Category Archives: GHSA

GHSA, Girls Basketball, Girls Rankings

Week 11 Girls Rankings

Class AAAAAAA

  1. Westlake (21-1)
  2. Collins Hill (20-2)
  3. Norcross (20-3)
  4. Cherokee (21-2)
  5. North Forsyth (21-2)
  6. Newton (18-3)
  7. McEachern (14-5)
  8. Lowndes (17-5)
  9. South Gwinnett (19-2)
  10. Colquitt County (18-5) 

Class AAAAAA

  1. Lovejoy (21-1)
  2. Winder-Barrow (17-4)
  3. Harrison (17-4)
  4. Creekview (15-6)
  5. Northview (17-5)
  6. Coffee (14-7)
  7. Tucker (16-6)
  8. Forest Park (17-4)
  9. Lanier (18-5)
  10. Douglas County (16-6) 

Class AAAAA

  1. Buford (20-3)
  2. Harris County (21-2)
  3. Arabia Mountain (17-1)
  4. Flowery Branch (18-5)
  5. Ware County (19-2)
  6. Villa Rica (17-1)
  7. Rome (19-2)
  8. Carrollton (17-5)
  9. Eagle’s Landing (16-6)
  10. Bainbridge (20-4)

Class AAAA

  1. Carver-Columbus (23-1)
  2. Henry County (20-1)
  3. Spalding (18-2)
  4. Luella (16-4)
  5. Northwest Whitfield (20-3)
  6. Madison County (17-5)
  7. Baldwin (21-2)
  8. Marist (18-2)
  9. Burke County (13-6)
  10. Westover (19-3) 

Class AAA

  1. Greater Atlanta Christian (18-3)
  2. Franklin County (23-0)
  3. Johnson-Savannah (14-5)
  4. Beach (20-2)
  5. Central-Macon (19-2)
  6. Lovett (17-4)
  7. Tattnall County (19-5)
  8. Haralson County (18-2)
  9. Peach County (15-7)
  10. Hart County (17-6)

Class AA

  1. Laney (23-0)
  2. Banks County (19-4)
  3. Putnam County (18-2)
  4. Josey (20-2)
  5. Swainsboro (18-3)
  6. Model (18-3)
  7. Washington County (16-6)
  8. Early County (18-5)
  9. Dodge County (18-4)
  10. Rabun County (17-5) 

Class A-Private

  1. Holy Innocents’ (20-1)
  2. Wesleyan (19-3)
  3. St. Francis (18-4)
  4. Stratford Academy (19-2)
  5. Our Lady of Mercy (17-2)
  6. Calvary Day (21-2)
  7. Landmark Christian (12-9)
  8. Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy (17-5)
  9. Athens Academy (19-3)
  10. Prince Avenue Christian (21-2) 

Class A-Public

  1. Greenville (22-1)
  2. Pelham (21-1)
  3. Telfair County (20-2)
  4. Wilcox County (18-4)
  5. Wheeler County (17-2)
  6. Macon County (17-4)
  7. Marion County (18-4)
  8. Bowdon (18-4)
  9. Terrell County (14-4)
  10. Calhoun County (14-8)

 

There’s finally some shakeup in Class AAAAAAA after weeks of stalemate. No. 2 Collins Hill has built up one of the state’s most impressive resumes and now adds a 64-57 win at Class A-Private No. 3 St. Francis to their ledger. No. 1 Westlake is still holding strong, but had to work hard to put away Wheeler 68-64. No. 6 Newton falls two spots after a loss to No. 9 South Gwinnett 66-61. The Lady Comets have also sunk two places after failing to capitalize on their momentum in Region 8, getting upset by Archer 48-40. No. 7 McEachern creeps up three spots after knocking Hillgrove (14-5) from the Top 10, 43-33, and scoring wins over Marietta (58-42) and North Cobb (52-48). Debuting in the rankings is No. 8 Lowndes. The Lady Vikings clipped No. 10 Colquitt County 55-49 and are now all of a sudden in the driver’s seat in Region 1 at a perfect 5-0.

With multiple Top 10 matchups last week, Class AAAAAA looks much different. No. 1 Lovejoy crushed No. 7 Tucker 68-33, but the Lady Tigers move up a spot thanks to their 45-43 overtime win against Stephenson (14-7) who drops out. The Lady Jaguars also lost to No. 8 Forest Park 49-48, but the Panthers fall two spots due to a surprising 53-47 loss to Drew. No. 2 Winder-Barrow got revenge with a 60-39 win at No. 9 Lanier and then had to hold on for dear life against Dacula, 53-52. The Longhorns weren’t as lucky, losing to Dacula 49-37 and tumbling four spots. No. 9 Douglas County is fortunate to remain in the rankings after a 53-48 loss at Mays. Alpharetta (18-4) departs after a 44-38 loss to Pope, meaning No. 5 Northview is back in command of Region 7, shooting all the way into the Top 5 after a turbulent week for the rest of the classification. Following the Lady Titans is new face, No. 6 Coffee. The Lady Trojans are surging in South Georgia, winning 9-straight including a thrilling 53-51 overtime victory on Senior Night against Tift County. During their winning streak, the Trojans have beaten Class 7A No. 8 Lowndes (40-37), Northside-Warner Robins (57-46) and Valdosta (38-36). Coffee has quick guards and physical post presences in seniors Yasha Merritt and Aerieonna Tucker. Merritt had 14 points and 21 rebounds while Tucker added 11 points and 9 rebounds in their win over Tift.

