Category Archives: Girls Basketball

GHSA, Girls Basketball

Early Season Surprise Hot Starts (Girls)

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Class AAAAAAA

No. 4 Mill Creek (11-1)
2015-16: 13-15

Mill Creek has forced its way into the conversation as a dangerous team come state tournament time. It will be a two-team race in Region 6 between the Hawks and No. 2 Collins Hill. Though beating the Eagles will be a difficult task, Mill Creek can hang its hat on a handful of strong out-of-region victories highlighted by wins over Class AAAA No. 4 West Hall (43-35), South Forsyth (71-50) and No. 5 Archer (61-51). Seniors Morgan Simmons, Wynter Webb and Kim Forbes along with junior Bridget Mukasa and sophomore Kayla Mulkey compose a potent core for Coach Ashley Phillips. Simmons has more than doubled her scoring output this year, netting over 16 points per game.

Class AAAAAA

Lanier (10-2)
2015-16: 10-17

The Longhorns have already matched last year’s win total with over half of the season remaining. Junior Jamyah Montissol has blossomed into a player to keep an eye on. She leads Lanier with 14.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2 steals per game. She is joined by junior Bailey Bassette who is averaging 11.6 points and 3.5 steals. Lanier is a young team with their top seven scorers all set to return next season. Only Angela Raez logs important minutes as a senior. Sophomores Kalen Surles (9.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.3 apg, 3.8 spg) and Mekala Fuller (8.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3 apg, 2.3 spg) are two pieces Coach Oji Perkins can build around for the long haul.

Class AAAAA

Ware County (8-0)
2015-16: 13-12 

Ware County is a sneaky team in South Georgia with designs on earning a high seed out of Region 2. While Wayne County is the favorite to win the region, the Gators led by sophomore Mataea Boyd could cause some problems. She averages 13.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.3 steals to pace Ware County whose best win has come against Swainsboro, 49-44. Second in command is 6-foot junior Shondell Vickers who is posting 10.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2 steals and 1.6 blocks per game.

Class AAAA

No. 7 Sandy Creek (7-1)
2015-16: 9-16 

Coach Janie Hodges has come in from Scotland, NC and has proceeded to turn the Lady Patriots around, leading them to a Top 10 ranking in Class AAAA. Sandy Creek’s only loss has come to Class AAAAA No. 7 Villa Rica at the SMI Classic, 67-65. Wins over Marietta (66-65), Hapeville Charter (49-46) and Greenville, SC (66-64) headline the Patriots’ resume and ability to win the close game. Seniors Shanquaylia Stanton, Kasey Toles and Morghan Currie lead the charge with freshman Daija Powell providing a massive lift. Stanton averages 14.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 4.6 steals while Toles pitches in 13.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.3 steals. Currie brings a rebounding presence to the table, averaging 9.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals. Powell has a good four years ahead of her. The rookie is posting 11.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks inside.

Class AAA

No. 10 Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe (10-3)
2015-16: 9-18 

Wins at No. 8 Calhoun (60-50) and Haralson County (61-54) have cemented the Warriors as a threat in Region 6. Senior Jazzmyn Elston and sophomore Macey Gregg power the offense of a team which has already surpassed last year’s win total. Elston is averaging 19.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.7 steals while Gregg goes for 16.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.8 steals. Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe currently resides atop the region at 5-0 in one of Class AAA’s toughest groupings in the state.

Class AA

Hapeville Charter (8-2)
2015-16: 12-14 

6-foot guard Shekinah Howard has sparked Hapeville Charter in Region 6. Howard has received interest from High Major schools with North Carolina State the latest to check her out. She is averaging 17.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. Seniors Gayla Bostic and Taylor Barnett flank her on the attack. Bostic posts 9.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.6 blocks inside while Barnett chips in 7 points and 5.1 assists. The Hornets’ exceptional size has harassed opponents. 5-foot-11 senior Jada Neal is averaging 4.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.5 blocks while 6-foot-2 freshman Cristany Price is averaging 6.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. Freshman guard Simone Rowland has brought defense to the perimeter tallying 2.9 steals per game with her 6.1 points. They face a major test on Dec. 28 as the Hornets play Class AAAAAAA No. 4 Mill Creek at the Sweet South Classic.

Class A-Private

Whitefield Academy (6-2)
2015-16: 5-20 

The extreme quality might not be there yet, but the quantity of wins is as Whitefield Academy has already topped last season’s total. The Wolfpack face an uphill climb to make the state playoffs as No. 2 St. Francis, No. 6 Pinecrest Academy, No. 8 Darlington and No. 9 Fellowship Christian all reside in Region 6.

