Category Archives: GHSA Basketball

Game Stories

Phoenix rise up to edge Warriors in The Furnace

Free Preview Week

No. 10 Sonoraville 55, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 51

In a season that has felt anything but normal, Friday night harkened back to the age of COVID-free basketball as No. 10 Sonoraville (16-0, 10-0) hosted Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe (9-4, 7-3) in an important Region 6-3A battle. The Furnace was packed as the heat of the crowd helped spur the Phoenix to a 55-51 win continuing Sonoraville’s best start in the school’s 15-year history as they approach their record 23 wins behind a senior-laden group.

Coming off a statement win over No. 6 LaFayette 65-40, the Phoenix took to the floor for their third game in five days against a talented young Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe team. Sonoraville, who starts five seniors that have seen the good, the bad and the ugly over the course of their career, has risen from the ashes of irrelevancy to be the best team in Northwest Georgia this season enjoying a magical run. Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe on the other hand, is led by a trio of talented sophomores that turned the Warriors from a 12-14 team to a burgeoning 23-5 power a season ago.

Led by Kevin Morrison and Orry Darnell, Sonoraville got off to a good start. Darnell, a 5-foot-11 point guard, scored from the mid-range to knot the game at 5 early on before Morrison sank a long jumper to make it 8-8 at the 2:41 mark.

Morrison hit a pair of threes and scored eight of his 12 points in the quarter to give the Phoenix a boost, but the Warriors answered with three three-pointers and entered the second quarter trailing 15-11.

Super sophomore 6-foot-1 point guard Jamichael Davis got loose in the second quarter for LFO getting a slam dunk to spark him and then taking his man off the dribble to keep the Warriors within reach at 21-17 mid-way through the quarter.

While Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe looked to speed the game up and take advantage of their athleticism, Sonoraville was comfortable playing at their own pace and following the lead of Darnell, who would finish with a game-high 19 points and 5 assists. He would score on a lefty finish and then net a mid-range jumper to help keep the Phoenix in front 27-24 at the half.

The Warriors came out of halftime with purpose, turning to a 2-2-1 press to try and speed up Sonoraville and force some live ball turnovers. Davis thrived in transition and helped the Warriors gain momentum. He would finish with 17 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 5 steals and 1 block and set up Amari Burnett for a layup on the break to edge ahead 32-31.

Up 36-33 with 3:31 remaining in the third quarter and things starting to go LFO’s way, the tide turned on a game-changing play. Sonoraville had a fast break opportunity and Burnett hustled down the floor to clean up a potential miss, but his right knee buckled before he could go up for the rebound and he tumbled into a heap. Burnett would be helped off the floor and have ice applied, ending his day prematurely after leading all scorers at the time with 14 points, scoring inside and out and giving Sonoraville fits with his versatility and physicality.

With Burnett injured, 6-foot-2 forward Murray Somers started to take over. He would net nine of his 16 points in the quarter and finish with 10 rebounds. Somers got busy on the glass and hit a three at the buzzer to push Sonoraville to a 42-38 lead after three, closing on a 9-2 run after the loss of Burnett.

Without one of their most important pieces, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe continued to fight and nip away at the Sonoraville lead. Davis broke free for a transition slam to ignite a 5-0 run that would put the Warriors ahead 43-42, but Darnell and Somers hooked up for an And-1 to regain control at 45-43 with 3:57 remaining following Somers’ bucket and free throw.

In crunch time, it was Darnell and Somers’ time to shine. Sonoraville took the lead for good with 2:07 left on a Darnell three before Morrison got a putback with 1:58 remaining to extend the lead to 50-45.

Without a bucket in almost two minutes and scrambling for points, instead of a much-needed hoop, the Warriors saw Darnell come away with a steal with just 37.2 seconds to play. Following a pair of free throws, Cameron Gregg drilled a three to cut into the lead with 23.7 seconds left at 52-48. From there, Somers helped ice the game going 3-4 from the line to secure the 55-51 win.

My Take

While they may not be a state title favorite, Sonoraville will still be a tough out in the state tournament. Region 6-3A traditionally hasn’t been a juggernaut come playoff time, but there are a handful of solid teams. Sonoraville and Murray County are senior-heavy teams while Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe has the best young backcourt in the pocket of the state and LaFayette has big-game experience in February and has a star in 6-foot-7 Aidan Hadaway. With that being said, Sonoraville hasn’t compiled the resume that LaFayette has, who has won every game by double digits, but the Phoenix’s 65-40 destruction of the Ramblers speaks volumes. Aside from that win, Sonoraville has won games close and sometimes ugly. Out of their 16 wins, seven have come by 7 points or less. Their experience in tight games and their ability to know how to win when the game is on the line bodes well for a veteran group on the verge of making history. Orry Darnell is the head of the snake. The point guard plays with poise and very little flash. He orchestrates the offense and doesn’t need the extra razzle-dazzle to be effective. He excelled at getting to his spots in the mid-range and finding the open man. His timely play makes him the go-to guy when the game hangs in the balance capable of either being a scorer or facilitator. I thought Murray Somers was crucial down the stretch and is a versatile X-Factor. Listed at 6-foot-2, with his strong college-ready body and nose for the ball, Somers plays bigger than his size and can hurt teams inside and out. He was instrumental in helping shutdown Hadaway in their rout of LaFayette and on Friday, it was his 15 second half points that carried the Phoenix during stretches. Kevin Morrison stands 6-foot-4 and provides a similar inside-out diversity. He hit two early threes and crashed the glass inside.  Sonoraville is a team that plays hard and understands where their strengths and weaknesses lie. There is a synergy between the players and the staff led by Coach Brent Mashburn that helps the Phoenix when facing adversity. On the hunt for their first ever win in the state playoffs, if Sonoraville can secure home court advantage the Phoenix will be tough to beat in The Furnace.

