Category Archives: Girls Basketball

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Girls Recaps, Recaps

Statewide Recap 1-11-19

BOYS

AAAAAAA

No. 3 Meadowcreek 67, Central Gwinnett 48: UAB-signee Jalen Benjamin finished with 24 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists. Emmanuel Collier hit five threes en route to 15 points. USF-signee Jamir Chaplin had 12 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists while Temple-signee Damian Dunn tossed in 8 points and 13 rebounds.

No. 4 Discovery 61, Mountain View 41: Longwood-signee Leslie Nkereuwem double-doubled with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Jaden Walker had 12 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Hasahnn Reynolds finished with 11 points and 5 assists.

No. 7 Newton 81, Archer 66: Armani Harris (19), Tre Clark (18), Shawn Smith (15) and Tyrease Brown (12) carried the Rams as Newton drilled 15 threes.

Etowah 51, Cherokee 46: Etowah prolonged Cherokee’s disappointing season as Jaxon Etter hung 26 points and 5 steals.

Marietta 79, Hillgrove 72: Treylan Smith (20), John Allen (16), Travis Burrus (14) and CJ Sinclair (12) led a balanced Blue Devil attack. Hillgrove was led by Jaiden Julian’s 22 points and Orry Clements-Owens’ 21.

Tift County 70, Camden County 63: Marquavius Johnson poured in 27 points. Tyree Marshall netted 19 and Jatarion Warren scored 12.

AAAAAA

Douglas County 72, No. 3 South Paulding 60: Marquise Collins piled in 28 points off the bench. Jeremiah Smith (13) and JJ Richards (11) rounded out the attack. Cam Armstrong scored 16 in the loss.

No. 5 Chattahoochee 86, Centennial 55: AJ White (30), Franklin Bailey (18), Cam Sheffield (17) and Grant Van Beveren (10) tore up Centennial’s defense.

No. 7 Lakeside-Evans 67, No. 10 Evans 56: The Knights failed their biggest test of the season as the Panthers handed Evans their first loss. Kalen Williams had 22 points while Tyshun Briscoe scored 19. In the loss Christian Chambers netted 17.

No. 9 Sequoyah 86, Harrison 62: Jacksen Greco hit 8-of-13 threes to finish with 31 points.

Alpharetta 71, Dunwoody 54: North Carolina A&T-signee Brandon Barron had 23 points and 6 assists. Kalik Brooks tallied 20 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals while Jaden Stephens chipped in 11 points and 14 rebounds.

Tucker 73, Forest Park 42: Jermontae Hill scored 21 points. Braelon Seals (10), Nic Watson (8) and Dartmouth-signee Nate Ogbu (8) powered the Tigers.

Lanier 65, Apalachee 53: Sion James scored 27 points followed by Sean Foster’s 14. Jehloni James contributed 9 points.

Mundy’s Mill 66, Mt. Zion-Jonesboro 49: Jordan Black (22), Rayquan Brown (18) and Demarcus Fannin (12) overpowered Mt. Zion.

Creekside 91, Northgate 48: Devin Bell exploded for 34 points (8-10 3PT) and 5 assists. John Moliere double-doubled with 20 points and 15 rebounds. Niles McAdoo and PJ Murray scored 7 points apiece.

AAAAA

Loganville 59, No. 1 Buford 54: The Red Devils went on the road to stun the Wolves behind Jamar Moore’s 16 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks. Akil Covington scored 12 points and Sheldon Arnold picked up 11 points and 3 assists.

No. 2 Fayette County 82, Whitewater 63: JeKobe Coleman scored 19 points. Joshua Dupree had 15 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Ricky Knight Jr. finished with 15 points and 5 assists. Terrell Bradley tallied 12 points and 6 rebounds.

Grady 63, No. 10 Lithia Springs 57: Dewan Wright and Michael Stevens Jr. scored 21 points apiece in the upset.

Rome 74, Woodland-Cartersville 68: Caleb Byrd scored 34 points.

Cedar Shoals 71, Johnson-Gainesville 30: Tyler Johnson finished with 15 points and 8 rebounds. Quincy Canty posted 12 points and 7 rebounds while Demetrius Glenn netted 11 points.

Paulding County 78, Cass 68: Jervon Morris scored 24 points. Kevin Brown had 16 points followed by Joab Bogan (11) and Keon Sedgwick (10).

Warner Robins 70, Veterans 42: Jacobi Coleman had 16 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals. Quon Dillard had 16 points and 9 rebounds while Trevon Williams chipped in 10 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals.

AAAA

No. 1 Upson-Lee 87, Spalding 50: Derrius Hayes broke out with 17 points. Travon Walker had 15 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks. Zyrice Scott finished with 12 points, 8 assists and 4 steals. Jarrett Adderton added 13 points and 6 rebounds.

No. 2 Sandy Creek 67, Cartersville 54: Drexel-signee TJ Bickerstaff compiled 23 points and 15 rebounds. Keith Williams III had 17 points and 8 rebounds. Julian Alexander had 8 points and 6 assists while Jabari Smith chipped in 8 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocks. DeShon Proctor tacked on 6 points and 11 rebounds.

No. 7 Carver-Columbus 72, No. 5 Americus-Sumter 67: AJ Watts scored 23 points followed by Devin Flowers’ 20 points, 6 assists and 5 steals. Jacyias Credle had 13 points and 10 rebounds. Jalen King double-doubled with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

No. 8 Baldwin 65, Westside-Macon 61: Donte Justice scored 15 points followed by Jermyus Simmons’ 14 and Torez Hicks’ 10. Kowacie Reeves Jr. and Javian Mosley led Westside-Macon with 15 points apiece. Rico Campbell finished with 14 points while Des Foston had 12 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.

Eastside 46, No. 9 Salem 45: Myles Rice and Killien Glover scored 10 points apiece to lead Eastside in the upset. Jerry Mays and Darrell Duncombe netted 8 points each. Lance Smith (12) and Montez Swann (11) led Salem in defeat.

No. 10 Denmark 80, Chestatee 60: Sutton Smith finished with 16 points and 7 assists while Ze’Vian Capers posted 15 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Trevor Bryk had 10 points and 7 rebounds. Joseph Scott tacked on 10 points and 5 rebounds. Adonnis Tolbert pitched in 8 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks.

Woodward Academy 62, Druid Hills 44: Walker Kessler went for 27 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists and 7 blocks. Logan Stephens scored 8 points followed by Will Demorest’s 7 points and 6 rebounds.

Pickens 67, Ridgeland 60: Seth Bishop went for 23 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. Hunter Hermann scored 12 points. Zach Goss, Brady Moore and Tucker Lowe all scored 10 points apiece.

Hardaway 55, Shaw 54: In the loss Rod Winfrey scored 18 points while Darnell Moran contributed 8 points and 3 rebounds.

Blessed Trinity 63, White County 54: Jack Stephans (18), James Bryant (17) and Andy Swade (14) carried the Titans.

