yet another Jefferson three-ball, Cartersville started to fight fire with fire. The Canes knocked down three straight from distance, two via Perignon Dyer and one from Luke Schiltz to close the gap to 32-27 with 1:20 remaining in the first half.

Troup County hit their sixth three of the first half and the 11th for the two teams combined with 12 seconds to play as Jarell Smith entered for the first time and immediately sank one from the corner to give the Tigers a 35-27 lead at halftime.

As both teams retreated to their respective locker rooms, the Cartersville coaching staff took about three minutes to collect themselves on the bench while their team had a players-only gathering. Whatever was said, didn’t effectively make a difference right away as the third quarter followed suit of the first two, as Jefferson came out firing with two more of his six three-pointers.

At the 4:58 mark, Pugh finally broke through with his first field goal of the game after a two-point opening half, bringing the deficit to 42-35.

The Tigers responded with a quick 5-0 spurt, capped by a Montez Crowe put-back to hold a 12-point advantage.

As Pugh remained dormant, held to three points in the quarter and now five for the game, Horton’s deft shooting kept the Hurricanes afloat. Every time the Tigers would knock down a three and look to put the game out of reach, Horton would answer.

At the end of three quarters, Troup County held a 52-41 lead.

In the fourth quarter with the game on the line, the volcano finally erupted.

A seemingly innocuous put-back at the 6:49 mark with Cartersville trailing 54-43, ignited a Pugh scoring binge. Troup did a nice job of trying to put their finger in the dike, but the levee eventually broke with Pugh sensing the time and game slipping away.

Pugh went on a personal 9-0 run to bring the score to 57-50 with 5:04 remaining after his second three of the quarter.

The onslaught continued with Horton finishing in traffic with a euro-step to cut the lead to 57-56 with 2:17 left to play, the Hurricanes storming back on a 15-5 run.

With the score the same and the clock now showing 1:45, Jkobe Orr picked up a technical foul after committing a personal on Alabama linebacker-commit King Mwikuta. The 6-foot-4 center split a pair of free throws, as did Jefferson, slightly extending the lead to 59-56 instead of making it a two-possession game.

Cartersville trimmed the lead back down to one at 59-58 with 53.5 seconds left. Crowe was fouled and calmly knocked down both attempts with 33.7 seconds on the clock to push the lead to 61-58.

Pugh had a decent look from the corner with an opportunity to tie the game, but Jefferson came flying in at the last second to contest the shot, leading to a miss and sending Jefferson to the line for two free throws, sinking them both.

Down three with 6 seconds remaining, Cartersville had an opportunity at a steal on a dangerous inbound, but Pugh was unable to whip his head around in time to track the ball and Jefferson came down with it and iced the game with two more free throws before a last-second uncontested Gridley layup, giving the Tigers a crucial 65-62 home win.

 

My Take

Jay Jefferson brought it from the opening tip tonight and outplayed Furman’s Jaylon Pugh. Jefferson proved to be a reliable ball handler for Troup County and showed he could finish in the lane to add onto his locked-in three-point stroke. He went 5-of-6 from the line in the fourth quarter to seal the upset. Jefferson has the skills to help out at the JUCO and D2 level. He has good size at the point guard position, which bodes well in college. The Tiger role players put forth a strong effort. For many of them, basketball is their second sport with football being their expertise. Their football toughness was on display not only physically, but mentally as well. Quarterback Montez Crowe had five points, none bigger than his two ice-water free throws with 33.7 seconds left in a one-point game. King Mwikuta isn’t overly skilled in the pivot, but he’s a strong body that can take up space in the lane and move opponents. Tristen Ware used his athleticism on the defensive end two reject two shots. Sophomore point guard Trey Williams played extremely well for someone who didn’t score. He had four rebounds, seven assists and one block. He made good decisions when driving the lane and was able to squeeze passes into tight windows.

TJ Horton was consistent throughout for the Hurricanes while Pugh slept-walked his way through the first three quarters before turning on the microwave. Horton displayed an all-around game, hitting threes, getting to the basket and handing out four assists. Troup County did an exceptional job of knowing where Pugh was at all times, but in the fourth quarter, the scoring dynamo put on his superman cape and nearly saved the day. His 4-of-7 shooting from the foul line however, summed up his disjointed night. 6-foot-6 junior Isaac Gridley was steady as always, providing nine points, nine rebounds and three blocks. He has a nice touch for a big man and could be an option at the NAIA level or maybe higher once he’s a senior.