Even with the loss and sitting at 7-3 in region play, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe is a scary team that no one will want to play come region tournament time. 6-foot-1 sophomore Jamichael Davis is a budding star. His electric athleticism and all-around floor game make him a complete guard. He can get to the rim with the best of them and can outjump anyone in the region. He will have to improve his outside shot, but few are better than Davis in transition. He and Dee Calhoun caused problems with their bounce and length. Calhoun is a solid role player that can chip in on the glass and defend multiple spots. The loss of Amari Burnett changed the game. At 6-foot-3, the wide-chested sophomore is a problem for opponents. The lefty can help stretch the floor and has nice footwork inside. He drained two threes before injuring his knee. If he is out for an extended period of time, it will hurt LFO’s chances of locking down a favorable seed. It was an off night for shooters Cameron Gregg and Brent Bowman. Bowman could never get into a flow, as he sat on the bench for long periods of time presumably with foul trouble. He started the game with a three-pointer and had some nice moves with the ball in his hands, but he could never consistently find his offense finishing with 4 points and 3 assists. Bowman has a lot of skill and when he’s on, he’s a three-level scorer that can torch defenses. The 2023 trio of he, Davis and Burnett should win many games and has the potential to be a major threat come state tournament time. I think those three could go toe-to-toe with many in Class 3A by the time they are seniors. Gregg, a senior, will be key down the stretch for LFO. His ability to stretch the floor alongside Bowman will give Davis plenty of drive and kick opportunities. Give credit to the Sonoraville defense to holding Gregg and Bowman to a combined 7 points, well below their combined 25.2 point-per-game average. I foresee bounce back games for both of them in the very near future.

Top Performers

Sonoraville
Orry Darnell – 19 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals
Murray Somers – 16 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals
Kevin Morrison – 12 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal

Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe
Jamichael Davis – 17 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 5 steals, 1 block
Amari Burnett – 14 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 block
Dee Calhoun – 10 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals

Girls Recaps, Recaps

Game Night Recap 1-19

Free Preview Week

BOYS

Class AAAAAAA

Norcross 63, No. 5 Berkmar 57: Jaden Harris scored 15 points while DePaul-signee Kok Yat added 13 points and 5 rebounds. Jerry Deng pitched in 11 points and 4 rebounds. London Johnson had 10 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Malique Ewin recorded 15 points, 10 rebounds and 1 block for Berkmar. Jermahri Hill had 14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Dara Olonade posted 11 points and 8 rebounds. Jameel Rideout tallied 9 points, 4 assists and 2 steals.

No. 7 South Forsyth 63, Lambert 53: Brandon Stoudamire (19) and Ethan Underwood (16) led the War Eagles. Devin McGlockton finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks. Wes Kane scored 6 points. Kohl Harris had 5 points and 6 assists. Lambert was led by Paul Lunguana’s 24 points and 12 rebounds. Mason Barnes had 8 points and 10 rebounds while Niko Wilson netted 8 points.

Roswell 56, Alpharetta 46: Jase McCullough scored 17 points followed by Quinton Partee (12) and Jackson Kemp (8). Mason Kemp scored 7 points and Andrew Hopperton pitched in 6 points.

Mountain View 87, Alcovy 72: Amauri Muslim netted 22 points and Zay Wilson had 20. AJ Robertson (14), Javon Jordan (11) and Jayden Edison (8) balanced the Bears.

East Coweta 74, Lanett (AL) 70 OT: Sammy Moss posted 22 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists. Gilbert Croley provided 16 points, 10 rebounds and 2 steals. Austen Colton tacked on 13 points and 7 assists. Joshua Cameron scored 11 points.

Archer 68, Meadowcreek 39: Major Freeman (16), Damoni Harrison (15) and Christian Drummer (14) paced the Tigers.

Walton 51, Harrison 47: Luka Avaliani scored 16 points and Dylan Pumpian had 15.

Class AAAAAA

No. 3 Evans 65, Heritage-Conyers 53: Tyson Jones scored 21 points. Rashad King had 13 and Brasen James and Devin Story scored 9 apiece. Ole Miss-signee James White led the Patriots with 22 points. Jalen Boston scored 10 and Courtney McBride had 9.

No. 6 Lanier 66, Buford 60: Makai Vassell scored 19 points and James Madison-signee Andrew McConnell netted 13. Iajah Phillips (9) and CJ Hyland (8) balanced the offense.  Buford was powered by Jaylon Taylor’s 17 points. Caleb Blackwell scored 13 and London Williams scored 12 points.

No. 7 Shiloh 41, Winder-Barrow 37: Nazir Griffin had 14 points and 5 assists while Devon Barnes chipped in 10 points and 3 assists.