No. 1 Buford punished No. 4 Flowery Branch in Class AAAAA, 69-38. The Lady Wolves followed up with a 52-34 win in Tunnel Hill against Class 4A No. 5 Northwest Whitfield. No. 5 Ware County is up two spots. The Lady Gators have now won 19-straight since their 0-2 start. They cruised by Bradwell Institute 61-36. Region 7 has been turned upside down with No. 6 Villa Rica’s 58-46 loss to No. 8 Carrollton. Just when it looked like Carrollton could take the lead in the region, No. 7 Rome answered the call and edged the Lady Trojans 64-63. Entering the final week of regular season play, Villa Rica sits at 12-1 followed by Rome at 11-1 and Carrollton at 11-2. The Lady Wolves visit Villa Rica on Friday and Carrollton on Saturday. Elsewhere in the state, Dutchtown (18-4) exits the poll with a 49-44 loss to Woodland-Stockbridge. Back into the rankings is Region 4 frontrunner No. 9 Eagle’s Landing.

So much for anyone challenging No. 1 Carver-Columbus in Region 1-AAAA. The Tigers swatted away No. 10 Westover 67-37. No. 2 Henry County went to overtime to survive Woodward Academy 71-60. No. 3 Spalding had a scare as well, winning at Perry 54-50. Continuing the theme of close games, No. 6 Madison County was seconds away from losing to St. Pius X, but instead snatched a 46-43 win. No. 7 Baldwin defended homecourt against No. 9 Burke County 47-44. The Lady Bears move ahead of Westover with their respectable defeat.

In Class AAA, both of No. 4 Beach’s losses have come against No. 3 Johnson-Savannah, just like last year. The Atomsmashers rallied to win 50-45 at Beach and now jump into the Top 3. No. 6 Lovett took care of rival Pace Academy 48-30. North Murray (16-6) and Pierce County (16-6) both exit the rankings. The Mountaineers were upset at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 37-36 while the Bears lost to Class 5A No. 5 Ware County 52-38 and at Wayne County 52-50. No. 8 Haralson County is back in the Top 10 and now hosts 21-2 Spring Garden, AL, who the Rebelettes drilled 71-52 on January 2 in Alabama. No. 9 Peach County returns as well, just ahead of No. 10 Hart County, who drops two spots after losing at Morgan County 67-54.

Class AA rages on as No. 2 Banks County swept No. 10 Rabun County with a 62-43 decision. The Lady Leopards head to No. 3 Putnam County on Tuesday. The War Eagles will try to avenge a 61-40 throttling. No. 7 Washington County tumbles four spots after losing to No. 9 Dodge County 62-58 and at dangerous East Laurens, 63-56. No. 5 Swainsboro hammered Bryan County 63-35 on the road. No. 8 EarlyCounty is rolling in Region 1, dispatching of Fitzgerald 60-49.

Class A-Private is officially No. 1 Holy Innocents’ to lose. The Golden Bears pounded rival No. 2 Wesleyan 69-49 to send a statement. No. 3 St. Francis missed their chance to move up a slot with a 64-57 loss to Class 7A No. 2 Collins Hill. No. 5 Our Lady of Mercy falls a spot after a 65-56 loss at No. 7 Landmark Christian. The War Eagles could have soared higher than just one spot, but they were defeated at Pinecrest Academy 47-38. Christian Heritage (17-4) drops out after a 66-64 loss at Rockmart, unable to slowdown freshman phenom Keyarah Berry, who poured in 25 points. Returning to the Top 10 is No. 10 Prince Avenue Christian.

No. 1 Greenville won 62-55 at debutant No. 10 Calhoun County and knocked Central-Talbotton (13-6) from the rankings, 75-58 in Class A-Public. The Cougars don’t have the sexiest record at 14-8, but they have played almost every elite team tough, losing at No. 2 Pelham 45-41 and to No. 5 Wheeler County 51-49. Speaking of No. 5 Wheeler County, the Bulldogs clawed out a huge 56-45 win at Class A-Private No. 6 Calvary Day after winning at Emanuel County Institute 48-40. No. 3 Telfair County won at Class 2A No. 9 Dodge County 58-52, to avenge their November 28th 62-57 loss. No. 7 Marion County took care of Central-Talbotton 54-45. No. 8 Bowdon and No. 9 Terrell County have big games coming up. The Red Devils host Christian Heritage, who beat them 64-62 in their first meeting, while the Green Wave welcome Class 2A No. 8 Early County, who drilled them 66-43 two weeks ago.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Rankings

Week 11 Boys Rankings

Class AAAAAAA

  1. McEachern (20-2)
  2. Norcross (19-3)
  3. Newton (20-3)
  4. Pebblebrook (19-2)
  5. Peachtree Ridge (18-4)
  6. Mountain View (18-4)
  7. Meadowcreek (15-5)
  8. Duluth (16-6)
  9. Wheeler (15-6)
  10. Grayson (16-5)

Class AAAAAA

  1. Gainesville (16-6)
  2. Langston Hughes (19-5)
  3. Tri-Cities (17-5)
  4. Stephenson (15-5)
  5. Douglas County (16-5)
  6. Jonesboro (15-7)
  7. Bradwell Institute (16-6)
  8. Brunswick (19-3)
  9. Cambridge (20-1)
  10. Coffee (14-7)

Class AAAAA

  1. Buford (19-4)
  2. Warner Robins (19-3)
  3. Miller Grove (16-6)
  4. Columbia (16-7)
  5. Eagle’s Landing (17-5)
  6. Stockbridge (18-5)
  7. Lithonia (16-5)
  8. Statesboro (18-4)
  9. Clarke Central (17-5)
  10. Woodland-Stockbridge (16-5)

Class AAAA

  1. Upson-Lee (22-0)
  2. St. Pius X (20-3)
  3. Americus-Sumter (20-2)
  4. Sandy Creek (17-5)
  5. Mary Persons (21-2)
  6. Westover (17-5)
  7. Baldwin (17-6)
  8. Salem (16-5)
  9. Carver-Columbus (18-6)
  10. Cartersville (16-4)

Class AAA

  1. Morgan County (22-1)
  2. Johnson-Savannah (19-2)
  3. Greater Atlanta Christian (19-3)
  4. Jenkins (18-4)
  5. Cedar Grove (15-6)
  6. Central-Macon (16-5)
  7. Pierce County (16-6)
  8. Long County (15-8)
  9. Windsor Forest (14-8)
  10. Westside-Macon (14-9)