Top Performers

Troup County
Jay Jefferson – 31 points (6 threes), 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 block
Tristen Ware – 8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks
Lenntavis Harper – 8 points, 1 assist
King Mwikuta – 7 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block
Montez Crowe – 5 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Trey Williams – 0 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 block

Cartersville
TJ Horton – 22 points (4 threes), 1 rebound, 4 assists, 2 steals
Jaylon Pugh – 16 points (11 in 4Q), 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal
Isaac Gridley – 9 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks
Perignon Dyer – 6 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Rankings

Week 10 Boys Rankings

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Class AAAAAAA

  1. McEachern (16-2)
  2. Norcross (17-3)
  3. Newton (17-3)
  4. Pebblebrook (17-2)
  5. Grayson (16-3)
  6. Mountain View (16-3)
  7. Peachtree Ridge (16-3)
  8. Meadowcreek (13-4)
  9. Collins Hill (18-2)
  10. Duluth (15-6)

Class AAAAAA

  1. Gainesville (13-6)
  2. Langston Hughes (16-5)
  3. Douglas County (15-4)
  4. Tri-Cities (14-5)
  5. Brunswick (18-2)
  6. Stephenson (12-5)
  7. Bradwell Institute (14-5)
  8. Jonesboro (13-7)
  9. Cambridge (18-1)
  10. Coffee (12-6)

Class AAAAA

  1. Buford (16-4)
  2. Warner Robins (16-3)
  3. Miller Grove (14-6)
  4. Lithonia (15-4)
  5. Eagle’s Landing (14-5)
  6. Southwest DeKalb (13-7)
  7. Villa Rica (16-0)
  8. Maynard Jackson (18-1)
  9. Columbia (12-7)
  10. Stockbridge (15-5)

Class AAAA

  1. Upson-Lee (20-0)
  2. St. Pius X (18-3)
  3. Americus-Sumter (17-2)
  4. Baldwin (16-5)
  5. Salem (14-4)
  6. Mary Persons (18-2)
  7. Cartersville (14-2)
  8. Westover (15-5)
  9. Sandy Creek (13-5)
  10. Woodward Academy (13-5)

Class AAA

  1. Morgan County (20-1)
  2. Jenkins (16-3)
  3. Johnson-Savannah (17-2)
  4. Greater Atlanta Christian (16-3)
  5. Cedar Grove (12-6)
  6. Windsor Forest (13-7)
  7. Westside-Macon (12-8)
  8. Long County (14-7)
  9. Towers (11-5)
  10. Central-Macon (13-5)

Class AA

  1. Glenn Hills (18-1)
  2. Dublin (15-2)
  3. South Atlanta (16-2)
  4. Swainsboro (15-3)
  5. Laney (17-3)
  6. Thomasville (17-3)
  7. Therrell (11-7)
  8. Elbert County (18-3)
  9. Banks County (18-3)
  10. Vidalia (14-6)

Class A-Private

  1. St. Francis (17-2)
  2. Aquinas (17-3)
  3. Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy (17-2)
  4. Stratford Academy (14-4)
  5. Lakeview Academy (14-6)
  6. North Cobb Christian (15-5)
  7. Christian Heritage (17-1)
  8. Holy Innocents’ (10-7)
  9. Mt. Vernon Presbyterian (12-6)
  10. WD Mohammed (9-3)

Class A-Public

  1. Manchester (16-0)
  2. Woodville-Tompkins (18-2)
  3. Calhoun County (18-2)
  4. Montgomery County (15-3)
  5. Lanier County (18-2)
  6. Macon County (15-3)
  7. Central-Talbotton (14-3)
  8. Wilcox County (15-4)
  9. Wilkinson County (13-6)
  10. Pelham (14-4)

 