No. 8 North Atlanta 60, Lovejoy 46: Tyson Motton scored 18 points while Khamani Olivacce, Montavious Myrick and Kaleb Johnson all pitched in 12 points apiece.

Tucker 59, Westlake 58: Christian Yeates (18) and Tyler Pendergrass (15) led the Tigers.

Douglas County 79, Paulding County 60: Omari Fonteno had 22 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists while Jaylen Perry posted 22 points and 10 rebounds. Lander-commit Omarion Smith had 18 points and 12 rebounds. Jermicheal Mahorn collected 10 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.

River Ridge 45, Johns Creek 30: Jared Russo finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks. Braden Pierce had 8 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 4 blocks. David Hansraj netted 7 points and Jackson Head scored 6.

Cambridge 59, Creekview 45: Daniel Mack and Tommy Swift scored 13 apiece while Gavin Gardells netted 10 points.

Class AAAAA

Calhoun 69, No. 7 Cass 62: Dylan Faulkner hung 28 points in the upset. Peyton Law scored 15 points while Chris Lewis (10) and Jaylan Harris (7) came up big. Cass was led by CJ Pipkin’s 22 points. Braxton Benham had 13 points and 5 steals while Zaylan Chaney posted 13 points and 8 rebounds.

McIntosh 67,  Mundy’s Mill 53: Mundy’s Mill was led by Marcos East (21) and Noricco Danner (15).

Jones County 65, Northside-Warner Robins 62: Chaydon Stone tacked on 21 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists while Daethan Harris added 13 points and 5 assists. Robert Worthy scored 10 points. Matthew Wold and Jaylen Sanford scored 9 apiece.

Walnut Grove 79, Johnson-Gainesville 41: JT Thomas had 21 points and 5 rebounds while Canaan Mull pitched in 13 points and 11 rebounds. Nick Tyre finished with 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals.

Class AAAA

No. 3 Monroe 60, Dougherty 43: Domonik Henderson finished with 21 points, 7 rebounds and 7 blocks.

No. 6 Cedar Shoals 62, East Hall 54: Kashik Brown tallied 24 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals. Jah Colbert pitched in 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. Eli Curry finished with 7 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.

No. 10 Jefferson 54, Madison County 46: Spencer Darby (13) and Josh Howell (10) led the Dragons to their 10th win in 11 games.

Central-Carrollton 50, Southeast Whitfield 31: Joseph Bell scored 24 points.

New Hampstead 70, Benedictine 61 OT: Alaris Wall scored 24 points in the win while Trent Broadnax netted 24 in the loss.

Class AAA

No. 2 Hart County 72, Stephens County 40: JC Curry scored 22 points. Emmanuel-commit Shone Webb posted 17 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists while Tahj Johnson had 9 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 blocks. Sean Teasley finished with 7 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Ben Edwards tossed in 6 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.

No. 6 LaFayette 74, Ringgold 41: Aidan Hadaway bounced back with 38 points while DeCameron Porter had 20.

GAC 57, Douglass 33: Josh Fulton posted 20 points and 9 rebounds while Saiku White scored 10 points.

Monroe Area 77, East Jackson 73: Derrick Brown finished with 25 points while Vonte Newell scored 18 points. Zay Williams (11) and Trayvon Thomas (10) balanced the Hurricanes.

Mary Persons 83, Central-Macon 54: Lamont Jones finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Jamal Brown added 18 points, 3 assists and 4 steals. Khamren Little tallied 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. Jaboree Goodson posted 13 points, 5 rebounds, 13 assists and 4 steals. Johona Braswell had 8 points and 4 rebounds. Central-Macon was led by Christian Gray’s 28 points. Ty’Quavious Lewis netted 10 and Jaylen Releford had 8.

Dawson County 96, Lumpkin County 73: Jake Craft erupted with 7 threes to finish with 45 points as the Tigers drained 16 long balls. Joakeim Celestin had 22 points. Max Tierney double-doubled with 19 points and 15 rebounds. Jaden Gibson dished out 17 assists. Lumpkin County was led by Jones Harris (26), Chandler Pulley (23) and Gus Faulkner (15).

Rockmart 50, Coahulla Creek 47: Freshman Treylin Davis netted 13 points off the bench while Javin Whatley scored 11 points.

Class AA

No. 2 Swainsboro 79, No. 3 Woodville-Tompkins 67: Lukas Platauna led the Wolverines with 18 points in the loss. Larry Chapman scored 11 and Zion Powers pitched in 10 points.

No. 5 Columbia 77, Washington 47: Mason Lockhart went for 23 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists. Daquavious Harrison chipped in 13 points and 8 rebounds. Leonard Rapley led Washington with 22 points.

No. 9 Banks County 67, Rabun County 47: Pierce Martin scored 20 points and Garrett Presley had 13 points. Clay Gosnell tallied 10 points and 10 assists while Dakota Orr recorded 9 points and 18 rebounds.

Class A-Private

No. 6 St. Anne-Pacelli 78, Hardaway 60: Travis Harper II poured in 32 points. Voorhees-commit Keyshaun Fleetion scored 16 points and Auburn football-signee Ian Mathews pitched in 15. Pierre Summers scored 9 points.