Cross Creek 60, Richmond Academy 40: Kobe Stewart and Jatravious Stewart scored 17 points apiece. Eric Gore and Corey Trotter each netted 9 points.

AAA

No. 2 GAC 64, Marist 51: Hunter McIntosh (16), Clifton Baskerville (13), Cole Perusek (10), Roy Dixon III (10) and Belmont-signee Ben Sheppard (9) paced the Spartans.

No. 3 Dawson County 71, Fannin County 36: Jasper Gibson finished with 23 points, 3 rebounds and 4 steals while Luke Chism had 15 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals. Ahmad Kamara chipped in 13 points and 5 rebounds.

No. 8 Cedar Grove 59, Towers 36: Kanaris Cummings (11), Devon Barnes (10), Jeffery Daniels (8) and Montre Montfort (8) led a balanced offensive attack.

Lovett 80, Fellowship Christian 44: Zach Minetola had 16 points and Colin Goldberg added 11.

Beach 72, Southeast Bulloch 68: In the loss Ryan Swanson had 22 points, 4 rebounds and 4 steals. Bryce Stephens had 17 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals. Janard Mike netted 12 points.

Butler 70, Laney 66: Jyheem Rollins scored 33 points.

Calhoun 63, Sonoraville 49: Gage Maffetone (14) and Caleb Boone (13) led the Yellow Jackets. Bralin Barton, Jake Prather and Xaxton Goodson all scored 8 points.

AA

No. 1 Woodville-Tompkins 67, Jeff Davis 42: Preston Crisp tallied his 1,000th career point with his 25-point outing. Bernard Pelote scored 17.

No. 3 Northeast-Macon 56, Bleckley County 45: Darius Dunn (15), Cam Cherry (12), Ty’Ree Gilbert (8), Travion Solomon (8) and Kendall Green (6) balanced the Raider offense.

No. 6 Elbert County 62, Monticello 22: AJ James scored 18 points while Terrence Hester had 15 points and 6 rebounds to power the Blue Devils.

Social Circle 64, Banks County 56 OT: Bryan Oglesby netted 18 points to pace the Redskins. KJ Reid and Ennis Woolfolk scored 16 apiece.

Rockmart 57, Chattooga 47: The Yellow Jackets took advantage of a shorthanded Chattooga team without two starters. Sam DePew netted 15 points followed by Juke Boozer’s 11 points and Chandler Cooper’s 10.

Heard County 60, Lamar County 44: Alijah Huzzie totaled 20 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. Khalil Cofield scored 18 points and Tray Dunson had 10 points and 10 rebounds.

A-Private

No. 1 St. Francis 57, No. 5 Walker 55: Xavier-commit Dwon Odom finished with 22 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists and 5 steals including a steal and game-winning layup at the buzzer. Chase Ellis muscled in 18 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals. Jordan Brown scored 8 points and CJ Riley netted 7. Chandler Baker carried Walker with 30 points. Burke Chebuhar added 9 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists. Chris Newell scored 8 points.

No. 2 Mt. Bethel 64, Mt. Pisgah 62: James Madison-signee Quinn Richey scored 18 points and Nate Gordon had 16 in the near upset of Mt. Bethel. JoJo Peterson added 9.

No. 6 Wesleyan 67, Paideia 35: JD Kavel scored 20 points followed by Jalen Fulwood (11) and Micah Smith (10).

No. 8 Lakeview Academy 81, Commerce 52: Blake McIntyre netted 26 points. Adam Cottrell had 15 points and 8 assists. Conley Millwood chipped in 11 points. Holden Cooper and Arturo Varela each tallied 6 assists. Jalen Dorsey (12) and Chandler Martin (10) led Commerce.

No. 10 Holy Innocents’ 66, Galloway 54: Chance Moore finished with 21 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks while Garrison Powell pitched in 14 points and 7 rebounds. Devin Farrell netted 14 points. Justin Wilson collected 6 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 steals. Galloway was led by Wyatt Duncan’s 16 points and 4 steals. Anthony Arrington double-doubled with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Will Winn scored 10 points.

Riverside Military 65, Athens Christian 46: Isaac Teasley had 15 points, 13 rebounds and 4 assists. Khalid Duke posted 14 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists. Jordan Battles pitched in 13 points and 8 rebounds.

Tallulah Falls 62, George Walton 58: In the defeat, Brelan Holston had 16 points and 7 assists.

Athens Academy 58, Towns County 53: Lawrence Jang scored 22 points and Deion Colzie netted 13. Hugh Laughlin (11) and Barrett McLanahan (10) chipped in.

Darlington 56, Bowdon 48: Andrew Land scored 22 points while Barrick Wade had 18 points off 4 threes.

Stratford Academy 72, Mt. de Sales 65: Mississippi State-signee Devin Butts finished with 28 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Jack Miscall and Ben Baxley scored 13 points apiece. Christian Palmer netted 10 and Isaiah Josey added 7.

A-Public

Wilkinson County 81, Twiggs County 51: Jalen Lamar finished with 29 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists.

 

GIRLS

AAAAAAA

No. 3 North Cobb 66, North Paulding 44: Sydney Thomas netted 27 points in the win.

No. 5 Cherokee 66, Etowah 26: Olivia Herrera and North Georgia-signee Lacie McCoy scored 13 points apiece. Ashlyn Andrus added 9 points.

No. 6 Grayson 65, Rockdale 59: Catherine Alben finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Malia Grace had 15 points and 8 rebounds while Nadia Howard tallied 10 points, 4 rebounds and 4 steals.

Hillgrove 51, No. 7 Marietta 45: Kennedi White scored 14 points and GCSU-signee Michelle Smith had 12 to muddy up the Region 3 race. Marietta was led by Charlay Conway’s 19 points. Eva Knox, Ajia Smith and Jayda Lowe all scored 6 points apiece for Marietta.

No. 9 North Forsyth 51, Lambert 29: Ansley Allen and Caroline Martin scored 18 points apiece.

Archer 61, Newton 43: In the loss Jada Franklin scored 14 points.

Roswell 58, Lassiter 37: Georgia State-signee Kennedy Powell scored 16 points while Emmanuel College-signee Lindsey Pruitt netted 13.

AAAAAA

No. 1 Lovejoy 75, Drew 30: Genesis Bryant led the Wildcats with 21 points while Anaya Boyd had 14 points and 3 blocks. J’Auana Robinson scored 11 points.

No. 2 Forest Park 63, Tucker 10: Alana Denson (17), Sarah Matthews (15) and Sania Feagin (10) powered Forest Park.

No. 7 Dacula 43, Habersham Central 38: Valdosta State-signee Kendall Bollmer scored 11 of her 14 points in the fourth quarter to secure the victory. Lazaria Spearman had 11 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks. Keyanna Gibbs scored 8 points and Chelsey Abel notched 6 points and 7 rebounds.

Johns Creek 60, No. 10 Pope 47: Wilnie Joseph (15), Jill Davis (10) and Kate Powers (10) helped upset the Greyhounds.

Lanier 64, Apalachee 44: Nala Lawrence scored 14 points.