Class A-Public

Johnson County (4-2)
2015-16: 7-20

The win-well could dry up at any moment, but for now the Trojans are off to a solid start. Junior Lexus Wright is averaging 10.8 points and 6.7 rebounds while sophomores Shonnetria Ervin (8 ppg) and Janaya Hawkins (6.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg) have helped the cause.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Girls Recaps, Recaps

GHSA Statewide Recap 12-20

BOYS 

Class AAAAAAA

Hudson Catholic, NJ 65, No. 4 Pebblebrook 51: Jahvon Quinerly scored 23 and Luther Muhammad had 16 to lead Hudson Catholic at City of Palms. Collin Sexton scored 22 points for Pebblebrook while Drue Drinnon added 12.

Forsyth Central 55, Blessed Trinity 52: At the Keller Williams Christmas Classic, CJ Smith scored 19 points and dished out 3 assists as the Bulldogs took down Blessed Trinity. Ethan Hester posted a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Grant Cloud had 6 points and 6 assists.

Class AAAAAA

No. 2 Jonesboro 65, Neumann Goretti, PA 53: MJ Walker continued to shine on the big stage of City of Palms, netting 32 points. Brandon Walker scored 15 and Jaylon Terrell added 10.

No. 5 Brunswick 66, Vidalia 31: Jalen Jackson scored 13 points for the Pirates. Marcus Scott chipped in 12.

Douglas County 58, Mays 52: Malik Battle scored 16 points and Rodney Lewis had 15 as the Tigers overcame a 21-point Reo Wright night. Clayvon Croom finished with 13 for the Raiders while Horace Wyatt had 8.

River Ridge 54, North Forsyth 43: Destin Exinor had 22 points as River Ridge edged the Raiders.

Forest Park 70, Woodward Academy 62: Sandy’s Spiel Under The Radar Senior Avery Wilson poured in 44 points to carry the Panthers.

Class AAAAA

No. 1 Buford 60, 3ANo. 3 Cedar Grove 45: Cedar Grove completed it’s rough two-day stretch at the War Eagle Classic, losing twice. Buford was led by David Viti’s 18 points and 8 rebounds and Marcus Watson’s 16 points and 9 rebounds. Alex Jones finished with 8 points and 7 assists. Jamari Dean led the Saints with 13.

No. 7 Warner Robins 70, Bleckley County 58: Nelson Phillips finished with 25 points and Jacolbey Owens tossed in 14. Bleckley County was led by Dontavian Harris’ 15 points, DJ Lemmon’s 13 and Torenio Davis’ 12.

Flowery Branch 57, Woodstock 56: The Falcons held off the Wolverines at the Keller Williams Christmas Classic at North Forsyth. Blake Coxworth hit Brannon Clark on a back cut with 19 seconds left to take the lead for good. Clark scored 14 to pace the Falcons while Coxworth added 12 and Caleb Murphy scored 11. John Mills chipped in 9. Woodstock was led by Tyreke Johnson’s 25; 22 in the first half. Dylin Hardeman added 12 and Noah Frith posted 11.

Loganville 69, Ola 67: Jamar Moore broke out with 17 points, 20 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals and 1 block.

Walnut Grove 53, Jackson County 47: Jailen Robinson scored 16 points to pace Walnut Grove. RJ Selman added 12.

Wayne County 58, Dodge County 57: Nick Cummings scored 20 points and RJ Carr added 11 but it wasn’t enough for the Indians to earn a road win.

Class AAAA

No. 2 Upson-Lee 54, Northside-Warner Robins 46: Tye Fagan’s scoring binge rolled on as he sliced and diced his way to 25 points. Travon Walker went for another double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds.

No. 3 LaGrange 52, Centennial 38: Laperion Perry scored 19 points while Bryan Fanning posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

No. 4 Eastside 68, West Laurens 46: Eastside bounced back from a heartbreaking overtime loss to Class AAA No. 2 Central-Macon at the State Bank Classic at Jones County High School by dispatching of West Laurens. Keiodre Perry netted 18 points while Desmeontay Dyer had 20 and TJ Bush added 14.

Salem 50, No. 6 Westover 47: The Patriots couldn’t overcome 26 turnovers. Kris Gardner finished with 17 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Jordan “Snow” Brown had 10 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.

Henry County 82, 2ANo. 5 Monticello 72: The Warhawks held off Monticello to win the Chuck Miller Classic Championship. Damion Rosser finished with 36 points.

Shaw 80, Hardaway 44: Chris Hicks scored 21 points, Larrie Scott and Devan Porter-Wilson both had 12 and Lincoln Smith added 10 in the Raider victory.