Stratford Academy 57, Tattnall Square 53: Jack Miscall (15), Mekhi Lyder (11), Isaiah Josey (8) and Ben Baxley (8) led the Eagles. Tyron Person led Tattnall Square with 15 points while Justin Walton netted 12.

Class A-Public

 No. 1 Drew Charter 69, No. 7 Bowdon 63: Bowdon led by five at the half before Drew Charter won their second straight single digit game. Jaquez Thornton scored 25 points to lead the Eagles followed by Cedric Taylor (18), Jalen McCurty (10) and JaKobe Strozier (8). The Red Devils received 25 points from Authur Johnson. Seth Farmer had 10 points and 10 rebounds while Tray Wyatt netted 9 points. Kirequs Vaughn and Kolton Drummond added 6 apiece.

Montgomery County 68, Telfair County 56: Telfair County was led by Jaylin Hamilton’s 15 points and 8 rebounds. Charlie Allen recorded 15 points and 6 rebounds. Antonio Scott netted 13 points.

Non-GHSA

Moravian Prep (NC) 93, New Creation Christian 91 OT: Alex Reives pumped in 35 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 5 steals in the loss. Avante Nichols had 21 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals while Phillip Gaye posted 15 points and 10 rebounds.

GIRLS

Class AAAAAAA

No. 7 North Paulding 57, No. 5 Marietta 48: Alabama-signee Taylor Cullinan scored 20 points to lead the Wolfpack to a signature win.

Woodstock 72, A-PrivateNo. 6 Galloway 51: Bridget Utberg went for 33 points and Karson Martin added 16. Georgia College-signee Savannah Casey scored 8 points. Casey Miller had 6 and Sara Grace Bertolini added 4 points.

South Forsyth 60, Lambert 31: Clara Morris (13) and Sharon Tolliver (11) paced South Forsyth. Lauren Houston led Lambert with 11 points.

West Forsyth 63, Gainesville 25: Cayla Cowart scored 19 points and Calie Thrower had 11. Molly Quincy pitched in 8 points and Riley Pepin scored 6. Lillian Seitz netted 5 points while Katherine Bottoms, Lindsey Pirkle, Kalie Thrower and Emma Anderson all scored 4 points.

Class AAAAAA

No. 7 Kell 81, Allatoona 42: Crystal Henderson poured in 39 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. Jada Green tallied 14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals and 4 blocks. Sylvia Kahoro netted 12 points and Mackenzie Franklin scored 6.

No. 9 Sequoyah 62, Centennial 40: Elle Blatchford tallied 16 points, 2 assists and 5 steals. University of Charleston-signee Deja Rakestraw posted 10 points, 4 rebounds and 5 steals. Tafton Barber scored 8 points. Amy Singh and Sayler Davies scored 6 apiece.

No. 10 River Ridge 57, Johns Creek 35: Mataya Gayle (14), Caroline Cavallaro (11), Allie Sweet (10) and Chloe Bedora (9) blitzed Johns Creek in their rematch.

Heritage-Conyers 56, Evans 32: Jaliyah Weekes netted 23 points while Columbus State-commit Kristyn Goshay scored 17. Bethune-Cookman-signee Sade Harrell had 9 points. Morgan Snipes added 6 points.

Pope 63, Osborne 44: Cheyenne Holloman piled in 28 points. Katie Ward scored 14 points and Caroline Heintzelman added 11.

Cambridge 44, Creekview 41: In the loss, Mackenzi Salas (8), Delia Guy (7) and Abby Martin (6) led the Grizzlies.

Class AAAAA

No. 6 Cass 67, Calhoun 47: Londaisha Smith recorded 25 points and 10 rebounds while Claire Davis tallied 17 points, 7 rebounds and 7 steals. Justice Bennett scored 8 points and Haley Johnson had 7 points.

No. 10 New Manchester 75, Milton 44: Kharyssa Richardson posted 21 points and 10 rebounds. Hanna Wright had 14 points and 3 assists. Taniya James chipped in 12 points and 4 rebounds. Kamryn Bates tallied 11 points and 5 assists while Azaria Robertson had 9 points and 10 rebounds.

ML King 81, Lithonia 7: Kaya Jarvis (16), Nazis Smith (12) and Victoria Nwanze (11) powered the Lions.

Class AAAA

No. 2 Jefferson 70, Madison County 35: Ellie Kinlaw (16), Allianne Clark (11), Deshona Gaither (11) and Hailey Triaga (10) led the Dragons.

No. 3 Troup County 71, Spencer 24: Samaria Weldon finished with 17 points.

No. 10 Cedar Shoals 35, East Hall 29: Autumn Jones scored 13 points while Skylar Lattimore had 8 and Ashley Lester netted 7. East Hall, who was without two starters, got 22 points from Callie Dale.

Central-Carrollton 45, Southeast Whitfield 23: Izzy Ripatti (15) and Zoey Haberland (11) led the Lions. West Virginia Tech-signee Rachel Wilson collected 6 points and 10 rebounds.

Class AAA

No. 4 Lumpkin County 68, Dawson County 33: Mary Mullinax scored 21 points while North Georgia-signee Isabel Davenport netted 20 and Averie Jones pitched in 14. Lexi Pierce added 9 points and Emmanuel-signee Makenzie Caldwell scored 4. Dawson County was led by Madison Anglin’s 15 points.