Centennial 63, Chattahoochee 28: Bailey Hebermehl netted 19 points and Aerial Nathan scored 14 in the win.

AAAAA

AAAA

No. 1 Carver-Columbus 85, Americus-Sumter 27: Columbus State-signee Janya Love-Hill pumped in 27 points. Olivia Cochran scored 15 points while Kionna Gaines had 11 and Sadrea Mabry added 10.

No. 5 Flowery Branch 87, West Hall 27: Ashley Scott tied the school record with 7 threes en route to 21 points.

West Laurens 52, Howard 31: Calmela Mack finished with 14 points and 3 steals. MaKayla Murray had 8 points and 3 steals while Jakerra Wilbur posted 7 points and 5 assists. Ashanti Surrey netted 6 points. MaKayla Kemp totaled 3 points and 4 steals.

Pickens 81, Ridgeland 33: Mykenzie Weaver went for 29 points, 8 rebounds and 10 steals. Torie Williams added 12 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals. Chloe Walker chipped in 9 points, 3 assists and 4 steals. Cassidy Richards finished with 8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals.

Woodward Academy 56, Druid Hills 50: Freshman Sydney Bowles dropped in 25 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks. Clara Snell had 14 points and Zoe Scott tallied 5 points and 8 rebounds. Maddy Cronin grabbed 6 rebounds and collected 2 assists and 3 steals.

North Clayton 66, Hampton 56: Denetra Sneed was everywhere with 26 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 8 steals and 1 block. T’mya Parker finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 block. Kyleah O’Neal had 13 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. Jada Showers collected 10 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists and 6 steals.

Chestatee 73, Denmark 19: Christina Garcia (17) and Maggie McNair (16) led the War Eagles. Beth Eddins scored 9 points. Emma Easterwood had 6 points, 7 assists and 9 steals. Logan Wiggins posted 7 points and 6 rebounds.

Eastside 59, Salem 45: Dasia Burgess netted 16 points. Alysee Dobbs had 15 points and 7 rebounds.

AAA

No. 1 Morgan County 60, Franklin County 46: Junior guard Tamia Benford scored a career-high 28 points. Miranda Powell netted 14.

No. 3 Jefferson 60, Monroe Area 39: Natalia Bolden scored 17 points followed by Livi Blackstock and Deshona Gaither’s 10 apiece.

No. 4 Johnson-Savannah 61, Savannah 32: J’Mya Cutter had 23 points, 5 assists and 5 steals. Jasmine Thompson posted 15 points and 10 rebounds.

East Hall 48, No. 7 North Hall 45: Alexis Burce finished with 16 points while Aaliyah Edwards and Audrey Griffin scored 8 apiece.

No. 10 Dawson County 58, Fannin County 32: Maddie Anglin and Sophia d’Oliveira scored 14 points apiece. Rachel Swafford had 9.

Sonoraville 85, Calhoun 46: Alexa Geary and Abby Chambers scored 17 points apiece. Grace Darnell (13), Maliyah Parks (11) and Lindsay Bowman (10) all reached double digits. In the loss, Emily Sorrow (7) and Lyndi Rae Davis (6) led Calhoun.

North Murray 46, Haralson County 17: Tenley Gladson scored 12 points. Korbin Tipton netted 9 points and Baylee Gable had 7.

AA

No. 1 Dodge County 67, Southwest-Macon 63: Destanee Wright (28), Europe Brown (14) and Shauna Coley (14) helped the Squaws remain undefeated in region play.

No. 5 Bryan County 69, Bacon County 23: Olonna Rawls scored 21 points followed by Shelby Gunn’s 18 points. Jay Black netted 10 points.

No. 6 Rabun County 74, Putnam County 54: Brooke Henricks had 13 points and 6 rebounds while Beth Payne added 12 points and 9 rebounds. Laken Stiles finished with 9 points and 5 assists. Hanna Cannon scored 9 points.

No. 9 Banks County 74, Social Circle 24: Heather Vaughan matched the Redskins with 24 points. GCSU-signee Jaycie Bowen scored 12 points, as did Amber Williams.

Union County 48, Oglethorpe County 19: The Panthers used a 23-0 run to open the game. Ava Hunter (10), Kait McCarter (9) and Rebekah Chambers (8) powered the offense.

Temple 59, Jordan 25: Ruby Collins scored 18 points while Tori Chivers tacked on 14 points, 5 assists and 8 steals. Mackenzie Holt added 13 points and 5 rebounds.

A-Private

No. 1 Wesleyan 58, No. 6 Paideia 33: AC Carter finished with 16 points and 17 rebounds. Izzy Larsen added 15 points and 8 rebounds. Alyssa Philip (11) and Nicole Azar (9) both chipped in offensively.

No. 5 Lakeview Academy 63, Commerce 27: Eliza Snyder finished with 28 points and 5 rebounds. Jackie Allen posted 12 points and 4 rebounds. Joelle Snyder scored 7 points. Sadie Thrailkill had 6 points and 6 rebounds while Maddy Towles chipped in 6 points and 4 rebounds.

No. 8 Stratford Academy 54, Mt. de Sales 24: Nadia Reese poured in 22 points.

Pinecrest Academy 45, Whitefield Academy 19: Meghan Sullivan scored 22 points. Aryn Spain had 8.

Prince Avenue 49, Hebron Christian 39: Janie Henderson led the Wolverines with 16 points. Noelle Hynes scored 12 points followed by Karlee Armstrong’s 10 points and Maddi Britt’s 8.

Savannah Christian 56, McIntosh County Academy 36: Paige Dennis (14), Mallory Robinett (11) and Kayla Jones (9) paced the Raiders.

A-Public

Towns County 46, Athens Academy 42: In the loss Ali Rumpel gobbled up 15 points and 13 rebounds. Meredith Reynolds scored 14 points and Jaila Salley-Barnett had 7 points and 3 assists.

Girls Basketball, Girls Rankings

Week 8 Girls Rankings

Class AAAAAAA

1. Westlake (14-0)
2. Collins Hill (16-1)
3. North Cobb (15-0)
4. Norcross (11-7)
5. Cherokee (13-3)
6. Grayson (13-2)
7. Marietta (10-5)
8. Pebblebrook (14-2)
9. North Forsyth (11-4)
10. Colquitt County (11-2)

Class AAAAAA

1. Lovejoy (15-3)
2. Forest Park (15-2)
3. Northview (12-3)
4. Glynn Academy (14-2)
5. Stephenson (10-7)
6. Douglas County (13-4)
7. Dacula (13-3)
8. Valdosta (14-2)
9. New Manchester (14-2)
10. Pope (13-3)

Class AAAAA

1. Villa Rica (15-0)
2. Buford (13-1)
3. Eagle’s Landing (11-3)
4. Harris County (12-3)
5. Southwest DeKalb (13-5)
6. Veterans (14-2)
7. Carrollton (12-5)
8. Locust Grove (12-4)
9. Statesboro (16-1)
10. Jones County (14-3)