McMinn County, TN 72, Northwest Whitfield 66: The Bruins couldn’t hold onto a 46-42 halftime lead at the North Murray Mistletoe Madness Tournament. Luke Shiflett finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. Grant Terrell added 13 points and Paxton Pardee tallied 10 points and 5 assists.

Marist 62, East Jackson 55: Kobe Haley finished with 22 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists in a loss at the Lovett Classic.

Class AAA

No. 2 Central-Macon 85, Jones County 76: Antarius McCoy finished with 21 points and 8 rebounds to advance to the State Bank Classic Championship against Class AAAAA No. 7 Warner Robins. Wanya Thomas netted 15 points and Tyrice Paul pitched in 13 points and 5 assists.

No. 5 Greater Atlanta Christian 61, 4ANo. 8 St. Pius 58 OT: Charlie O’Briant had 17 points. Hunter McIntosh scored 12 with a game-tying three with under a minute left in regulation to force overtime.

No. 9 Calhoun 67, Rome 66 2OT: Calhoun used double overtime to stay undefeated and advance to the championship of the Rome News-Tribune Festival at Georgia Highlands where they will face Class A-Private No. 9 Darlington. Malik Lawrence scored 20 points and sent the game to double overtime with a three as time expired. Kaylan Aker continued his steady work with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Chapin Rierson totaled 17 points and 8 boards.

Lovett 68, Wesleyan 60: Ryan Greer dropped in 26 points and Nick Jackson tossed in 15 to help the Lions win their third straight game.

Sonoraville 66, Murray County 34: The Phoenix got hot from three to earn their eighth win of the year. Brad Wilson scored 21 points off seven threes, Casey Brooks hit four for 12 points and Trent Daniel knocked in three for 11 points for a team-record 16 threes.

Westminster 55, Mary Persons 53: Cam Holden poured in 29 points but it wasn’t enough to knock off Westminster at the War Eagle Classic. Ajay Manocha led the Wildcats with 14 points.

Class AA

No. 10 Putnam County 105, Rabun County 95: Putnam County debuted its new Top 10 ranking in style as Carl Johnson exploded for 46 points (12 threes) and in the process netted the 1,000th point of his career. D’Mario Reid added 23 points and 8 rebounds. For Rabun County, Bailey Fisher went for 39 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks.

Hapeville Charter 56, Mt. Vernon Presbyterian 39: Jamaure Ezzard scored a game-high 19 points to help Hapeville Charter over Mt. Vernon Presbyterian at the War Eagle Classic. John Traurig had 15 points for the Mustangs.

Class A-Private

No. 2 St. Francis 85, Milton 81: Duke-signee Alex O’Connell poured in 49 points, but Milton’s disappointing season continued. St. Francis’ youth carried the Knights. Sophomore CJ Riley had 28 points. Freshmen Chase Ellis and Dwon Odom both had huge nights. Ellis finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds while Odom went for 19 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals.

No. 8 Holy Innocents’ 65, Decatur 58: Cole Smith scored a team-high 20 points to power the Golden Bears at the War Eagle Classic. Decatur was led by Chalin Hippe’s 14 points and Terrill Hall and Antonio Myrick’s 13 apiece.

Class A-Public

No. 1 Calhoun County 69, Manchester 53: Rashun Williams posted 30 points as the Cougars crunched a fading Manchester team. 


GIRLS 

Class AAAAAAA

Monacan, VA 58, No. 1 Norcross 57: The Lady Blue Devils suffered their first loss of the season at the CresCom Bank Holiday Invitational. Vanessa Blagmon scored a game-high 25 points and added 8 rebounds. Tionna Carter and Tehya Lyons both added 8 points. Monacan got 22 points and 5 rebounds from Megan Walker.

Class AAAAAA

No. 2 Winder-Barrow 65, 1ANo. 1 Wesleyan 60: At the CresCom Bank Holiday Invitational, Olivia Nelson-Ododa posted 27 points and 7 rebounds to carry the Lady Bulldoggs over Wesleyan, the Wolves’ first loss of the year. Latrice Perkins added 14, Lexi Maddox 11 and Chellia Watson 10 points. Wesleyan received 24 points and 10 rebounds from Mikayla Coombs. Amaya Register and Jameson Kavel both scored 9 points while Sutton West added 8.

No. 3 Douglas County 67, No. 5 Mays 60: In Region 5’s Top 5 showdown, Douglas County used Arsula Clark’s 26 points to win on the road. Kamiyah Street dropped a game-high 30 for Mays.