No. 5 Coahulla Creek 74, Rockmart 49: Jillian Poe (16), Kenley Woods (13), Brinkley Kate Reed (13) and Kiersten Hixson (13) led a deep attack.

White County 66, Gilmer 49: Naomi Roberts (13), Emmanuel-signee Maddie Futch (12), North Georgia-signee Dasha Cannon (11) and Madison Adams (10) led the Warriors.

Pike County 76, Jackson 73: Troy-signee Gabbi Cartagena poured in 36 points in the loss.

Central-Macon 51, Mary Persons 33: TaNiya Pryor had 14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals while Trazur Cooper netted 13 points. Tayelor Davis added 9 points and 9 rebounds. Taliah Grier finished with 9 points, 2 rebounds and 3 steals. McKenzie Evans tacked on 6 points and 11 rebounds.

Class AA

No. 4 Rabun County 69, No. 7 Banks County 51: Freshmen Ellie Southards (17 points, 8 rebounds) and Lucy Hood (13 points, 7 assists, 2 steals) paced the LadyCats. Gracie Deetz finished with 12 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. Sophie Woodard and Carley Haban netted 10 points apiece. Banks County was led by Kamryn Grier’s 20 points. Jenna Reeves (12) and Addison Hoard (10) cracked double digits.

Class A-Private

No. 5 Mt. Paran 65, North Cobb Christian 40: Kara Dunn posted 26 points and 11 rebounds while Kaylynn Kirklen had 13 points and 10 rebounds. Katelyn Dunning tallied 8 points and 8 assists. Shamaria Jennings had 8 points and 5 rebounds.  North Cobb Christian was led by Brooke Moore’s 20 points, 4 steals and 4 blocks. Lauryn Towns had 8 points and 3 steals. Lea Brasington and Ava Garner scored 4 points apiece. Gabby LoPresti tacked on 2 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals.

Stratford Academy 34, Tattnall Square 32 OT: Harmony Nagle scored 9 points and Caroline Sutherland added 8 in the win.

Tallulah Falls 67, Athens Christian 24: Veronaye Charlton (15), Katy Corbett (12), Denika Lightbourne (12) and Kailyn Neal (10) balanced the Indians.

Heritage School 54, Starr’s Mill 45: Ianna Odulaja scored 20 points and Michaela Mikko netted 19 in the comeback. Haylah Spence chipped in 8 points.

Class A-Public

No. 4 Clinch County 71, No. 6 Turner County 42: Zyhia Johnson poured in 32 points with 4 three-pointers.

Non-GHSA

Rankings

Week 9 GHSA Boys Basketball State Rankings

Free Preview Week

Class AAAAAAA

1. Milton (14-2)
2. Grayson (15-3)
3. Pebblebrook (15-2)
4. McEachern (16-4)
5. Berkmar (13-4)
6. Cherokee (15-3)
7. South Forsyth (15-3)
8. North Gwinnett (11-7)
9. Parkview (8-3)
10. Gainesville (12-6)

Class AAAAAA

1. Wheeler (13-3)
2. Kell (12-5)
3. Evans (13-1)
4. Chattahoochee (11-1)
5. Richmond Hill (14-0)
6. Lanier (13-3)
7. Shiloh (11-4)
8. North Atlanta (15-2)
9. Centennial (11-3)
10. Valdosta (14-2)

Class AAAAA

1. Tri-Cities (12-4)
2. Eagle’s Landing (16-1)
3. St. Pius X (13-2)
4. Veterans (12-0)
5. Forest Park (7-1)
6. Lithonia (7-2)
7. Cass (13-4)
8. Woodward Academy (9-4)
9. Blessed Trinity (12-4)
10. Chapel Hill (10-6)

Class AAAA

1. Spencer (6-0)
2. Baldwin (6-0)
3. Monroe (10-3)
4. Luella (15-3)
5. Westover (5-3)
6. Cedar Shoals (10-5)
7. Arabia Mountain (6-2)
8. Stephenson (4-2)
9. Miller Grove (5-4)
10. Jefferson (10-3)

Class AAA

1. Sandy Creek (13-4)
2. Hart County (11-3)
3. Windsor Forest (5-1)
4. Johnson-Savannah (9-1)
5. Salem (7-3)
6. LaFayette (9-0)
7. Cross Creek (9-3)
8. Carver-Atlanta (8-3)
9. Upson-Lee (10-4)
10. Sonoraville (13-0)

Class AA

1. Pace Academy (14-1)
2. Swainsboro (9-1)
3. Woodville-Tompkins (11-1)
4. Washington County (7-0)
5. Columbia (8-5)
6. Lovett (9-5)
7. Thomasville (10-1)
8. Westside-Augusta (8-3)
9. Banks County (12-6)
10. Chattooga (9-2)

Class A-Private

1. Greenforest (6-2)
2. Mt. Pisgah (10-5)
3. Providence Christian (16-3)
4. Galloway (9-1)
5. Trinity Christian (10-6)
6. St. Anne-Pacelli (6-3)
7. Christian Heritage (12-2)
8. St. Francis (1-7)
9. Holy Innocents’ (5-1)
10. Tallulah Falls (10-2)