Class AAAA

1. Carver-Columbus (15-0)
2. Spalding (12-3)
3. Madison County (16-1)
4. Henry County (16-2)
5. Flowery Branch (13-3)
6. Luella (14-3)
7. Westover (10-2)
8. Marist (11-4)
9. Baldwin (10-4)
10. Perry (8-4)

Class AAA

1. Morgan County (12-3)
2. Beach (14-3)
3. Jefferson (14-2)
4. Johnson-Savannah (9-6)
5. Hart County (12-4)
6. GAC (8-8)
7. North Hall (12-4)
8. Tattnall County (11-5)
9. Peach County (9-3)
10. Dawson County (11-6) 

Class AA

1. Dodge County (15-1)
2. Douglass (12-5)
3. Fitzgerald (15-0)
4. Laney (14-1)
5. Bryan County (15-0)
6. Rabun County (13-1)
7. Swainsboro (10-2)
8. Early County (12-1)
9. Banks County (13-3)
10. Washington County (12-3)

Class A-Private

1. Wesleyan (16-0)
2. St. Francis (9-3)
3. Holy Innocents’ (8-6)
4. ELCA (10-3)
5. Lakeview Academy (12-4)
6. Paideia (13-1)
7. Mt. Paran (12-1)
8. Stratford Academy (14-1)
9. Calvary Day (12-3)
10. Darlington (10-3)

Class A-Public

1. Marion County (12-0)
2. Georgia Military College (8-1)
3. Telfair County (11-3)
4. Greenville (16-1)
5. Wheeler County (10-4)
6. Calhoun County (13-2)
7. Clinch County (7-2)
8. Central-Talbotton (8-3)
9. Dooly County (10-3)
10. Wilcox County (10-4)

 

There are some changes near the bottom of the poll in Class AAAAAAA. No. 8 Pebblebrook falls three spots after a 60-51 loss at Rockdale. No. 5 Cherokee benefits the most this week, rising four spots after scoring two road wins against Walton 79-45 and River Ridge 63-29. No. 7 Marietta moves up three spots behind Cherokee thanks to a No. 9 North Forsyth loss to Roswell 55-52, dropping the Raiders two spots as they couldn’t overcome the absence of leading scorer Ansley Allen. Mill Creek (12-5) exits the Top 10 with losses on the road against Duluth 47-42 and Class 4A No. 5 Flowery Branch 62-47. Debuting in the poll is No. 10 Colquitt County, who survived Camden County 62-58 in double overtime. Junior Janiah Ellis has taken over the reins of the offense, upping her production from 7.8 points and 3.5 rebounds a year ago to 22.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.1 steals per game.

Class AAAAAA sees no movement as the state’s best team and best backcourt made a statement at the She Got Game Classic as No. 1 Lovejoy pounded Class A-Private No. 3 Holy Innocents’ 64-46. The Wildcats drilled 11 threes and the Golden Bears had no answers for juniors Genesis Bryant (16 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 steals) and Anaya Boyd (15 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 5 blocks). At the bottom of the poll, No. 9 New Manchester avoided a trap game at Langston Hughes, pulling out a 52-48 victory.

No. 1 Villa Rica holds tight in Class AAAAA after a 51-45 win at Rome. No. 3 Eagle’s Landing crawls ahead of No. 5 Southwest DeKalb after the Panthers dropped to Dillard (FL) 57-45 and Class 4A No. 2 Spalding 54-45. No. 9 Statesboro is down three spots following a 69-62 loss at Class 2A No. 7 Swainsboro, the Blue Devils’ first defeat of the season. No. 4 Harris County knocked Warner Robins (9-5) from the Top 10 with a 45-42 win. Also out of the poll is Wayne County (11-2) who lost 49-32 at Ware County. Two new teams debut in No. 8 Locust Grove and No. 10 Jones County. The Wildcats have won six-straight with their latest triumph coming at Union Grove 52-51, but more impressively Locust Grove won the Mary Persons Christmas Tournament by beating Class 2A No. 1 at the time Douglass 69-62, Upson-Lee 70-57 and Monticello 63-58. Star senior point guard Zamiya Passmore is averaging 23.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 4.1 steals. Jones County enters the rankings with wins over Dutchtown 56-31 and at Upson-Lee 45-33 last week.

The best player in Georgia regardless of classification, grade or position is Class AAAA No. 3 Madison County’s sophomore point guard Kayla McPherson. She is the best girls player I’ve watched over the past four years; she is a mini-Asia Durr and she will be in the WNBA if she continues to improve at the rate she is going. The 5-foot-7 dynamo torched Class 3A No. 5 Hart County for 64 points – a school-record – in the Red Raiders’ 93-68 victory. McPherson didn’t rack up the points against a nobody school, she did it against one of the best in their respective classification with a D-I point guard in Torrion Starks (Western Kentucky) and it wasn’t a layup line blow out. It was a 63-52 game before McPherson unleashed the knockout blow with 20 points in the fourth quarter. She finished with 64 points (11 threes), 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 steal. And-1s, step-back threes, impossible finishes, slick dribbling and great court vision, McPherson is mixtape lore and must-watch entertainment before she heads to college. Offensively, the Red Raiders are a two-man show with McPherson and Old Dominion-signee Jordan Bailey who dumped in 17 points and 16 rebounds, but having the best player in the state on their team makes Madison County a legitimate title contender if McPherson stays hot come February and March. Elsewhere in the state, No. 2 Spalding beat Josey 51-40 and Class 5A No. 5 Southwest DeKalb 54-45. No. 5 Flowery Branch took care of last week’s Class 7A No. 8 Mill Creek 62-47. Northwest Whitfield (14-3) drops out of the rankings after losing at the buzzer to Coahulla Creek 46-44. They are replaced by No. 9 Baldwin, who finally resurfaces after a 70-40 win at Richmond Academy. Unsigned senior guard Crystal Corley is averaging 16.1 points and 5.4 rebounds.

No. 3 Jefferson rallied from down 28-14 in the second quarter to eventually score a crucial Region 8-AAA victory over No. 5 Hart County 66-61 as both teams chase No. 1 Morgan County in the classification’s toughest region. The Bulldogs couldn’t bounce back from their loss to the Dragons as they fell on the road against Class 4A No. 3 Madison County 93-68, nearly outscored by sophomore sensation Kayla McPherson who dropped 64 points. In the loss, Western Kentucky-signee Torrion Starks played well with 21 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals while 6-foot sophomore Taniya Alexander gobbled up 20 points, 12 rebounds and 3 steals. No. 4 Johnson-Savannah hosts No. 2 Beach this Tuesday with a chance to get some revenge for their 55-53 overtime defeat back in late November. No. 10 Dawson County sinks four spots following a 63-56 loss at Cherokee Bluff. Rutland (11-5) wasn’t as lucky, as their third straight loss drops them from the poll. The Hurricanes were beat by returnee No. 9 Peach County 48-43 and fell at Kendrick 54-51.