Class AAAAA

No. 3 Griffin 61, Decatur 31: Andeija Puckett scored 13 points and Niavanni Flowers added 10 as the Bears rolled at the War Eagle Classic. Decatur was led by Taylor Jones’ 14 points.

No. 5 Warner Robins 78, Chestatee 29: 13-0 Chestatee met 11-0 Warner Robins at the Jones County Christmas tournament. The Demonettes pounded the War Eagles as Chestatee’s inflated record due to a weak schedule was exposed. Victoria Brown scored 14 points and dished out 5 assists. Le’Terria Mathis scored 14 points. Kezia Holmes added 11 points and 2 blocks. Shynia Jackson flirted with a double-double with 9 points and 10 rebounds. Courtney Walker chipped in 11 points while Jordan Thomas (8) and Kishara Howard (5) also pitched in.

No. 7 Villa Rica 65, Cedartown 40: Deasia Merrill posted 18 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists. Jaila Orozco double-doubled with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Alexia Cooley scored 8 points and Tamya Windom had 7.

Class AAAA

Ridgeland 48, Trion 35: Sarah Meadows dropped in 24 points to power Ridgeland at Trion.

Class AAA

No. 8 Calhoun 89, Armuchee 54: Jana Johns led the Yellow Jackets with 23 points and 9 steals. Ashlyn Barnes added 16 points while Ryan Brzozoski (15) and Cassie Henderson (13) both cracked double figures.

Central-Macon 52, Jones County 22: JeNya Wilder had 20 points and 12 rebounds while Tyleia Williams had 13 points and 9 boards as the Lady Chargers advanced to the championship of the State Bank Classic.

Class AA

No. 3 Rabun County 87, Putnam County 46: 12 different players scored for Coach DeeDee Dillard while Putnam County’s nightmare season continued. Tessa Matheson scored 15 points to pace the Wildcats. Brooke Henricks and Jaden Quilliams both scored 14. Georgia Stockton added 10.

No. 4 Dodge County 50, Wayne County 45: Europe Brown scored 12 points and Jurnee Powell finished with 10 as the Indians advanced to 8-1.

Class A-Private

No. 3 Holy Innocents’ 60, LaGrange 30: Kaila Hubbard scored a game-high 20 points followed by Khayla Pointer’s 13 at the War Eagle Classic.

GHSA, Girls Basketball, Girls Rankings

Week 5 Girls Rankings

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Class AAAAAAA

  1. Norcross (12-0)
  2. Collins Hill (9-0)
  3. McEachern (5-4)
  4. Mill Creek (11-1)
  5. Archer (9-2)
  6. Westlake (7-2)
  7. Newton (8-1)
  8. Colquitt County (8-0)
  9. Lambert (9-0)
  10. Camden County (10-2) 

Class AAAAAA

  1. Harrison (9-1)
  2. Winder-Barrow (5-3)
  3. Douglas County (9-2)
  4. Grovetown (8-4)
  5. Mays (5-3)
  6. Sequoyah (10-0)
  7. Lovejoy (9-2)
  8. Northview (10-1)
  9. Jonesboro (6-3)
  10. Stephenson (6-4) 

Class AAAAA

  1. Buford (7-0)
  2. Flowery Branch (9-2)
  3. Griffin (11-0)
  4. Southwest DeKalb (7-3)
  5. Warner Robins (11-0)
  6. Carrollton (8-0)
  7. Villa Rica (10-1)
  8. Arabia Mountain (9-0)
  9. Harris County (9-1)
  10. Maynard Jackson (7-0) 

Class AAAA

  1. North Oconee (9-1)
  2. Columbus (7-1)
  3. West Hall (6-3)
  4. Cross Creek (6-4)
  5. Carver-Columbus (9-1)
  6. Northwest Whitfield (7-3)
  7. Sandy Creek (7-1)
  8. Jefferson (7-3)
  9. Perry (10-2)
  10. Heritage-Catoosa (10-1) 

Class AAA

  1. Johnson-Savannah (12-0)
  2. Beach (10-1)
  3. Greater Atlanta Christian (9-4)
  4. Monroe (6-0)
  5. Ringgold (8-2)
  6. Hart County (8-1)
  7. Redan (8-2)
  8. Calhoun (8-3)
  9. Franklin County (8-2)
  10. Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe (10-2) 

Class AA

  1. Laney (6-1)
  2. Model (6-2)
  3. Rabun County (9-1)
  4. Dodge County (7-1)
  5. Vidalia (7-1)
  6. Fitzgerald (2-0)
  7. Heard County (9-2)
  8. Dade County (10-3)
  9. Bryan County (9-1)
  10. Pepperell (6-2) 