Class AA

  1. Glenn Hills (20-1)
  2. Dublin (18-2)
  3. South Atlanta (18-2)
  4. Swainsboro (18-3)
  5. Laney (19-3)
  6. Thomasville (19-3)
  7. Therrell (13-7)
  8. Elbert County (19-3)
  9. Jeff Davis (16-7)
  10. Banks County (19-4)

Class A-Private

  1. St. Francis (20-2)
  2. Aquinas (19-3)
  3. Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy (19-3)
  4. Stratford Academy (16-4)
  5. Lakeview Academy (17-6)
  6. North Cobb Christian (18-5)
  7. Holy Innocents’ (12-7)
  8. Mt. Vernon Presbyterian (16-6)
  9. Greenforest (11-10)
  10. Christian Heritage (19-2)

Class A-Public

  1. Manchester (20-0)
  2. Woodville-Tompkins (20-2)
  3. Calhoun County (20-2)
  4. Montgomery County (18-3)
  5. Central-Talbotton (17-3)
  6. Wilkinson County (16-6)
  7. Lanier County (20-3)
  8. Macon County (17-4)
  9. Pelham (18-4)
  10. Terrell County (16-6)

 

The contenders are starting to separate themselves from the pretenders as we enter our final full week of regular season basketball before the region tournaments tip-off. In Class AAAAAAA, four-star wing Charles Smith IV has made an immediate impact for No. 1 McEachern. It took a buzzer-beating three from Kyle Sturdivant for No. 2 Norcross to beat a Jamir Chaplin-less No. 7 Meadowcreek 64-63. There was more madness in Region 6 as Collins Hill (18-4) falls out of the Top 10 after having their win over Discovery on January 20 overturned and replayed, losing 45-44. The Eagles bounced back and beat the Titans 61-49, but lost to No. 6 Mountain View 60-57. The Bears also beat No. 5 Peachtree Ridge 56-48 before losing in the Lions’ Den 68-57. Sandwiched in between their duels with the Bears, Peachtree Ridge beat Shiloh 49-44. Those same Generals beat No. 10 Grayson 54-53 following the Rams loss to No. 3 Newton 71-69, dropping Grayson five spots. Returning to the poll is No. 9 Wheeler. The Wildcats won at Westlake 54-49 and now play No. 4 Pebblebrook at the Cobb Civic Center on Friday night.

Class AAAAAA No. 1 Gainesville steamrolled Lanier 74-43. Unranked Mays played role of spoiler this week, beating No. 5 Douglas County 67-55 and nearly upsetting No. 2 Langston Hughes, 42-40. No. 3 Tri-Cities is up a spot after handling their business, beating Alexander on Senior Night 55-49 and dumping Westlake 66-55. No. 4 Stephenson climbs two spots following their 51-49 win against Tucker and a 54-51 victory over Southwest DeKalb. No. 6 Jonesboro is also on the move after beating Tucker 53-44. No. 7 Bradwell Institute lost 68-57 at Effingham County, the Rebels’ first Region 2 win of the year. No. 8 Brunswick tumbles three more spots. The Pirates rallied yet again to beat Glynn Academy 60-56 after trailing 40-28 entering the fourth, but ran out of magic against Liberty County, getting blown out 86-69. No. 9 Cambridge held off a plucky North Atlanta team in overtime 63-62 to remain perfect in Region 7. Even with their 64-59 loss on Senior Night to Tift County, No. 10 Coffee retains their Top 10 ranking. The Trojans passed the eye-test, with athletes all over the floor. 2019 6-foot-7 lefty Mackenzie McFatten dominated the smaller Blue Devils with 18 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 blocks. All-State guard Jayce Moore was held to 9 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Tift County’s unsigned senior guard Montae Terrell stole the show with 22 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks.

No. 1 Buford were road warriors this week in Class AAAAA, winning at Flowery Branch 60-46 and edging newly ranked No. 9 Clarke Central 81-73. No. 3 Miller Grove sent Southwest DeKalb (14-9) out of the poll with a heart-breaking 35-34 loss. No. 4 Columbia skyrockets five spots after drilling No. 7 Lithonia on the road 59-39 and going 3-0 to win the Alaska Airlines Classic Championship. No. 6 Stockbridge climbs four spots after the mayhem ahead of them and beating Class 4A No. 8 Salem 63-54. All the talk about Villa Rica (18-1) and Maynard Jackson (20-2) playing weak schedules came to roost as both teams are out of the polls after suffering losses. Villa Rica lost at Hiram 63-57, while Riverwood bounced the Jaguars 77-69. No. 8 Statesboro and No. 10 Woodland-Stockbridge replace them. Woodland hosts No. 5 Eagle’s Landing on Tuesday.

In Class AAAA, No. 2 St. Pius X and No. 5 Mary Persons survived scares against lesser opponents, the Golden Lions escaping Madison County 63-57 and the Bulldogs leaving Howard with a 76-69 win. No. 7 Baldwin sinks three spots after their 60-57 loss to Burke County. No. 8 Salem is down three spots following a 63-54 loss to Class 5A No. 6 Stockbridge. No. 4 Sandy Creek is starting to put it all together, crushing No. 10 Cartersville 78-52 and LaGrange 67-45, to leap five spots. The Hurricanes are down three positions as they were also upset at Troup County 65-62. No. 6 Westover rises two slots after beating returnee No. 9 Carver-Columbus 68-63. The Tigers bounced back with an 81-41 shellacking of Northside-Columbus. Out of the poll is Woodward Academy (14-7). The War Eagles lost at Eastside 60-47 and at Henry County 56-49.