Class A-Public

1. Drew Charter (14-0)
2. Dublin (15-1)
3. Lanier County (11-2)
4. Towns County (9-1)
5. Chattahoochee County (4-1)
6. Manchester (4-1)
7. Bowdon (14-2)
8. Warren County (6-1)
9. Irwin County (8-4)
10. Terrell County (1-0)

No. 1 Milton came away with a pair of wins in Class 7A, defeating Etowah 69-56 and winning at Roswell 78-58. Bruce Thornton suffered an elbow to the forehead, busting him open and causing him to miss time before returning to the floor. Kendall Campbell and Campbell-signee Broc Bidwell picked up the slack, Campbell posting 25 points and 7 rebounds while Bidwell went 7-7 from three to finish with 21 points. No. 4 McEachern is down a spot after a 2-1 week. The Indians won at Newnan 56-54 before losing to No. 3 Pebblebrook 75-72 and bouncing back with a 74-64 win over Class 5A No. 8 Woodward Academy at the Full Court Press Southern Showcase. Pebblebrook got 40 points from Georgia State-signee Danny Stubbs in the win over the Indians. McEachern has suffered a big blow however as it’s been rumored that three-star wing Randy Brady has jumped ship and transferred. No. 5 Berkmar rode Malique Ewin to 20 points and 14 rebounds in a 58-39 win at Archer. No. 8 North Gwinnett knocked off Collins Hill (8-5) 56-54 and got 28 points from Thomas Allard in their 65-60 win at last week’s Class 5A No. 1 St. Pius X. Collins Hill is out of the rankings after also losing 79-72 to Peachtree Ridge. Discovery (12-3) drops out following a 61-50 loss to Mountain View. Debuting in the poll is No. 9 Parkview. The Panthers held off Newton 64-62 behind the trio of Asher Woods (24 points), Avantae Harper (16 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks) and Miles-commit Jason Edwards (15 points, 4 steals). Parkview finished their week with an 83-76 win in overtime over South Gwinnett as Edwards poured in 28 points, Harper collected 22 points and 9 rebounds and Woods tallied 11 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists. Back in the rankings is No. 10 Gainesville. The Red Elephants romped North Forsyth 74-46 and took care of Lambert 67-41.

The Class 6A showdown between No. 1 Wheeler and No. 2 Kell lived up to the hype as the Wildcats won 74-73 in overtime as Dayton-signee Kaleb Washington posted 17 points and 7 rebounds while AJ Burke netted 13 points. Florida Gulf Coast-signee Ja’hiem Hudson collected 12 points and 12 rebounds. Max Harris had 12 points. Khedric Oliver added 10 points and 6 rebounds while Isaiah Collier pitched in 10 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists. Kell was led by Scoot Henderson’s 21 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals. Jaylen Harris had 20 points and 5 rebounds. Najhae Colon tallied 9 points and 7 assists. No. 4 Chattahoochee went on the road and blasted No. 9 Centennial 87-67 as AJ White (23), Tomiwa Adetosoye (22), Jordan Brown (16) and Gil Matondo (12) all reached double figures. The Cougars then survived Creekview in overtime 78-70. No. 5 Richmond Hill continues to impress in Region 2, growing their lead in the competitive group. They have proven they can win in a variety of ways. The Wildcats won a shootout with 12-3 Brunswick 86-70 as Jaeden Marshall exploded for 29 points (4-7 3PT), 10 rebounds and 7 assists. Richmond Hill closed the week with a gritty 53-36 win over 11-4 Effingham County getting 13 points, 17 rebounds and 1 block from UGA baseball-commit Leighton Finley. No. 7 Shiloh rises a spot after beating Buford (12-3) 70-56 and knocking the Wolves from the Top 10. Seryl Slater tallied 16 points and 5 steals while Trevon Payton had 16 points and 5 rebounds. Devon Barnes finished with 14 points and 6 assists. Entering the poll for the first time is No. 10 Valdosta. The senior-laden group hammered Northside-Warner Robins 83-65 on the road behind Dorrien Douglas’ 23 points and then won at Lee County 63-49. Douglas, a 6-foot senior, is averaging 15.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.1 steals. 5-foot-9 senior Melvin Smith averages 9.9 points and 3.2 steals while junior Aaron Williams (9.1 ppg) and senior Stanley Haliburton (7 ppg, 3.2 apg) help balance the attack.