Class A-Private

  1. Wesleyan (8-0)
  2. St. Francis (7-1)
  3. Holy Innocents’ (7-1)
  4. Lakeview Academy (7-2)
  5. Landmark Christian (7-3)
  6. Pinecrest Academy (7-1)
  7. Calvary Day (6-2)
  8. Darlington (5-2)
  9. Fellowship Christian (5-3)
  10. Christian Heritage (5-3) 

Class A-Public

  1. Pelham (7-0)
  2. Greenville (7-0)
  3. Terrell County (6-1)
  4. Wheeler County (8-1)
  5. Telfair County (8-1)
  6. Taylor County (6-1)
  7. Treutlen (5-2)
  8. Woodville-Tompkins (8-3)
  9. Wilcox County (7-3)
  10. Turner County (5-1)

 

In Class AAAAAAA, No. 3 McEachern returned back to Georgia to crush North Cobb 76-33, handing the Warriors their first loss of the season. Westlake drops one spot after going 1-1 at the She Got Game Classic. The Lions lost to Oakland, TN 52-49, but rebounded with a 48-38 win over Jemison, AL. No. 8 Colquitt County stopped Bainbridge for the second time this year, 29-28. No. 9 Lambert held off North Forsyth 46-40, dropping the Raiders from the Top 10. Replacing them is Camden County. The Wildcats’ only two losses this season have come to out-of-state teams from Florida. They earned a 48-41 win over Class A-Private No. 7 Calvary Day on Friday.

No. 1 Harrison looks like a machine in Region 6-AAAAAA, running up the score and destroying opponents by 51.8 points per game. The only team in the region that stands a chance is No. 6 Sequoyah. The Lady Chiefs are the last unbeaten in the classification. Mays tumbles three spots to No. 5 after running into Class AA No. 1 Laney. The Raiders get a chance to regain their status as a legit title contender when they host No. 3 Douglas County on Tuesday. Grovetown moves up two spots to No. 4 following a 65-63 overtime victory over Class AAAA No. 4 Cross Creek. Tucker is knocked from the rankings by red-hot Region 4 foe No. 10 Stephenson, who debuts. The Jaguars have won six straight and are now tied atop the region standings with No. 7 Lovejoy after beating Tucker 53-50.

Region 8’s reign over Class AAAAA sees Buford take over the top spot after the Lady Wolves traveled to No. 2 Flowery Branch and dispatched of the Falcons 53-44. Buford also scored a 63-44 win over Class AAAA No. 8 Jefferson. In the middle of the poll in Region 7, No. 6 Carrollton edged No. 7 Villa Rica 58-48. The Wildcats rebounded with a 67-65 win over Class AAAA No. 7 Sandy Creek. Star sophomore Deasia Merrill picked up an offer from Georgia Tech in the process.

West Hall now sits at No. 3 in Class AAAA following No. 4 Cross Creek and No. 5 Carver-Columbus losing. Northwest Whitfield rises to No. 6 thanks to a 57-47 win over No. 10 Heritage-Catoosa, the Generals’ first loss of the year. Heritage hangs on tight to No. 10 however due to a strong resume. Baldwin exits the poll instead with a 48-42 loss at Houston County. Replacing the Braves is No. 9 Perry. The Panthers’ only two losses have come against Class AAAAA No. 5 Warner Robins.

The billing of No. 1 vs. No. 2 lived up to the hype in Class AAA and for that reason, there is no movement among the top two as No. 1 Johnson-Savannah stunned No. 2 Beach 45-42 on a Sy’Marieona Williams three at the buzzer. No. 3 Greater Atlanta Christian has officially figured things out. They crushed East Hall 70-30. Sneaking up to No. 4 is Monroe. No. 6 Hart County (46-44; Elbert County) and No. 7 Redan (50-37; Morrow) stumbled ahead of them. Ringgold shoots up four spots to No. 5 thanks to a clean week which saw the Tigers knock Haralson County out of the Top 10 with a 60-47 loss. Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe was upset by Ridgeland 63-57, sinking the Warriors to No. 10. Creeping back into the poll is No. 9 Franklin County, winners of eight straight.