Down in Savannah, No. 2 Johnson-Savannah took the season lead on No. 4 Jenkins with a 67-60 win in Class AAA, jumping the Warriors in the poll. No. 3 GAC cracks the Top 3 after beating East Hall 64-51 and overwhelming Dawson County 67-33. No. 5 Cedar Grove sent Towers (13-7) packing as the Saints beat the Titans 70-59. Towers also lost 62-48 to Redan after beating them 73-56 earlier in the week. No. 6 Central-Macon moves up four spots thanks to a 61-56 win over No. 10 Westside-Macon. No. 7 Pierce County cracks to Top 10 with an 88-82 overtime win against No. 8 Long County. No. 9 Windsor Forest is down three spots after losing 84-83 at Islands.

No. 2 Dublin has a stiff test in Class AA as they host Washington County, who beat them 73-72 in their first meeting. The Irish are coming off wins at Northeast-Macon 76-66 and at Bleckley County 65-59. No. 4 Swainsboro knocked off returnee No. 9 Jeff Davis 73-56 and got revenge against Effingham County who beat them to open the season 65-57, by stopping the Rebels 78-66. The Yellow Jackets of Jeff Davis are back in the poll after taking out Vidalia (16-7) at home, 57-49.  No. 8 Elbert County defeated No. 10 Banks County 61-56.

Class A-Private saw No. 9 Greenforest, back from the grave, shock No. 3 ELCA 69-56 behind Christian Jackson’s 26 points and Jaylyn Clark’s 17. In Region 6A, No. 6 North Cobb Christian avoided a major letdown, outlasting Bowdon 68-67 in overtime. No. 10 Christian Heritage wasn’t as lucky, falling 52-49 at Trion and slipping three spots. No. 8 Mt. Vernon Presbyterian beat Galloway 66-32 and thumped WD Mohammed 71-28, shooting the Caliphs out of the rankings. WD Mohammed also lost in overtime to Paideia 48-45. The Mustangs now travel to a vocal No. 7 Holy Innocents’ on Tuesday.

In Class A-Public, No. 4 Montgomery County hammered rival Treutlen 85-60 at Brewton-Parker. No. 7 Lanier County sinks two spots after a 61-50 loss at Clinch County. No. 6 Wilkinson County has owned No. 8 Macon County over the past two years, stabbing the Bulldogs again with a painful 75-74 overtime loss, dropping Macon County two spots and rising the Warriors three positions. Wilcox County (17-5) exits the Top 10 after a 78-77 loss at Dooly County. No. 10 Terrell County gets their first crack at the rankings.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Girls Recaps, Recaps

Statewide Recap 1-27

BOYS

Class AAAAAAA

No. 1 McEachern 76, North Cobb 38: Charles Smith IV led the Indians with 16 points, Sharife Cooper scored 12 points, and Babatunde Akingbola added 11 points. 12 McEachern players scored, while no North Cobb player broke double-digit scoring.

No. 3 Newton 86, Rockdale County 58: Ashton Hagans notched a triple-double with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists (6 steals). Tre Clark and Tiqarius Harper each contributed 10 points, while Armani Harris added a career-high 6 blocks for Newton.

Tift County 64, 6ANo. 10 Coffee 59: The Blue Devils spoiled Senior Night with a late go-ahead Rashod Bateman three. The Minnesota football-signee finished with 12 points and 9 rebounds. Montae Terrell notched a game-high 22 points to go with his 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks. Marquavius Johnson had 19 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Coffee was led by 6-foot-7 Mackenzie McFatten’s 18 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 blocks. Marquavius Jefferson had 11 points and 3 assists. First Team All-State shooting guard Jayce Moore was held to 9 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. Deuntay Davis scored 8 points off the bench.

Etowah 54, Woodstock 50: Jaxon Etter led Etowah with 25 points five rebounds. Adrian Cohen contributed 16 points and 8 rebounds.

Kennesaw Mountain 93, Landmark Christian 57: Jalyn McCreary dropped a 20/10 performance while Josh Strong scored 16 points for Kennesaw Mountain.

Class AAAAAA

No. 3 Douglas County 76, South Paulding 65: Rickey Clark led the way for Douglas County with 15 points, while the trio of Ernest Randle, Malik Battle, and Cam Copeland each added 13 points.

No. 6 Stephenson 54, 5ANo.6 Southwest DeKalb 51: Eugene Brown scored 15, Javontae Jackson added 10, and KD Johnson’s 9 points weren’t enough for Southwest DeKalb.

Dacula 72, Lanier 61: Mekhail Bethea led Dacula with 20 points, Brenden Tucker contributed 16 points, Quincy Ademokoya scored 13 points, and Shayne Buckingham added 12 points.

Mundy’s Mill 67, Lovejoy 49: Rayquan Brown led Mundy’s Mill with 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Jordan Black added 16 points and 11 rebounds while Jalen Thrash scored 12 points. Omari Callahan added 14 points and Kristian Grant scored 12 for Lovejoy.

Creekview 78, South Cobb 75: KJ Jenkins exploded for 37 points and 5 rebounds, Jack Wood scored 18 points, and Paxton Nayman scored 12 points.

Alexander 74, New Manchester 63: Chris Lunsford led with 20 points and 7 assists, while Sidni White added 13 points and 5 rebounds. Demajion Topps scored 20 points.

Class AAAAA

No. 2 Warner Robins 86, Veterans 42: Bobby Kelly scored 17 points, Jacolbey Owens added 16, Nelson Phillips 14, and Jaydon Norman 12 points. Horace Johnson led Veterans with 16 points.

No. 10 Stockbridge 63, 4ANo. 5 Salem 54 OT: Stockbridge was led by Kavonte Ivory’s 18 points, Trillis Brown’s 13 points, and Terryance Jackson’s 12 points.

Kell 54, Cass 47: Sayvon Delgado and Cameron Lockett finished with 15 points and Jahwan Smith scored 12 points. Mark Chester scored 18 points for Cass.

Flowery Branch 62, Cedar Shoals 47: Patsheko Lutumba scored 16 points, Justin Quick added 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists, and Blake Coxworth added 8 points in the win for Flowery Branch. JaiVanni McDavid scored 12 points to go along with 6 steals, Quincy Canty added 10 points and 9 rebounds, and Tyler Johnson added 10 points in the loss for Cedar Shoals.