Red-hot No. 1 Tri-Cities ascends back to the top spot in Class 5A. Over their current five-game winning streak, the Bulldogs have beaten four teams that have spent time in the Top 10. Tri-Cities clobbered No.  5 Forest Park on the road 85-59 before winning at Jonesboro (11-3) 58-52, dropping the Cardinals from the rankings. Jonesboro also lost 66-65 at Mundy’s Mill. No. 3 St. Pius X slips two places following a 65-60 loss to Class 7A No. 8 North Gwinnett. No. 2 Eagle’s Landing holds tight in second-place with wins over Locust Grove (92-54), Woodland-Stockbridge and Jones County (83-69). No. 4 Veterans remained unbeaten with a 59-49 win over rival Warner Robins, getting 24 points from TJ Grant. DeAngelo Hines followed with 12 points while Tajh Williams scored 10. No. 6 Lithonia is in quarantine till January 23rd. No. 7 Cass rises two spots. The Colonels drilled rival Cartersville 77-41 before beating Hiram 77-59 and Cornerstone Prep 78-56 as CJ Pipkin poured in 26 points and Braxton Benham collected 18 points and 9 rebounds. No. 8 Woodward Academy won at Mundy’s Mill 69-61 before losing 74-64 to Class 7A No. 4 McEachern at the Full Court Press Southern Showcase, Belmont-signee Will Richard dumping in 30 points and 11 rebounds. Loganville (12-4) falls out with a 53-44 loss to Walnut Grove. No. 9 Blessed Trinity and No. 10 Chapel Hill resurface. The Titans won 73-67 in overtime against Cartersville and beat West Forsyth 67-55. Chapel Hill is back in the poll for the first time since Week 1 when they were ranked No. 7. The Panthers throttled Villa Rica 78-49 and Grady 69-47. Chapel Hill’s ceiling just raised tenfold as Second Team All-State 6-foot-4 senior point guard Micah Bell has recently transferred back to Douglasville after starting the year in Florida at Archbishop Carroll.  Bell rejoins 6-foot-5 senior KJ Doucet, 6-foot-5 junior Chi Shannon, 6-foot-7 senior Justin Hall, 6-foot-7 sophomore Kelvin Hunter and 6-foot-1 senior Jamisen Winters in a long and athletic lineup.

Class 4A continues to fluctuate like the stock market, more so bitcoin, a volatile up-and-down merry-go-round for the vast majority of teams. The top of the rankings has been safe so far however. No. 1 Spencer and No. 2 Baldwin both returned to action and showed no signs of rust. The Greenwave overwhelmed Jordan 68-47 before earning a nice 65-58 win over Langston Hughes; Jaquez Holt (18), Jhalil Parker (17) and Quran Hoskins (16) leading the charge. Baldwin blasted West Laurens 60-39 and Rutland 84-44. No. 3 Monroe is up two spots after defeating No. 5 Westover 44-39. The Patriots scored a 65-39 win over Bainbridge getting 23 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks from Isaac Abidde before losing to the Golden Tornadoes. A pair of wins against Mt. Zion-Jonesboro (65-41) and Riverdale (68-55) raise No. 4 Luella two positions back into the Top 5.  No. 6 Cedar Shoals defeated Chestatee 81-73 behind Roger Walker (20), Kashik Brown (18), Ashton Haynes (16) and Jerdavian Colbert (12). No. 7 Arabia Mountain jumps three spots and could have climbed even higher. They knocked off No. 8 Stephenson 64-48 to drop the Jaguars five spots as Lewis Covile scored 18 points and Kevin Amponsah added 10. The Rams however, lost 50-42 to Marist earlier in the week. Stephenson bounced back from their loss to Arabia Mountain with a 62-53 win at Marist, who quietly leads Region 6 at 5-1, although they are just 5-7 overall having played a difficult schedule. The War Eagles grind opponents into dust with their methodical defensive style. They already have swept Mays and have an important first meeting with No. 9 Miller Grove on Friday. The Wolverines return to the poll after a 3-0 week saw them defeat Hapeville Charter 54-43, Mays 62-44 and Grovetown 61-43. Dougherty (8-4) and North Oconee (13-3) fall out of the Top 10. Dougherty lost 48-46 to Bainbridge while the Titans were bounced by No. 10 Jefferson, who makes their first appearance in the rankings since finishing as Class 3A State Runner-Up a season ago. The Dragons beat North Oconee 59-56, hitting 11 threes in the process. Dalen Gales scored 16 points while Kam Robinson added 10. Jefferson has now won seven-straight and has gone 5-0 since their football players have returned from the gridiron.

No. 1 Sandy Creek flexed its muscle in Class 3A, scoring a convincing 75-53 win at No. 5 Salem. No. 4 Johnson-Savannah picked up a 60-54 win over a streaking New Hampstead team, Emondre Bowles leading the way with 24 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 steals. No. 7 Cross Creek got 18 points from Richard Visitacion in a 70-37 blowout of Morgan County before seeing Devin Pope erupt for 30 points in the Razorbacks’ 73-56 win at Burke County. No. 8 Carver-Atlanta defeated Redan 59-54 before going into COVID quarantine, having their game with Salem postponed. No. 9 Upson-Lee survived at Taylor County 59-56 as Milique Smith dumped in 25 points. Dawson County (12-6) flopped at White County, getting trounced 76-48. They are replaced by first-timer No. 10 Sonoraville. The Phoenix are undefeated at 13-0 but have benefited from a 7-0 mark in a weak Region 6.  They defeated Rockmart 52-38 and Coahulla Creek 54-32 this past week. Their best win came at the end of 2020 when they took care of Class A-Public No. 7 Bowdon 69-54. The veteran group is led by seniors Orry Darnell and Murray Somers who pace a balanced attack. They have a chance to prove their legitimacy as they host No. 6 LaFayette on Monday. The Ramblers have yet to play a game decided by single digits and picked up decisive wins over Murray County (70-51) and Rockmart (78-57) most recently.