More snow complicated a week of basketball, but MLK Day action on Monday afforded us nearly a full slate of games. Class AAAAAAA No. 1 McEachern went 2-0 at Flyin’ To The Hoop and came back home to blow out Village Christian (NC) 85-57 at the Peachtree Corners Invitational (PTCI). No. 2 Norcross lost to Christ School (NC) at the Prep Hoops MLK Classic, but handled their business at home at the PTCI, beating Riverdale Baptist (MD) 76-66. No. 3 Newton has officially caught up to and surpassed No. 4 Pebblebrook, even though the Falcons have won 15-straight. Their last loss? To Newton at Holiday Hoopsgiving 87-78. Newton defeated two Week 9 No. 1 teams, beating 5A’s Warner Robins 80-65 and 3A’s Morgan County 65-61. Pebblebrook squeaked out a 76-73 win over Berkmar at the J4Sports MLK Classic at Douglas County. No. 5 Grayson moves up two spots after rallying from down 20 points to knock off last week’s 6A No. 1 Langston Hughes, 65-64. Unsigned senior guard Nick Edwards scored 11 points in the fourth quarter including the game-winner with 1-second left. The Rams now host Newton on Tuesday in a pivotal Region 8 clash. Grayson won 74-73 in Round 1. No. 6 Mountain View slips two spots after a hard-fought 63-61 double overtime loss to returnee No. 10 Duluth. The Wildcats, winners of 5-straight, got a Will Huzzie put-back at the buzzer to stun the Bears. Duluth takes over for Wheeler (12-8) who exits the poll. The Wildcats have played a challenging national schedule, but four of their eight losses have come against in-state opponents. Wheeler beat Summit (TN) 83-51 before losing at the PTCI to Christ School 62-55. Duluth gets the nod over Wheeler even after falling to the Wildcats at the Big South Shootout 59-57 on a last second EJ Montgomery slam.

After a 3-6 start, No. 1 Gainesville has climbed their way to the top of the heap in Class AAAAAA. The Red Elephants’ momentum has carried on, destroying a lifeless Dacula team on the road 89-55 and miraculously coming back to shock host Class 5A No. 1 Buford 83-81, Raffy Rubel hitting a three with 8 seconds left to tie the game and then Kajuan Hale grabbing a steal and getting fouled with .3 seconds remaining and sinking both free throws to win it. Hale finished with 23 points and 6 rebounds while Xavier Bledson added 13 points. No. 2 Langston Hughes blew a 20-point lead at the BCB MLK Classic, losing to Class 7A No. 5 Grayson 65-64 before rebounding with a 78-70 win over No. 4 Tri-Cities. Landers Nolley outmatched Eli Lawrence, 29 points to 28 in and entertaining matchup. No. 5 Brunswick’s magic ran out as No. 7 Bradwell Institute stopped the Pirates 60-52 behind Isaiah Scott’s 16 points, making things much more interesting in Region 2. No. 3 Douglas County rises two spots after a 68-65 win at the J4Sports MLK Classic against Fayette County and a 95-35 beat down of Northgate.

The tug-of-war for first in Class AAAAA rages on as both the Demons and the Wolves lost last week. In the end, it is No. 1 Buford regaining the top spot after a 69-67 win over United Faith (NC), David Viti with the last second tip-in. The Wolves lost in heartbreaking fashion to Class 6A No. 1 Gainesville, Viti injuring his ankle, while No. 2 Warner Robins was sloppy and looked disinterested at times in their 80-65 loss to Class 7A No. 3 Newton. No one can figure out what is going on with No. 3 Miller Grove, but at the end of the day they continue to win. The Wolverines dominated Discovery 63-42 at the BCB MLK Classic, but then beat 4-17 Parkview by just eight points on the road, 61-53. No. 6 Southwest DeKalb falls two spots after a 55-46 overtime loss to No. 9 Columbia, who re-enters the poll. No. 5 Eagle’s Landing jumps up five spots after beating No. 10 Stockbridge 62-54. Statesboro (16-4) falls out of the rankings after suffering a 65-61 loss at Class 2A No. 4 Swainsboro. No. 7 Villa Rica and No. 8 Maynard Jackson might have hit a glass ceiling in the rankings as they have not played enough high-level competition out of their weaker regions and don’t have many opportunities for quality resume building wins going forward.

Now more than ever, it seems like everyone is playing for second-place in Class AAAA as No. 1 Upson-Lee humiliated No. 6 Mary Persons in front of a sold-out Castle, 89-58, dropping the Bulldogs three spots. No. 2 St. Pius X was without Brian Gonzalo and Patrick Snipes in their disappointing 68-65 loss to Pinson Valley (AL) at the PTCI. Rising two spots is No. 3 Americus-Sumter. The Panthers knocked Carver-Columbus (16-5) from the poll with a 55-52 road win. Up four spots is No. 4 Baldwin. The Braves hammered Washington County on the road 71-40. No. 8 Westover sees their long winning streak snapped by a 70-54 defeat at the hands of Northside-Columbus. Back into the poll for the first time since the preseason when they opened at No. 8, is No. 10 Woodward Academy. After a rocky start, the War Eagles have found their footing, winning 6-straight. On Saturday they rocked McIntosh 67-49 behind 6-foot-10 sophomore Walker Kessler’s 29 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks.