Lithia Springs 51, Decatur 50 2OT: Chalin Hippe notched a 19 point/11 rebound double-double and Khari Davis scored 11 points, but it fell short in a double overtime thriller for Decatur.

Riverdale 56, North Clayton 55: Michael Lee scored 17 points, Xavier Valley had 14 points, and Jaimonnie Watkins-Causey had 13 points.

Class AAAA

Henry County 90, Locust Grove 57: Josh Steele led the charge with 13 points and 3 steals, while the trio of Casey Armour, Semaj Rice, and Kortez Allen each scored 11 points. DeAndre Rice hosted a defensive showcase with 8 blocks on the night.

Chestatee 75, Pickens 54: Cooper Wilson led Chestatee with 18 points, Cameron Gwyn scored 11 points, and Jarrett Gray scored 10 points. Donovan Hernandez notched 8 assists on the night.

Calhoun 69, Haralson County 44: Davis Allen scored 23 points and Tononcito Martha scored 10 points in the win for Calhoun.

Shaw 61, Cairo 37: Lincoln Smith scored 14 points and 4 rebounds, and TJ Mitchell grabbed 10 boards.

Class AAA

No. 4 GAC 67, Dawson County 33: Brothers Cullen Reed and Campbell Reed led the offensive production for Dawson with 10 and 9 points, respectively.

No. 6 Windsor Forest 98, Southeast Bulloch 47: Malcolm McCloud scored 16 points and Benjamin Mitchell added 14 points in the win.

Monroe Area 59, Jackson County 42: Elijah Goodman recorded 16 points and 4 steals, Devin Sheats added 15 points and 5 rebounds, and Isaiah Glasper scored 9 points.

Peach County 76, Crawford County 57: Brice Paster filled the scorebook with 15 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds, and 5 steals; Alex Henton added 14 points and 8 rebounds.

Class AA

Dodge County 50, Hawkinsville 44: Nick Cummings scored 24 points, DeMarcus Caines 15, and RJ Carr added 7 in the win.

Class A-Private

No. 9 Mount Vernon Presbyterian 59, Paideia 38: Tahj Keeton led the way with 20 points and 8 rebounds, while Marques Frye added 12 points and Austin Douglas scored 8.

Savannah Christian 51, Claxton 44: Justin Anderson scored 22 points while Aly Keys dominated defensively with 10 rebounds and 6 blocks.

Prince Avenue Christian 78, Towns County 68: Mack Simmons finished with 27 points while Dalton Meeler scored 22 for the Wolverines.

Class A-Public

No. 1 Manchester 82, Harris County 61: Kalil Brawner scored 19 points and JahNile Hill scored 16 points in the win for Manchester.

Commerce 56, Providence Academy 49: Jalen Dorsey led Commerce with 16 points and Jamecus Cox added 10 points to give the Commerce Tigers their first back-to-back victories in 3 seasons.

 

GIRLS

Class AAAAAAA

No. 10 McEachern 52, North Cobb 48: Chanel Wilson and Jewel Smalls each scored 10 points for McEachern. Azonya Austin led North Cobb with 15 points and Sydney Thomas scored 11 points.

Class AAAAAA

Dacula 49, No. 5 Lanier 37: Aiyana Hamilton led the way for Dacula with 13 points and Alex Criscolo scored 11 points.

Alexander 42, New Manchester 39: Chloe Pollock and MaryKate Eubanks scored 8 points each while Jenuwin Drayton and Kiara Watson (17 rebounds) each scored 7 in the win for Alexander.

Johns Creek 35, Dunwoody 31: Carson Tanguilig led with 17 points while senior Angelicia Franklin made 2 free throws late in the game to clinich it on senior night.

Coffee 53, Tift County 51: Coffee hit a three at the buzzer to send the game to overtime. In overtime, Tift County’s game-tying jumper came just after the buzzer, giving the Lady Trojans a win on Senior Night. Yasha Merritt had 14 points and 21 rebounds for Coffee while Aerieonna Tucker added 11 points and 9 rebounds.

Class AAAAA

No. 3 Harris County 65, Manchester 24: Jessika Carter notched a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while also rejecting 6 shots.

Class AAAA

No. 5 Luella 85, Hampton 48: Kamya Hollingshed scored 34 points for Luella and Zee Bankston added 12 points.

Class AAA

Haralson County 57, Calhoun 48: Anna George scored 20 points to help trim the deficit from 27 points to 6 in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough for Calhoun.

Jackson County 43, Monroe Area 31: Carlie Anderson led Jackson County with 20 points en route to their first region victory of the year.

Class AA

No. 2 Banks County 62, No. 7 Rabun County 43: Maddie Thomas led Banks County with 16 points, Amber Williams added 12, and Allison Smith scored 11 points.

No. 10 Dodge County 54, Hawkinsville 31: Europe Brown led Dodge County with 12 points, Kylie Hart added 11, and LaShauna Coley contributed 9 points in the win.

Bleckley County 52, Northside-Warner Robins 46: Jahnaria Brown unofficially netted a quadruple-double on the night: 21 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists, and 10 assists.

Bryan County 56, Long County 40: Olonna Rawls put up 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists while Jay Black added 11 points and 15 rebounds.

Class A-Public

Class A-Private

Prince Ave Christian 61, Towns County 43: Armstrong led Prince Ave. with 16 points, Madison Britt scored 13 points, and Janie Henderson added 8 points in the win.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Girls Recaps, Recaps

Statewide Recap 1-26

BOYS

Class AAAAAAA

No. 1 McEachern 83, Marietta 64: Treylan Smith scored a game-high 29 points in Marietta’s loss. McEachern received 17 points from Isaac Okoro and 15 from Sharife Cooper. Jared Jones (14) and new transfer Charles Smith IV (9) combined for 23 points.

No. 2 Norcross 64, No. 8 Meadowcreek 63: It took a buzzer-beating Kyle Sturdivant three to stun the Jamir Chaplin-less Mustangs. Detroit-commit Cory Hightower had 22 points and 13 rebounds in the loss. Duquesne-commit Amari Kelly had 15 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks.