Class 2A sees Laney (6-3) as the hard-luck team squeezed out of the poll after wins over Josey 65-62 and Butler 67-58. The Wildcats fall out to make room for No. 5 Columbia who surges back into the Top 10 with wins over Elite Scholars Academy 84-63, No. 6 Lovett 64-59 and Griffin 58-52. Kawasiki Ricks (21), Julius Lymon (17) and Mason Lockhart (16) propelled the Eagles past Region 6 foe Lovett, holding Georgetown-signee Ryan Mutombo to 15 points. No. 1 Pace Academy edged Columbia 67-56 to open the week before finishing with a 56-44 win over Class A-Private No. 4 Galloway, Florida State-signee Matthew Cleveland collecting 22 points and 11 rebounds. No. 2 Swainsboro trailed 31-25 at the half before securing a 64-53 win at Vidalia. The defending Class 2A State Champs travel to No. 3 Woodville-Tompkins on Tuesday. No. 4 Washington County netted three wins highlighted by a 68-61 victory against Northeast-Macon. JT Thomas finished with 17 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists while Kejuan Bloodsaw (13), Jairus Brown (11) and Caleb Moore (10) all reached double figures.

More results have been changed in Class A-Private meaning the stalemate has finally been broke as there is movement in the Top 7 for the first time since Week 3. No. 8 St. Francis currently sits at 1-7 after more forfeits and plummets five spots. Alabama-signee Jusaun Holt (20.3 ppg, 8 rpg, 2.1 apg, 2.1 spg, 1.9 bpg) has seen his supporting cast disappear aside from Seth Hubbard (11.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.7 apg, 2.7 spg) and Kai Simmons (8.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.7 bpg). Jordan Brown transferred to Chattahoochee, freshman Jalen Lee left for Berkmar and Keith Robbins has lost eligibility since his move from GMC. No. 3 Providence Christian moves into the Top 3 after wins over Wesleyan 63-40 and Social Circle 56-48. Tony Carpio posted 17 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks in the win over the Redskins. No. 4 Galloway fell to Class 2A No. 1 Pace Academy 56-44. Anthony Arrington poured in a game-high 25 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals. No. 6 St. Anne-Pacelli saw Vorhees-commit Keyshaun Fleetion score 20 points while Travis Harper II netted 18 in a 76-16 win against Brookstone. No. 7 Christian Heritage clawed out wins over Darlington (57-54) and Dalton (46-43).

Is there a chink in the armor of Class A-Public No. 1 Drew Charter? After annihilating BEST Academy 112-54 in their first meeting, the Eagles lost focus and had to scratch out an 84-81 win over BEST in their rematch. They will need to regain their championship vision as they visit No. 7 Bowdon on Tuesday. The Red Devils took care of Trion 70-54 before smoking Gordon Lee 78-48, Authur Johnson hitting 7 threes and piling in 31 points. No. 2 Dublin added a trio of blowouts to their resume. Tyquan Davis had 21 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals in a 79-58 win against Montgomery County. No. 3 Lanier County held on at Brooks County 69-67 and then finished the week with a 74-70 win over Clinch County, nearly blowing an 18-point third quarter lead.  Out of the rankings are Calhoun County (1-1) and Turner County (8-5). Having played two games this season is almost as unfathomable as Hancock Central not even playing one already two months into the season. Calhoun County is gone due to inactivity. Turner County was boat raced by debutant No. 9 Irwin County 84-38 and then lost again to the Indians 50-42. Irwin County has returned their football players from another state title run and are starting to click on all cylinders behind California Miramar-commit 5-foot-9 John “Jugghead” Jones Jr. Returning to the poll is No. 10 Terrell County, who decided to awake from their slumber and post an 82-44 win at Seminole County in their season-opener. The Greenwave opened at No. 3 to start the season before failing to play a game over the first two months.

Girls Recaps, Recaps

Game Night Recap 1-15

BOYS

Class AAAAAAA

No. 1 Milton 78, Roswell 58: Kendall Campbell finished with 25 points and 7 rebounds. Campbell-signee Broc Bidwell went 7-7 from three to score 21 points. LT Overton had 12 points and 8 rebounds while Bruce Thornton suffered an injury and finished with 6 points and 8 assists. Cam Walker scored 8 points. Roswell was led by Jase McCullough’s 21 points. Jackson Kemp scored 15 and Mason Kemp had 12.

No. 4 Pebblebrook 75, No. 3 McEachern 72: Georgia State-signee Danny Stubbs poured in 40 points.

No. 5 Berkmar 58, Archer 39: Malique Ewin posted 20 points and 14 rebounds. Dara Olonade finished with 12 points while Jermahri Hill netted 11.

Etowah 69, Woodstock 34: Jonah Hamilton scored 15 points followed by Brock Rechsteiner’s 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 3 blocks. Dimitri Angelakos scored 9 points. Joshua Hughes, Mason Etter and Brandon Rechsteiner scored 8 points apiece. Dajaun Devonish recorded 7 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals.

Parkview 83, South Gwinnett 76 OT: Jason Edwards poured in 28 points and Avantae Harper posted 22 points and 9 rebounds. Asher Woods had 11 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists.

Gainesville 67, Lambert 41: In the loss, James Tyre netted 15 points.

Mill Creek 60, Mountain View 59 OT:  Josh Battle scored 23 points and Jonathan Taylor netted 20. Nate Finch scored 11. Zay Wilson led Mountain View with 17 points. Javon Jordan scored 14 and Jayden Edison added 9. Continue reading Game Night Recap 1-15 →