In Class AA, No. 1 Dodge County finally got the monkey off their back by beating East Laurens 88-80 after the Falcons swept the Squaws last season. No. 7 Swainsboro handed Class 5A No. 9 Statesboro their first loss of the season, 69-62. No. 8 Early County spanked Class A-Public No. 6 Calhoun County 52-25. No. 10 Washington County slips one spot after losing 46-35 to Southwest-Macon who now gets a crack at Dodge County to prove their legitimacy in not only Region 3, but statewide. The Patriots were blasted at home by the Squaws in their first meeting 63-27.

There is no movement in Class A-Private. No. 1 Wesleyan defeated Dillard (FL) 63-57 at the She Got Game Classic. No. 2 St. Francis turned back No. 7 Mt. Paran 59-42 on the road. No. 3 Holy Innocents’ lost 64-46 to Class 6A No. 1 Lovejoy at the She Got Game Classic. No. 6 Paideia survived at Galloway 58-56. No. 10 Darlington held off North Murray 41-36.

Turner County (10-5) couldn’t survive a week in the Class A-Public poll, losing to falling No. 10 Wilcox County 66-63 and rising No. 7 Clinch County 64-52. Wilcox County is down three spots after suffering a 61-26 beatdown at the hands of debutant No. 9 Dooly County, who is streaking, winners of nine-straight. The Bobcats avenged their 37-32 season-opening loss at Wilcox County in dominating fashion.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Girls Basketball

2018-19 Mid-Season Storylines

2019 is here and we have reached the midway point of the GHSA basketball season. It’s time for some mid-season awards and storylines to track the rest of the year.

Biggest Surprise

Boys: Currently ranked No. 8 in Class 7A, East Coweta (14-1) has emerged as a Region 2 title contender and a legitimate threat to take a deep run in state. The Indians will be battle-tested if they make the state tournament which will be no cakewalk as No. 5 Wheeler, No. 9 Pebblebrook, Westlake and Campbell all loom. The Indians have already surpassed last year’s 13-win mark and have seen major contributions from 2019 6-0 G Mandez Jones (18.3 ppg), 2020 6-6 W Brandon Stroud (17.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 3.3 apg, 2.2 spg, 1.2 bpg) and 2020 6-4 G Christopher Youngblood (15.4 ppg, 8 rpg). The addition of 2019 6-5 PF Zac Hill (9 ppg, 10.1 rpg) and the play of set-up man 2019 PG 5-9 Derrick Emory (3.7 ppg, 6.8 apg, 3.6 spg) make East Coweta tough to slow down.

Girls: Following a 9-15 season in Year 1 under Coach David Dowse, Lumpkin County has compiled a 13-3 record with just eight girls on the roster. While they haven’t quite secured their signature win in Region 7-AAA yet, the Lady Indians have proven to be able to hang in with some of the state’s best, losing to No. 7 GAC 48-42 and No. 6 Dawson County 58-55. Sophomore Isabel Davenport and senior Mackenzie Pulley have carried the load offensively.

Don’t Sleep On…

Boys: There have been a handful of teams that have taken their L’s in non-region play, trying to prepare for the bigger picture. All of the defending Class A-Public state champ Wilkinson County’s losses have come against teams that have spent time in the Top 10. Sitting at 3-8, don’t count out Region 7-A’s most feared team. The talent is there but the wins haven’t been for Cedar Shoals (6-7) who is closing in on last year’s 10-win total. Juniors 6-foot-6 Quincy Canty and 6-foot-1 Tyler Johnson look like future D-I players while Demetrius Glenn, another 2020 guard, is a three-point marksman. The Jaguars will not be an easy out come February.

Girls: Once the class of Cobb County and the state’s most dominant program, McEachern (4-7) has come back to earth. They Indians are better than what their record suggests, going 2-4 against out of state competition but they still have a lot of work to do to crawl back into the Top 10 in Class 7A. A 50-40 loss to No. 3 North Cobb was a sobering reality that the Indians are no longer the best team in their own region or county, but with most of their speed bumps in the rearview mirror, don’t count out McEachern as they gear up for another playoff run.

Knock, Knock

Boys: The Top 10 is a crowded picture in each classification and Pope (11-3) might be first in line to barge down the door in Class 6A. The Greyhounds sit at 5-1 in an improved Region 7 and hold wins over No. 5 Chattahoochee (81-70) and No. 7 Sequoyah (97-54), one of Region 6’s frontrunners. Ugly losses to 4-11 Lassiter (66-63) and Cambridge (70-45) have held the Greyhounds back. Seniors Micah Paulk and Ryan Billig pace a senior-laden group.

Girls: Jones County (12-3) holds two wins over No. 10 Warner Robins and has beaten previously ranked Woodland-Stockbridge and Baldwin along with a tough Locust Grove group. Another clean week could propel the Greyhounds into the Top 10 if anyone falters in Class 5A. Down in Class 2A, Model (11-3) has transitioned to life after Victaria Saxton quite well. The Blue Devils won the Rome News-Tribune Christmas Tournament by beating Class A-Private No. 10 Darlington 50-39 and previously ranked in Class 5A Rome 55-48.

 

Mid-Season Statistical Leaders

*Reported to MaxPreps

BOYS

GRADE/NAME SCHOOL POINTS PER GAME
JR Keundre Campbell Webster County 29.4
SR Chris Parker Bowdon 27.0
SR Malik Foston GMC 26.5
SR Terrell Burden Campbell 25.1

 

GRADE/NAME SCHOOL REBOUNDS PER
SR Justin Jackson Dougherty 13.4
JR Shontavian Manuel Bleckley County 13.1
SR Zeff Felton Dooly County 12.9
SR Zac Cole Southeast Whitfield 12.4

 

GRADE/NAME SCHOOL ASSISTS PER GAME
SR Jordan Brown Westover 7.9
JR Donovan Shipp Sequoyah 7.8
JR Omar Cooper Walker 7.8
JR Dwon Odom St. Francis 7.1

 

GRADE/NAME SCHOOL STEALS PER GAME
JR Terrele Barnes Jordan 6.4
JR KD Johnson Southwest DeKalb 4.7
JR Tailique Williams Harris County 4.5
JR CJ Johnson Lanier County 4.5

 

GRADE/NAME SCHOOL BLOCKS PER GAME
JR Walker Kessler Woodward Academy 5.4
SO Omarion Smith Douglas County 4.3
SR Jahleel Roundtree Burke County 3.7
FR TJ Grant Veterans 3.1

 

 

GIRLS

*Reported to MaxPreps

GRADE/NAME SCHOOL POINTS PER GAME
SR Gracie Brunel Lanier County 26.8
JR Olonna Rawls Bryan County 24.7
FR Sydney Bowles Woodward Academy 24.4
SR Tomiyah Alford Lamar County 24.0

 

GRADE/NAME SCHOOL REBOUNDS PER
SO Alayshia Dixon Wilcox County 16.1
SO Sacha Washington Parkview 15.4
SO Nuriyah Slaton Greenville 13.7
FR Layla Hood Elite Scholars Academy 13.6

 