No. 10 Duluth 71, Mill Creek 57: Adam Flagler scored 23 points to lead the Wildcats. Will Huzzie finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Jordan Johnson scored 11 points and DJ Smith had 10 points and 5 assists.

Discovery 71, North Gwinnett 62: Jaylen Bussey hit five threes and finished with 18 points. Jaden Walker added 14 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Leslie Nkereuwem posted 10 points and 10 rebounds while Mikey Moncrease netted 10 points.

Etowah 52, Roswell 41: Julian Baldwin double-doubled with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Tusculum-signee Adrian Cohen put up 17 points and 7 rebounds. Jaxon Etter finished with 13 points and 5 steals.

Parkview 51, Brookwood 33: Gregory Blackwell scored 14 points while Ahmir Langlais collected 10 points, 13 rebounds and 4 blocks. Chris Connor scored 9 points and Jamiel Wright tacked on 8.

Kennesaw Mountain 82, North Paulding 59: Josh Strong dropped 28 points while Jalyn McCreary netted 23. Khalil Shaheed scored 13 points and Gabe Armstead had 11.

Berkmar 60, Lakeside-DeKalb 24: Tony Johnson pumped in 22 points and Dara Olonade had 10 points and 5 rebounds. Tichic Fikipo double-doubled with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Lambert 87, Milton 54: Mitch Ganote finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals. Austin Deckard added 16 points and 4 rebounds. Jordan McIlwain tacked on 16 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.

North Cobb 57, Hillgrove 47: Kevin Hester double-doubled again with 19 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks.

Class AAAAAA

Mays 67, No. 3 Douglas County 55: Mays upset the Tigers. In the loss, Malik Battle (13) and Rickey Clark (12) combined for 25 points.

No. 4 Tri-Cities 55, Alexander 49: Eli Lawrence collected 14 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. Jon Young pitched in 9 points and 5 rebounds while Tarez Huddleston had 9 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks. Alexander was led by Sidni White’s 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Corey Smith had 11 points and 3 assists. Brady Spence totaled 8 points, 8 rebounds and 5 blocks. Bama Lunsford tacked on 8 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.

No. 5 Brunswick 60, Glynn Academy 56: Marcus Scott had 15 points and 5 assists.

No. 6 Stephenson 51, Tucker 49: Bryce Latimer streaked down the court for a layup at the buzzer to shock Tucker. Latimer finished with 19 points. Nate Ogbu had a game-high 20 in defeat.

No. 9 Cambridge 53, Dunwoody 44: Bryce Boutelle scored 15 points followed by Kamar Robertson (12) and Matt Cleveland (10).

Creekview 56, Sprayberry 52: KJ Jenkins poured in 31 points. Paxton Nayman grabbed 15 rebounds. In the loss, Idaho-signee Khadim Samb had 19 points.

Johns Creek 57, Northview 46: Jack Greenslit scored 17 points. Austin Hillam netted 14 points and Will Penland had 11.  Neil Ilenrey chipped in 10.

Forest Park 63, Mundy’s Mill 62 OT: The Panthers caught the Tigers off guard with an upset. Mundy’s Mill was led by Jordan Black’s 24 points, Rayquan Brown’s 21 and Kirshon Thrash’s 15.

Lakeside-Evans 64, Grovetown 51: Kalen Williams had 18 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Tucker Gilbert posted 6 points and 13 rebounds. Brad Hilley netted 10 points.

Class AAAAA

No. 2 Warner Robins 80, Bainbridge 49: Jacolbey Owens pumped in 30 points. Georgia State-signee Nelson Phillips put in 15 points and Jaron Zanders added 11.

No. 3 Miller Grove 35, No. 6 Southwest DeKalb 34: The Wolverines escaped a hostile environment as James Glisson III’s last-second shot missed. KD Johnson led the Panthers with 15 points while Glisson and Demarion Johnson had 7 apiece.

No. 4 Lithonia 75, Arabia Mountain 33: In the loss, N’Kyzie Hawkins scored 11 points.

Chamblee 62, Clarkston 39: Rodney Smith (16), Andrew Brown (13) and Chance Moore (10) paced the Bulldogs.

McIntosh 52, Riverdale 42: The Chiefs won on Senior Night behind Chaz Hardin’s 15 points and Naj Ashley-Emory’s 10 points. Cole Guenther scored 7 points. Andrew Pinckney and Garrett LeClaire chipped in 6 apiece.

Cedar Shoals 69, Johnson-Gainesville 48: JaiVanni McDavid finished with 20 points, 5 assists and 4 steals. Jaiden Williams posted 12 points and 5 assists while Quincy Canty had 6 points and 13 rebounds.

Starr’s Mill 55, Fayette County 48: Drew Hudson paced the Panthers with 26 points. Carson Langham had 10 points.

Class AAAA

No. 1 Upson-Lee 75, Spalding 39: MTSU-commit Tye Fagan scored 25 points in the blowout.

No. 6 Mary Persons 107, West Laurens 58: Cam Holden had 19 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 7 steals. Desmond Williams poured in 24 points and 5 rebounds. Dee Morton had 19 points and 4 assists. Tre Edge tallied 13 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Rekia Weaver put in 13 points and 8 rebounds.

No. 9 Sandy Creek 78, No. 7 Cartersville 52: Sandy Creek ran wild at home against Cartersville. TJ Bickerstaff dominated with 25 points and 18 rebounds. Jarred Godfrey posted 15 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists. Xavier Brewer had 11 points and 5 rebounds while Chris Porter chipped in 11 points and 3 rebounds. Kam Miller tallied 10 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. Cartersville was led by TJ Horton’s 22 points and Furman-signee Jaylon Pugh’s 14 points.

No. 8 Westover 76, Columbus 50: Jordan Brown collected 25 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. Kris Gardner had 17 points and 4 steals. Mike Isler posted 8 points and 12 rebounds.