In Class AAA, No. 1 Morgan County suffered their first loss of the year against Class 7A No. 3 Newton, 65-61. No. 2 Jenkins beat Class A-Private No. 5 Lakeview Academy 63-44 while rival No. 3 Johnson-Savannah beat Heritage School 61-53 and blew out No. 6 Windsor Forest 92-77. The Atomsmashers host the Warriors on Tuesday. Johnson-Savannah won the first region meeting 67-54 while Jenkins won the non-region Memorial Health Classic Championship 79-41. No. 4 GAC blew Dawson County (14-5) out of the rankings, going to Dawsonville to finally play the Tigers and earning an 87-47 decision. No. 7 Westside-Macon falls two spots after a loss to Holy Spirit Prep 74-65 but more importantly, seeing the brilliant career of Khavon Moore end prematurely with a broken tibia and fibula in the waning moments of their 75-62 win over No. 10 Central-Macon, who also lost 51-48 to Northeast-Macon. The Seminoles are no longer state title contenders without the 4-star 6-foot-8 Moore’s 22.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game. Back in the Top 10 is No. 8 Long County. The Blue Tide has won four in a row to move into a tie for first-place in Region 2. They now face a tough test in Pierce County, who the Tide beat 67-66 in overtime in their first meeting.

No. 1 Glenn Hills took their first loss of the season in Class AA at No. 5 Laney 59-49, but starting backcourt mates Isaiah Bauman and Eric Farmer did not play. No. 2 Dublin jumps two spots after a 73-59 win against Bleckley County. No. 3 South Atlanta had a scare against North Clayton before pulling out a 79-76 victory. No. 6 Thomasville got 9 points from their McDonald’s All-American Reggie Perry in a head-shaking 60-59 loss to Class A-Public No. 10 Pelham, dropping the Bulldogs four spots. Don’t look now, but No. 4 Swainsboro is peaking, winning 8-straight including avenging a 71-36 loss to Statesboro, 65-61. No. 8 Elbert County tumbles three spots after taking it on the chin at Monticello, 66-43. They now visit No. 9 Banks County on Tuesday. The Leopards still aren’t right, failing to impress again in a 63-56 win over 5-14, 0-9 Social Circle after holding on against Monticello 68-61. Washington County (12-6) was whipped by Class 4A No. 4 Baldwin at home 71-40, departing the poll. Replacing the Golden Hawks is debutant No. 10 Vidalia. The Indians have a crucial Region 2 rematch at Jeff Davis on Tuesday. They won 62-59 against the Yellow Jackets back on December 12. Vidalia sits at 8-2 in the region while Jeff Davis is 7-3, both teams chasing 10-0 Swainsboro.

It’s getting more and more difficult to fill out the Class A-Private rankings as it is devoid of winning records with substance. No. 3 ELCA cracked East Hall 73-49 at The Dream Challenge and took care of Berrien 56-36. No. 6 North Cobb Christian used the Cobb County home crowd to help the Eagles get revenge against No. 7 Christian Heritage, 71-52. No. 9 Mt. Vernon Presbyterian lost to Class 3A No. 6 Windsor Forest 55-48 and at Wesleyan 42-41, falling three positions. No. 5 Lakeview Academy moves up two spots and still owns Region 8, winning at rival Hebron Christian 67-59. In a clerical error, public school Drew Charter was ranked last week. They are replaced by No. 10 WD Mohammed.

No. 7 Central-Talbotton is on the ropes in Class A-Public, seeing their promising start spiral down the drain with their third-straight loss, this time to No. 6 Macon County 53-46, who rises three spots.  No. 2 Woodville-Tompkins dispatched of Savannah Christian 64-38 and is starting to garner more attention across Savannah and southeast Georgia. No. 8 Wilcox County slips two spots after losing 77-67 at Irwin County. No. 10 Pelham does the same, beating Class 2A No. 6 Thomasville 60-59, but coming out flat against Terrell County 61-34. The Hornets’ win over the Bulldogs saves them from being replaced by the Green Wave.