GRADE/NAME SCHOOL ASSISTS PER GAME
SR Zamiya Passmore Locust Grove 7.4
JR Mya Byrd Turner County 6.2
SO Ty’Shemia Bunkley Central-Talbotton 5.5
JR Lacy Robins Statesboro 4.8

 

GRADE/NAME SCHOOL STEALS PER GAME
SR Tomiyah Alford Lamar County 7.8
SR Denetra Sneed North Clayton 7.6
JR Jada Showers North Clayton 6.5
JR Deasia Ford Americus-Sumter 6.5

 

GRADE/NAME SCHOOL BLOCKS PER GAME
SO Nuriyah Slaton Greenville 5.3
SR Emily Greek Thomas County Central 4.9
SO Sania Feagin Forest Park 4.3
JR Ke’mya Whitlock Berkmar 4.1

 

Girls Basketball, Girls Rankings

Week 7 Girls Rankings

Class AAAAAAA

1. Westlake (12-0)
2. Collins Hill (15-1)
3. North Cobb (12-0)
4. Norcross (11-7)
5. Pebblebrook (13-1)
6. Grayson (12-1)
7. North Forsyth (10-3)
8. Mill Creek (12-3)
9. Cherokee (11-3)
10. Marietta (10-5) 

Class AAAAAA

1. Lovejoy (13-3)
2. Forest Park (14-2)
3. Northview (10-3)
4. Glynn Academy (13-2)
5. Stephenson (9-7)
6. Douglas County (11-4)
7. Dacula (11-3)
8. Valdosta (13-2)
9. New Manchester (12-2)
10. Pope (11-3)

Class AAAAA

1. Villa Rica (13-0)
2. Buford (10-1)
3. Southwest DeKalb (13-3)
4. Eagle’s Landing (10-3)
5. Harris County (10-3)
6. Statesboro (15-0)
7. Veterans (12-2)
8. Carrollton (10-5)
9. Wayne County (11-1)
10. Warner Robins (7-4)

Class AAAA

1. Carver-Columbus (14-0)
2. Spalding (9-3)
3. Madison County (14-1)
4. Henry County (16-2)
5. Flowery Branch (12-3)
6. Luella (12-3)
7. Perry (8-3)
8. Westover (8-2)
9. Northwest Whitfield (14-2)
10. Marist (9-4)

Class AAA

1. Morgan County (11-3)
2. Beach (14-3)
3. Jefferson (13-2)
4. Hart County (12-2)
5. Johnson-Savannah (7-6)
6. Dawson County (10-5)
7. GAC (7-8)
8. North Hall (11-4)
9. Tattnall County (10-5)
10. Rutland (11-3)

Class AA

1. Dodge County (13-1)
2. Douglass (12-5)
3. Fitzgerald (13-0)
4. Laney (11-1)
5. Bryan County (14-0)
6. Rabun County (10-1)
7. Swainsboro (8-2)
8. Early County (10-1)
9. Washington County (11-2)
10. Banks County (11-3)

Class A-Private

1. Wesleyan (14-0)
2. St. Francis (7-3)
3. Holy Innocents’ (8-5)
4. ELCA (9-3)
5. Lakeview Academy (11-4)
6. Paideia (11-1)
7. Mt. Paran (11-0)
8. Stratford Academy (11-1)
9. Calvary Day (10-3)
10. Darlington (8-3)

Class A-Public

1. Marion County (10-0)
2. Georgia Military College (7-1)
3. Telfair County (9-3)
4. Wheeler County (9-3)
5. Greenville (14-1)
6. Calhoun County (11-1)
7. Wilcox County (9-3)
8. Central-Talbotton (8-2)
9. Clinch County (5-2)
10. Turner County (10-3)

 

Two new number ones grace the top of the polls in our final ranking of 2018.

There was limited movement in Class AAAAAAA. No. 1 Westlake was 2-0 at the Big South Shootout, beating last week’s Class 3A No. 1 Beach 60-46 and last week’s Class 4A No. 10 Burke County 54-30. No. 2 Collins Hill won the Deep South Classic scoring wins over Archer 82-26, Class 3A No. 7 GAC 66-45 and in the championship, host Brookwood 49-42. No. 3 North Cobb shined at the Big South Shootout demolishing Burke County 52-27 and dispatching of Roswell 58-43. While the Lady Warriors might not have the same star power as Westlake and Collins Hill, Head Coach John Speeney demands the best from his girls and he often gets it, the backcourt powered by steady juniors Azonya Austin and three-point shooter Sydney Thomas. No. 5 Pebblebrook moves up a spot after beating No. 10 Marietta 33-27 for the Campbell Holiday Classic Championship. In out of state play, No. 4 Norcross went 1-2 at the Naples Holiday Shootout, No. 7 North Forsyth went 2-1 at the Carolina Invitational and No. 9 Cherokee swept through the Windermere Prep Rock Holiday Classic in Orlando while No. 8 Mill Creek finished 2-1.

With a newfound target on their back in Class AAAAAA, No. 4 Glynn Academy could not repeat last week’s success and drops one spot after losing 61-47 to Class 3A No. 9 Tattnall County 61-47 at the Vidalia Holiday Classic. No. 5 Stephenson is also down a spot after an 0-3 week at the USMC BallN Prep Holiday Invitational in Alabama. No. 7 Dacula rises a position following a 2-1 showing at the Carolina Invitational beating William Blount (TN) 52-31 and handing South Carolina power Goose Creek their first loss of the season 53-45, before falling to Hoover (AL) 63-39. Suspensions lead to a depleted Lanier (11-3) dropping from the poll after two bad losses to Monroe Area 34-23 and Stephens County 51-28. The Longhorns are replaced by re-entry No. 10 Pope. The Greyhounds won their Hounds Holiday Hoops Classic Championship by beating Hillgrove 51-47.

Facing their biggest test of the season, Class AAAAA No. 1 Villa Rica routed host Class 6A No. 9 New Manchester in their holiday tournament championship 57-37. Kentucky-signee Deasia Merrill dropped 29 points while Aliyah Hindsman added 11 points. Over at the BallN Prep Invitational in Alabama, No. 3 Southwest DeKalb went 2-1, highlighted by a 43-39 win over 20-2 Hazel Green (AL). At the same event, No. 8 Carrollton lost to Wenonah (AL) 55-42 and in OT to Anniston (AL) 57-51 before beating Midfield (AL) 44-37, dropping the Trojans one spot this week. No. 4 Eagle’s Landing posted a 2-1 showing at the Tampa Bay Invitational. Back in Georgia at the Sweet South Classic at Morgan County, No. 7 Veterans edged Class 4A No. 6 Luella 59-53 before eventually falling to Class 3A No. 1 Morgan County 69-55 in the title game.