No. 10 Woodward Academy 62, North Clayton 45: Walker Kessler posted 24 points, 9 rebounds and 6 blocks.

Pickens 74, Ridgeland 67: Joseph Gossett had 18 points and Seth Bishop contributed 16 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists. Keinyuan Hooks tallied 14 points, 4 rebounds and 12 assists. Zach Goss had 14 points.

Rome 70, Kell 56: Savvon Delgado scored 25 points in the loss while Jahwan Smith added 20.

Blessed Trinity 77, Chestatee 40: Junior guard CJ Abrams erupted for 32 points to pace the Titans. Ben Shappard had 13 points.

Troup County 64, LaGrange 48: The suddenly red-hot Tigers beat rival LaGrange behind Montez Crowe’s 21 points and Jay Jefferson’s 10 assists.

Stephens County 87, Madison County 55: Colby Smith and Tay Cooper scored 9 points apiece in the loss.

Jefferson 61, Oconee County 57: The Dragons clinched a state playoff berth in Year 1 under Coach Kevin Morris. Jasper Gibson and Donsha Gaither scored 15 points apiece.

Eastside 62, Luella 47: Jerry Mays finished with 20 points in Eastside’s Region 4 win.

Northside-Columbus 78, Shaw 67: In the loss, Lincoln Smith had 17 points and 6 rebounds. TJ Mitchell had 16 points and 5 rebounds while Kam Parker scored 10 points.

Class AAA

No. 1 Morgan County 69, East Jackson 41: Tyrin Lawrence scored 22 points to pace the Bulldogs, surpassing the 1,000-point barrier in the process. Stevin Green had 12 points. The Eagles were led by 10 points apiece from Xavier Clark and Miles Addington.

No. 3 Johnson-Savannah 76, Beach 51: Shamar Jones scored 22 points and UGA-signee Amanze Ngumezi posted 10 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists.

No. 4 GAC 96, Lumpkin County 29: Ben Sheppard (20), Roy Dixon (16), Branden Harris (13) and Hunter McIntosh (12) combined for 61 points.

No. 5 Cedar Grove 87, McNair 48: Jamari Dean tallied 17 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and 1 block. Keshun Byrd scored 17 points and Kanaris Cummings added 15 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists. Malik Johnson had 15 points, 4 assists and 3 steals. Tworn Seals scored 8 points and Marcus Reid had 7.

No. 7 Westside-Macon 71, Southwest-Macon 69: Greg Holloway posted 18 points and 8 rebounds while Javian Mosley tacked on 13 points and 4 assists. Des Foston netted 12 points and Omar Jones had a double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds. Brenden Anderson scored 9.

No. 10 Central-Macon 70, Pike County 45: Tymir Robinson hung 33 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals against lowly Pike County.

Dawson County 58, North Hall 44: Jeremiah Crumley scored 19 points to lead the Tigers. Campbell Reed (13) and Cullen Reed (12) combined for 25 points. Ryan Gallenkamp had 6 points and 9 rebounds.

Calhoun 59, Murray County 34: Bralin Barton and Gage Maffetone scored 16 points apiece while Davis Allen had 15 in the win.

Franklin County 73, Monroe Area 69: Franklin County got 29 points from Micah Roebuck and 13 from Zach Gay. Isaiah Glasper scored 19 points in defeat while Lakendric Lyles had 14. Elijah Goodman had 10 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks.

East Hall 55, Union County 49: Deonta Evans scored 10 points for the Vikings. Union County got 15 points from Pierson Allison and 14 from Sawyer Drake.

Class AA

Washington County 76, East Laurens 36: Jeremiah Gundy collected 14 points and 5 rebounds. Conner Frazier had 12 points and 5 rebounds while Jalen Jackson scored 11 points. Curtis Brown (6) and Josh Parker (5) pitched in.

Dodge County 74, Telfair County 61: DeMarcus Caines poured in 30 points and Nick Cummings added 16. RJ Carr tossed in 13 points while Chris Clark had 7.

Class A-Private

No. 1 St. Francis 81, Mt. Pisgah 37: Dwon Odom had 17 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists. CJ Riley had 12 points, 5 assists and 4 steals. Ben Jones netted 11 points. Chase Ellis posted 8 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Caleb Snyder pitched in 7 points and 4 rebounds. Madison Durr had 5 assists.  

No. 4 Stratford Academy 75, Tattnall Square Academy 55: Devin Butts drained six three-pointers to finish with 26 points. Christian Palmer netted 17 points and Jaden Harris had 16. Nathan Hunt tossed in 9 points.

No. 5 Lakeview Academy 86, Providence Christian 35: Drew Cottrell (16), Jack Blackburn (15), Noah Linder (12) and Blake McIntyre (10) led the Lions in double figures.

No. 9 Mt. Vernon Presbyterian 71, No. 10 WD Mohammed 28: The Mustangs wiped the floors with the Caliphs. Marques Frye scored 18 points and Morgan Mulrain had 17 points. Will Mitcham had 14 points and Tahj Keeton netted 11.

Walker 57, Pinecrest Academy 53: Omar Cooper scored 17 points and Chandler Baker netted 9. Burke Chebuhar scored 10 points.

Darlington 73, Bowdon 56: JD Hull turned in 20 points, Andrew Land hit five threes for 15 points and Barrick Wade netted 14 to lead the Tigers. Eli Brooks and Sam Tackeberry scored 11 points apiece.

Savannah Christian 57, Savannah Country Day 28: Justin Anderson (11), Lance McKenzie (10), Gavin Jeffries (9) and George Hawley (9) led the Raiders.

Class A-Public

No. 2 Woodville-Tompkins 58, Calvary Day 30: Preston Crisp (19), Deante Green (15) and Charleston Willingham (14) powered the Wolverines.

Commerce 72, Athens Christian 63: Jamecus Cox scored 23 points while freshman Creed Dunbar had a career-high 17 points, all in the second half, to go along with 5 rebounds and 2 assists.