There is officially a new sheriff in town in Class AA. No. 1 Laney takes over the top spot after they smoked Class AAAAAA No. 5 Mays 85-66. Senior Aubriana Bonner went for 23 points and 7 rebounds, but it’s the re-addition of De’Sha Benjamin that has taken Wildcats to the next stratosphere. The superstar junior hung 33 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals on the Lady Raiders. The dynamic duo is the best in Class AA. No. 2 Model was upended by a surging Christian Heritage team which enters the poll in Class A-Private. The Lady Blue Devils lost 63-52, opening the door for Laney to take over. Fitzgerald falls to No. 6 after the Purple Hurricanes have remained idle. A pair of Indians jump Fitzgerald as No. 4 Dodge County and No. 5 Vidalia are on the move. Dodge County beat Class A-Public No. 9 Wilcox County for the second time, 80-64 at Wilcox. Vidalia head coach Chunk Reid won his 863rd game when he beat Jeff Davis 67-37 to become the all-time winningest girls coach in Georgia high school history. The Indians followed up by handing No. 9 Bryan County their first loss of the year 53-45. Putnam County exits the poll after a 61-57 overtime loss to Twiggs County. Replacing them is No. 10 Pepperell who beat Class AAA No. 8 Calhoun 43-42.

Class A-Private No. 2 St. Francis drilled Class AAAAA No. 4 Southwest DeKalb 58-39 in impressive fashion. With Calvary Day’s dip to No. 7 after losses to ranked teams Camden County and Beach (44-26), Lakeview Academy moves to No. 4. Landmark Christian jumps to No. 5 with a 43-40 win over Stratford Academy who falls out. Our Lady of Mercy also departs after a 54-34 loss to new No. 9 Fellowship Christian and a 43-37 defeat at the hands of Tattnall Square Academy. New to the poll is No. 10 Christian Heritage, who has won three straight including upsetting Class AA No. 2 Model.

In Class A-Public, Wheeler County rises to No. 4 after getting revenge against No. 5 Telfair County, 50-48. Marion County drops from No. 6 to out of the rankings after a 62-44 loss against No. 6 Taylor County. Replacing Marion County is defending state champion No. 10 Turner County. Mylashia Yancey has since graduated, but junior Zakiyah Office and freshman Miya Byrd have looked like stars in her place. Office is averaging 22 points, 13 rebounds and 5.4 steals while Byrd is posting 11.8 points, 11.6 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 7 steals a night.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Girls Recaps, Recaps

GHSA Statewide Recap 12-16

BOYS

Class AAAAAAA

No. 5 McEachern 61, North Cobb 48: Isaac Okoro double-doubled with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Sharife Cooper had 12 points and 7 assists. Babatunde Akingbola finished with 10 rebounds and 10 blocks.

No. 6 Collins Hill 66, Duluth 56: Chris Parks and Kenny Stanciel scored 17 apiece to lead the Eagles. Max Clark chipped in 10 points. Duluth was led by Adam Flagler’s 15 points and Jalen Hodges’ 12.

Lanier 58, No. 10 Meadowcreek 52: A banged up Mustangs team couldn’t keep pace with the Longhorns. Adrian Martin scored 19 while Edmund Ruiz had a career-high 17 and Juwan Jones added 10.

Peachtree Ridge 54, Mill Creek 36: Matty Dobbs and Matthew McDowell both scored 11 points in a loss.

Discovery 59, Mountain View 51: The Titans went on the road and scored an impressive victory behind Keshawn Overstreet’s 14 points and 7 rebounds. Jaden Stanley had 12 and 7. Kalu Ezikpe posted 10 points and 9 rebounds.

Lambert 75, North Forsyth 32: Andrew Melms finished with 22 points and 8 assists while Austin Deckard added 12 points and 5 steals for the Longhorns.  

Marietta 67, Kennesaw Mountain 64: The Blue Devils rallied from down 13 late in the third to storm back for a narrow victory. Kharon Cameron scored 23 while Ramel Keyton added 18. Khalil Hawkins tacked on 10.

Brookwood 65, North Gwinnett 39: Bubba Parham scored a game-high 21 points to lead the Broncos. Trae Higginbotham added 12 points and Marcus Smith netted 11. North Gwinnett was led by Cam Rowland’s 13 points and Mikey Joseph posted 10 points.
Roswell 58, Milton 50: Milton’s struggles continued as Roswell stung the Eagles. James Anderson dropped in 22 points to carry the load.

Hillgrove 56, North Paulding 53: The Hawks went 10-for-10 from the foul line in the fourth quarter to ice a tight game with North Paulding. Demierre Black posted 19 points, 8 rebounds and 5 steals. Justin Davidson added 11. Hillgrove rallied from down eight with two minutes to play. Davidson hit the go-ahead three with 40 seconds left.

Grayson 65, Archer 55: Travis Anderson poured in 26 points and collected 3 steals. Terrell Greene had 6 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Kenyon Jackson posted 8 points, 11 rebounds and 6 blocks. 

Class AAAAAA

No. 1 Gainesville 82, Harrison 56: Xavier Bledson went for 22 points and 4 assists to lead the Red Elephants. Bailey Minor went 7-of-8 from the floor and finished with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Mike White and Jarrel Rosser both added 8 points.