Class AAAA saw No. 3 Madison County suffer its first loss of the year at the Deep South Classic, losing to host Brookwood 70-55. The Red Raiders bounced back with an 85-72 win over Class 3A No. 7 GAC. No. 4 Henry County flew through the Chuck Miller Classic and finished with a strong 68-42 win against Parkview. No. 5 Flowery Branch is hitting its stride, the Lady Falcons winning their fourth consecutive Lanierland title, drilling Class 3A No. 8 North Hall in the finals 48-23. Down in South Georgia, No. 8 Westover defeated GISA power Westwood 58-48 before splitting at the Vereen Rehab Christmas Shootout in Colquitt County, beating Rome 54-53 and losing to the host Packers 61-49. Out of the poll is Burke County (4-5). The Lady Bears have lost five-straight games and were trounced at the Big South Shootout by Class 7A No. 3 North Cobb 52-27 and Class 7A No. 1 Westlake 54-30. Replacing Burke County is returnee No. 10 Marist. The War Eagles went 2-1 at the Panama City Beach Bash last week.

We have a new number one in Class AAA as No. 1 Morgan County has climbed from No. 10 in Week 3 to the top spot after winning their Sweet South Classic, beating Class 5A No. 7 Veterans in the title game 69-55. No. 2 Beach slips a spot after hard-fought losses at the Big South Shootout to Georgia’s elite, Class 7A No. 1 Westlake 60-46 and Class A-Private No. 2 St. Francis 57-45. Up one spot is No. 4 Hart County who won their McDonald’s Shootout Championship, escaping No. 6 Dawson County 64-62 behind Western Kentucky-signee Torrion Starks’ 33 points and Taniya Alexander’s 26 points and 18 rebounds. Ringgold (11-3) slips from the poll after a 1-2 showing in tournament play, losing to Medina (OH) 47-44 and to Mukwonago (WI) 63-30 with a win against Steinbrenner (FL) 61-34 in between. Reappearing is No. 9 Tattnall County. The Warriors toppled Class 6A No. 4 Glynn Academy 61-47 at the Vidalia Christmas Classic before faltering against newly ranked Class 2A No. 9 Washington County 59-50.

The margin for error is getting slim atop Class AA as No. 1 Dodge County retakes the throne after No. 2 Douglass fell to Locust Grove 69-62 at the Mary Persons Christmas Classic. The Squaws won the Metter Christmas Championship by drilling South Effingham 107-63 and Southeast Bulloch 55-31. Breaking into the Top 3 is No. 3 Fitzgerald. The Lady Canes blasted Putnam County (9-3) at the Ronalda Pierce Classic, booting the War Eagles from the Top 10 after sitting at No. 7. Fitzgerald showed no mercy against traditional 3A power Peach County either, pounding the Trojans 72-41, good enough to leapfrog over No. 4 Laney and No. 5 Bryan County who both had perfect weeks. No. 8 Early County had a great week in South Georgia, knocking two Class A-Public teams from the Top 10, beating Mitchell County 81-50 and Pelham 55-41. Replacing Putnam County in the poll is No. 9 Washington County, who has patiently waited their turn. At the Vidalia Christmas Classic, the Golden Hawks defeated Camden County 55-54, Long County 69-10 and Class 3A No. 9 Tattnall County 59-50. Sophomore Miracle Parker is averaging 18.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3 steals while junior Destinee Ellison is pouring in 16.8 points a night.

In Class A-Private, No. 1 Wesleyan rolled to a Carolina Invitational Championship beating Fort Dorchester (SC) 53-38, North Marion (WV) 68-35 and Bullitt East (KY) 51-35. No. 2 St. Francis took care of Class 3A No. 2 Beach at the Big South Shootout 57-45. No. 3 Holy Innocents’ finished 2-1 at the Naples Holiday Shootout. No. 4 ELCA climbs two spots following a 3-0 week. Rice-signee India Bellamy is averaging 21.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 3 steals and 1.9 blocks while Polish sensation Weronika Hipp is posting 20.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.9 steals.

No. 1 Marion County tallied a 3-0 mark at the Muscogee County Christmas Tournament, beating Hardaway 58-40 in their final game to represent Class A-Public. Pelham (6-3) and Mitchell County (8-3) both depart after sharing losses to Class 2A No. 8 Early County. No. 5 Greenville scored a 56-53 win over debutant No. 9 Clinch County. The Panthers turned around and beat Mitchell County 68-65. Also making their way into the poll is No. 10 Turner County, winners of nine-straight. Their 65-63 victory against Putnam County last week is their signature win to date.

Girls Basketball, Girls Rankings

Week 6 Girls Rankings

Class AAAAAAA

1. Westlake (10-0)
2. Collins Hill (12-1)
3. North Cobb (10-0)
4. Norcross (10-5)
5. Grayson (12-1)
6. Pebblebrook (10-1)
7. North Forsyth (8-2)
8. Mill Creek (10-2)
9. Marietta (8-4)
10. Cherokee (8-3) 

Class AAAAAA

1. Lovejoy (13-3)
2. Forest Park (12-1)
3. Glynn Academy (11-1)
4. Stephenson (9-4)
5. Northview (10-3)
6. Douglas County (11-4)
7. Lanier (10-1)
8. Dacula (9-2)
9. Valdosta (10-2)
10. New Manchester (10-1)

Class AAAAA

1. Villa Rica (10-0)
2. Buford (10-1)
3. Southwest DeKalb (11-2)
4. Eagle’s Landing (8-2)
5. Harris County (8-3)
6. Statesboro (12-0)
7. Carrollton (9-3)
8. Veterans (10-1)
9. Wayne County (10-1)
10. Warner Robins (7-4)

Class AAAA

1. Carver-Columbus (13-0)
2. Spalding (8-2)
3. Madison County (12-0)
4. Henry County (14-2)
5. Flowery Branch (8-3)
6. Luella (10-2)
7. Perry (8-3)
8. Westover (6-1)
9. Northwest Whitfield (14-2)
10. Burke County (4-3)

Class AAA

1. Beach (14-1)
2. Morgan County (8-3)
3. Jefferson (11-1)
4. Johnson-Savannah (7-6)
5. Hart County (9-2)
6. GAC (6-6)
7. Dawson County (8-4)
8. Ringgold (10-1)
9. North Hall (9-3)
10. Rutland (11-3)

Class AA

1. Douglass (10-4)
2. Dodge County (11-1)
3. Laney (10-1)
4. Bryan County (12-0)
5. Fitzgerald (11-0)
6. Rabun County (7-1)
7. Putnam County (9-1)
8. Swainsboro (8-2)
9. Early County (7-1)
10. Banks County (9-3)

Class A-Private

1. Wesleyan (11-0)
2. St. Francis (6-3)
3. Holy Innocents’ (6-4)
4. Lakeview Academy (9-3)
5. Paideia (11-1)
6. ELCA (6-3)
7. Mt. Paran (11-0)
8. Stratford Academy (8-1)
9. Darlington (7-1)
10. Calvary Day (9-3)

Class A-Public

1. Marion County (6-0)
2. Georgia Military College (7-1)
3. Telfair County (9-3)
4. Wheeler County (9-3)
5. Greenville (11-1)
6. Calhoun County (11-1)
7. Wilcox County (8-3)
8. Central-Talbotton (8-2)
9. Pelham (5-2)
10. Mitchell County (7-1)

 

A late surge just before Christmas leads to defending state champion No. 1 Westlake taking over the top spot in Class AAAAAAA, usurping No. 2 Collins Hill. The Lions dispatched of Class 6A No. 6 Douglas County 57-33 and Class 5A No. 3 Southwest DeKalb 60-37 in impressive fashion to win the Peach State Classic championship. The Eagles had a clean 3-0 week at the War Lodge Invitational beating Sequoyah 79-56, Class 3A No. 2 Morgan County 54-48 and South Forsyth 99-40. Senior Katherine Fourie drilled 8 threes against Sequoyah en route to 30 points and followed up with a 9-three encore against the War Eagles. No. 6 Pebblebrook leapfrogs inactive No. 7 North Forsyth following their 63-62 win over Class 5A No. 7 Carrollton.  No. 3 North Cobb edged No. 9 Marietta 49-39, but the Blue Devils still hold tight ahead of No. 10 Cherokee, who defeated Creekview 51-43 on the road.