Non-GHSA

The King’s Academy 83, Lanier Christian Academy 73: Brock Hoover had 25 points while Trevor Holland netted 16. Ethan Palmer scored 15.

 

GIRLS

Class AAAAAAA

No. 5 Cherokee 53, Woodstock 30: Lacie McCoy scored 12 points, Sydne Watts had 11 and Olivia Herrera added 8 points.

Parkview 60, Brookwood 57: Freshman Sussy Ngulefac poured in 20 points and ODU-commit Hannah Sadler knocked down a pair of late free throws to secure the win. Sadler added 9 points. KiKi Adams had 20 points in the loss. Taylor Cushenberry tossed in 14 points.

Roswell 56, Etowah 35: Catherine Sandridge had 16 points and 5 rebounds. Ally Sekelick and Sophia Burke each scored 11 points. Lindsay Pruitt tossed in 10 points.

Class AAAAAA

No. 1 Lovejoy 51, ML King 39: Azhana Maxwell’s game-high 23 points wasn’t enough for the Lions. Kayla Brown had 6 points and 13 rebounds for the Lady Wildcats.

No. 2 Winder-Barrow 53, Dacula 52: Chellia Watson had 15 points and 5 assists in the win.

No. 8 Tucker 45, No. 7 Stephenson 43: Jesani Buchanan and Kerrigan Johnson scored 12 apiece for the Tigers. Kassidy Broussard led Stephenson with 12 points while Sierra Wynn added 7 points and 13 rebounds.

Alexander 82, Tri-Cities 34: Chloe Pollock (16), Mary Kate Eubanks (15) and Kiara Watson (11) overwhelmed Tri-Cities. The Bulldogs were led by freshman Shynique McGee’s 12 points.

Northview 46, Johns Creek 27: Ashlee Austin scored 12 points. Maya Richards and Asjah Inniss scored 10 apiece. Eden Sample netted 7 points and Makayla Davis chipped in 5.

New Manchester 61, South Paulding 45: Ja’lisya Glover scored 15 points followed by Makaila Cange and Tracy Lavender chipped in 14 points apiece.

Class AAAAA

No. 1 Buford 60, Clarke Central 29: Air Force-signee Audrey Weiner scored 11 points and Tate Walters had 10. Michigan State-signee Tory Ozment chipped in 9.

Cass 55, Woodland-Cartersville 16: Aaliyah Curtis and Sharia Wade scored 9 apiece. Payton Stoddard had 8 points and Lyric Curtis pitched in 7 points.

Class AAAA

No. 5 Luella 85, Eastside 68: Kamya Hollingshed went for 30 points and moved into second-place on Luella’s All-Time scoring list.

No. 6 Madison County 73, Stephens County 48: Jordan Bailey piled in 27 points and Kayla McPherson added 20. In the loss, Tykia Thompson scored 13 points and Bre Taylor had 12.

Pickens 77, Ridgeland 43: Shelby Cook had 14 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists. Mykezie Weaver netted 14 points. Torie Williams added 12 points and 3 assists while Mackenzie Hampton tallied 9 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks.

LaGrange 61, Troup County 46: Aryan Dozier dumped in 32 points.

Jefferson 64, Oconee County 35: Jazmin Allen poured in 22 points and Mariah Starks pitched in 17 in the win.

Class AAA

No. 5 Johnson-Savannah 50, No. 2 Beach 45: J’Mya Cutter scored 20 points and Jazmine Thompson had 15 as the Atomsmashers rallied from down 12 points to edge Beach. Ja’brekia Bass had 14 points in the loss.

No. 4 Central-Macon 52, Pike County 21: Tyleia Williams collected 16 points and 10 steals. Kayia Greene had 12 points and 10 rebounds while JeNya Wilder posted 11 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 6 steals. Jada Clowers chipped in 8 points, 4 rebounds and 4 blocks.

No. 8 Hart County 53, Jackson County 24: Taniya Alexander double-doubled with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Torrion Starks and Shakendra Grove scored 13 points apiece.

Calhoun 54, Murray County 39: Anna George scored 18 points and Erin Davis added 17 in the win. Ashlyn Brzozoski had 12.

Morgan County 44, East Jackson 29: Taylor Wilson and Tamia Buford netted 11 points apiece. Shiquita Sturdivant had 8 points in the loss.

Union County 61, East Hall 53: Bailey Daniel scored 20 points and Kait McCarter had 15 in the win.

North Hall 74, Dawson County 69 OT: Kaylee Sticker had 22 points in defeat. Sophia D’Oliveria scored 19 and Anna Lowe netted 11.

Class AA

East Laurens 63, No. 3 Washington County 56: Destinee Ellison had 16 points and Nijeria Jordan added 14 points and 5 rebounds, but the Lady Hawks lost their third-straight game. Miracle Parker (13) and Jada Darrisaw (10) both chipped in.

No. 7 Rabun County 78, Monticello 52: Recent Presbyterian-commit Georgia Stockton poured in 27 points and 6 rebounds. Laken Stiles had 17 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Destiny Deetz added 8 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals. Madison Abbott pumped in 27 points in the loss.

Bleckley County 73, Dublin 44: Jahnaria Brown exploded for 28 points, 17 rebounds and 6 blocks.

Class A-Private

Galloway 58, Paideia 41: Caitlin Felts scored 13 points and Jada Ryce had 10 in the win.

Lakeview Academy 58, Providence Christian 43: Sadie Thrailkill had 18 points, 7 rebounds and 4 steals. Tori Taylor netted 17 points while Maddie Blackburn pitched in 11 points and 4 assists.

Class A-Public

No. 3 Telfair County 58, 2ANo. 10 Dodge County 52: Brandy Mackey (21), Tanajawa Graham (11) and Ny’Asia Howard (8) powered the Lady Trojans. Dodge County was led by Europe Brown’s 19 points. LaShauna Coley and Destanee Wright scored 9 apiece.

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