No. 2 Jonesboro 61, Lehigh, FL 53: Down at the City of Palms in Florida, Jonesboro held off Lehigh. On the big stage, MJ Walker came up huge again, pouring in 29 points and 14 rebounds. Jaylon Terrell had 12 points.

No. 8 Alpharetta 70, Chattahoochee 60: David Swillum scored 20 points and grabbed 5 rebounds to pace a balanced Raiders attack. Brandon Barron went for 17 points and 8 assists. Ryan Jenei had 10 points and Carlos Carriere notched 10 points and 7 rebounds.

No. 9 South Cobb 84, River Ridge 36: Trevin Wade scored 23 points and had 4 assists. Ralueke Orizu posted 14 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks.

Cambridge 70, North Atlanta 60: David Banks scored 12 points to lead the Bears. Caleb Snyder added 11 and Kamar Robertson shipped in 10. Kyler Ingram battled for 9 points and Bryce Boutelle netted 8.

Sprayberry 64, Osborne 61: Eddie Figueroa finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Rodney Pearson added 9 points.

Lakeside-Evans 62, Greenbrier 57: Deon Berrien went for 16 points and 14 rebounds. Kre’Sean Hall added 15 points and 11 boards. Kalen Williams netted 15 points to go with his 6 rebounds.

Class AAAAA

No. 1 Buford 66, Flowery Branch 54: Buford pulled away from Flowery Branch in a hard fought battle. The Eagles were led by Brannon Clark’s 17 points and 6 rebounds. Myles Janess had 9 points and John Mills tallied 10 points and 3 assists.

No. 2 Eagle’s Landing 68, Jones County 58: Brandon Thomas scored 16 points to lead the Eagles. Jacob Durmveil had 12 and Tarrence Evans netted 10.

No. 3 Fayette County 57, Leon, FL 51:  Fayette County remained undefeated at the Southern States Classic. Noah Gurley posted 21 points 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Phillip Young went for 15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 4 blocks. Austin Nesmith provided 17 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists.

No. 6 Cedar Shoals 59, Walnut Grove 40: Phlan Fleming scored 19 points and in the process netted the 1,000th of his career. AJ Jones scored 12 for the Jags. Walnut Grove received 13 points apiece from Jailen Robinson and Dashun Smith.

No. 10 Warner Robins 79, 4ANo. 7 Perry 54: Jacolbey Owens exploded for 29 points while Jalen “Champ” Dawson added 17 and Nelson Phillips dropped 15 for the Demons. Jhimarre Brown scored a team-high 12 points for Perry. Damion Bagley scored 7 and Evan Lasseter had 9.

Starr’s Mill 71, Bowdon 62: Drew Hudson led the Panthers with 25 points.

Loganville 65, Clarke Central 56: Jamar Moore finished with 8 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks to help the Red Devils to a Region 8 victory.

Lithia Springs 56, Troup 29: Shamarre Ruff scored 13 points and Ceaunte Zachery added 10 to lead the Lions to a 7-1 record. Troup was led by Quan McFarland’s 9 points.

Arabia Mountain 65, Lithonia 53: Cameron Robinson (17), Darius Giles (14) and Jordan Sterling (13) knocked off Lithonia in another wild Region 5 contest.

Class AAAA

Rickards, FL 77, No. 1 Sandy Creek 73: The Patriots fell at the Southern States Classic. KJ Wilkins scored 24 in the loss. Jarred Godfrey netted 14 and Kam Miller had 10. Evan Jester finished with 9 points.

No. 4 St. Pius 70, Stephens County 68: Carson Seramur netted 17 points to lead the Golden Lions at home. Troy Stephens chipped in 12 and Matt Gonzalo notched 9 points and 6 assists. Stephens County received a game-high 19 from Montavious Thornton. NuNu Walker added 12 points and Deundra Singleton went for 10 points, 8 rebounds and 5 blocks.

No. 6 Henry County 76, Mt. Zion-Jonesboro 69: Damion Rosser scored 19 points while Javon Greene added 14 and Seth Brown pitched in 11 for the Warhawks. The Bulldogs were paced by DeMaje Carter’s game-high 27 and TreJohn Taylor’s 17 points.

No. 8 Westover 81, Terrell County 66: At the U-Save-It Classic, Kris Gardner poured in 29 points and 5 assists to lead the Patriots. Jordan “Snow” Brown had 13 points and 7 assists. Quin Smith added a double-double of 11 points and 15 rebounds. Cam Hill chipped in 11 points and 3 boards.