Over in Myrtle Beach at the CresCom Bank Holiday Invitational, Class AAAAAA No. 1 Lovejoy went 3-1 with their lone loss coming to Riverdale (TN) 47-33. No. 5 Northview finished 1-2 at the event, losing to Southeast Raleigh 53-41, who Lovejoy defeated 48-42. But the most impressive performance came back in Georgia on another coast as nobody in the state rose their stock more than No. 3 Glynn Academy. The Terrors explode up six spots after a statement week. Glynn Academy scored wins over Richmond Hill 44-39, last week’s Class A-Private No. 7 Calvary Day 49-36, last week’s Class 3A No. 2 Johnson-Savannah 68-64 and Class 3A No. 1 Beach 49-46 – their opponents boasting a combined 42-12 record. Coach Sharnesha Smith has rode 2020 5-foot-11 forward Zoesha Smith, the High Major recruit averaging 18.1 points and 12.6 rebounds.

The lone casualty in Class AAAAA is Arabia Mountain (12-3). The Rams were beat 50-36 at No. 3 Southwest DeKalb. Replacing Arabia Mountain is debutant No. 10 Warner Robins. The Demonettes went 3-0 at the Bear Brawl Classic, beating three ranked teams on their way to the title at Houston County. They beat last week’s Class 3A No. 6 Peach County 67-48, last week’s Class 4A No. 9 West Laurens 63-44 and in the title game Class 4A No. 7 Perry 49-48.

No. 1 Carver-Columbus represented Class AAAA well as they went 3-0 to win the Beach Ball Classic in South Carolina, escaping Bishop O’Connell (VA) 48-46 in the title game. No. 3 Madison County got 43 points from Kayla McPherson in their thrilling 74-72 win at Class 3A No. 5 Hart County to remain undefeated. West Laurens (10-4) slides out of the poll after a 3-2 week, losing to Northside-Warner Robins 48-47 and newly ranked Class 5A No. 10 Warner Robins 63-44 with a win over Class A-Public No. 4 Wheeler County 54-50 sandwiched in between. No. 9 Northwest Whitfield makes their first appearance in the Top 10 following a 2-1 showing at Mistletoe Madness. Undersized 5-foot-8 post Jada Griffin is averaging 19.9 points and 8.6 rebounds.

Even though they suffered their first loss of the year to Class 6A No. 3 Glynn Academy, No. 1 Beach is still the team to beat in Class AAA. Before their loss they notched a 40-37 win over Camden County. Up another spot is No. 2 Morgan County. The Lady Dogs went 2-1 at the War Lodge Invitational with dominant wins over Alpharetta 60-33 and Cambridge 78-30 with a loss to last week’s Class 7A No. 1 Collins Hill 54-48 in between victories. Peach County (6-3) sinks from the Top 10 after a 1-2 showing at the Bear Brawl, losing to Class 5A No. 10 Warner Robins 67-48 and Class A-Public No. 4 Wheeler County 50-48. Even though the results weren’t up to par with the Trojans’ expectations, Da’Nasia Shaw was sensational, averaging 31 points, 9 rebounds, 6 steals and 5 blocks to win tournament MVP. Peach County is replaced by Region 4 foe No. 10 Rutland. The Hurricanes suffered a tough loss to Class A-Private No. 8 Stratford Academy 40-32 but before that, they earned a huge win against Class A-Public No. 2 Georgia Military College 45-42, outscoring the Bulldogs 15-4 in the fourth quarter to storm back. Sophomore Kayla Shines tallied 21 points and 14 rebounds. The 6-foot post is averaging 10.5 points and 8.4 rebounds on the season while senior BreAsia Davis is the eye of the storm with 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 4.3 steals a night.

Not liking their No. 2 ranking in Class AA, No. 2 Dodge County took out their frustrations on opponents last week, beating a good Washington County team 73-64 before smashing Class A-Public No. 3 Telfair County for the second time this season 87-60, Destanee Wright scoring 31 points and Europe Brown netting 27 on her way to her 1,000th career point. No. 3 Laney survived on the road at Class 4A No. 10 Burke County 61-60. No. 9 Early County slips two spots after suffering their first loss of the year to Bainbridge 49-39. No. 8 Swainsboro is up a spot after a nice 54-51 win at Tattnall County.

In Class A-Private, No. 2 St. Francis went 1-2 at the CresCom Bank Holiday Invitational, losing to the No. 2 ranked team in the nation Bishop McNamara (MD) 74-43. Back home, No. 3 Holy Innocents’ knocked off Class 7A No. 4 Norcross 65-54. No. 4 Lakeview Academy climbs two spots to hit their glass ceiling after beating No. 5 Paideia 47-45 and losing to Lakeside-DeKalb 52-49 at the Storm Classic held at Providence Christian Academy. No. 6 ELCA is down a spot after losing to Class A-Public No. 2 Georgia Military College 63-61. No. 7 Mt. Paran and No. 8 Stratford Academy rise two spots after No. 9 Darlington took a 50-39 loss to Model to knock them from the unbeatens while No. 10 Calvary Day lost 49-36 to Class 6A No. 3 Glynn Academy and 66-49 to Camden County.

No. 2 Georgia Military College fell 45-42 to Class 3A No. 10 Rutland but climbs two spots in Class A-Public thanks to their 63-61 win over Class A-Private No. 6 ELCA. No. 3 Telfair County falls as spot after an 87-60 loss to Class 2A No. 2 Dodge County. No. 4 Wheeler County had wins over Peach County 50-48 and Jeff Davis 60-41, but fall one position after a 54-50 loss to West Laurens.  No. 5 Greenville annihilated No. 9 Pelham 76-47. Bowdon (8-3) drops from the poll after a 46-44 loss to undefeated Class 4A Central-Carrollton. Debuting in the rankings is first-year Head Coach Monte Killins and No. 10 Mitchell County. Sophomore Anyla Bell is averaging 9 points and 4 assists while senior Ayanna Dennard helps balance the attack with 8.4 points per game.