No. 10 Eastside 73, Luella 57: Keiodre Perry poured in 19 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in three quarters of work while shooting 8-of-15 from the floor.

LaFayette 57, Southeast Whitfield 41: Super sophomore Alex Kelehear went for 27 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists on the road.

Ridgeland 67, Pickens 54: The Dragons’ struggles continued. In the loss Joseph Gossett went for 17 points. Avery Luke had 10 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. Jacob Brumby had 10 points and 4 rebounds.

Madison County 53, Jefferson 37: Trevon Daniel and Jackson Bailey scored 13 apiece to lead Madison County. The Dragons received 9 points from Jasper Gibson.

Northwest Whitfield 66, Heritage-Catoosa 59: The Bruins won their sixth straight game behind Luke Shiflett’s 27 points and 12 rebounds. Paxton Pardee and Caleb Curry both scored 10 points.  

White County 71, West Forsyth 54: John Ward notched a double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Austin Harris tagged on 17 points and 6 assists. Jay Lepkoske had 10 points and 8 rebounds.

Class AAA

No. 1 Westside-Macon 70, Peach County 24: Khavon Moore pitched in 20 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals in a blowout. Kentrevious Jones added 15 points and 10 rebounds. Trey Foster finished with 11 points, 3 assists and 4 steals.

No. 3 Greater Atlanta Christian 71, East Hall 62: Sophomore Hunter McIntosh led the Spartans with 21 points while Mahki Brown hung a game-high 24 points for the Vikings. GAC also received 16 points apiece from Charlie O’Briant and Branden Harris.

No. 6 Central-Macon 85, Rutland 59: Antarius McCoy finished with 25 points and 9 rebounds while Kylan Hill added 9 points and 11 boards. Dewan Owens had 10 points and Tyrice Paul scored 9.

No. 9 Morgan County 68, West Hall 26: Alec Woodard scored 22 points while Tyrin Lawrence added 15 for the Bulldogs.

Dawson County 52, Fannin County 44: Jeremiah Crumley scored 18 points to power the Tigers. Cullen Reed had 8 and Campbell Reed had 7.

North Hall 70, Union County 47: Taylor Hanson netted 17 points followed by Alec Volle and Justin Rabb’s 10 apiece for the Trojans.

Class AA

No. 2 Therrell 79, Grady 73: DJ Brittian pumped in 28 points but it wasn’t enough to slow down Anthony Edwards and Therrell. Edwards dropped 27.

No. 7 Monticello 64, Elbert County 45: Ashton Bonner scored 16 points for the Hurricanes. Matthew Lawson had 14 and Malik Crawford added 10.

Dodge County 69, Hawkinsville 35: Nick Cummings scored 22 points for Dodge County.

Putnam County 89, Social Circle 68: D’Mario Reid dropped in 30 points and 7 rebounds while Carl Johnson hung 27 points and 10 assists for the Eagles.

Class A-Private

No. 2 St. Francis 64, Wesleyan 49: Dwon Odom overwhelmed the Wolves after St. Francis trailed by two at the half. The freshman finished with 27 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. Chase Ellis posted 13 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists. Wallace Tucker tacked on 4 assists and 7 steals. Wesleyan received 27 points from Christian McLean.

Seffner Christian, FL 70, Lakeview Academy 69 OT: Lakeview fell in overtime at the Southern States Classic. Josh Randolph, Drew Cottrell and Tre Gober all scored 17 points.

No. 6 Aquinas 50, Lincoln County 36: Aquinas’ balance was too much for Lincoln County to overcome. Trent Bowdre had 22 points and 6 rebounds. Tre Gomillion posted 8 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists. George Welch chipped in 10 points and 8 rebounds. Jelani Shakir totaled 9 assists. In the loss, Ahmad Rand had 19 points, 18 rebounds and 14 blocks. Maciah Gunby netted 11.

Hebron Christian 86, Commerce 54: Troy Allen led the Lions with 19 points. John Stewart had 14 and Connor Almon had 11. Alex Calvert and Wesley Warbington both scored 10. 

                                                      

GIRLS

 Class AAAAAAA

Marietta 65, Kennesaw Mountain 40: Taylor Smith (20), Tatiana Foster (13) and Deaja Morton (10) were too much to control as the Lady Blue Devils trio combined for 43 points.

Lassiter 49, Paulding County 43: Caitlin Sasapan scored a team-high 15 points for the Trojans. Taylor Smith, Grace Karas and Wambui Chege each scored 8 points.

Class AAAAAA

No. 6 Grovetown 62, Evans 52: Destiny Marshall poured in 32 points for Grovetown.

No. 7 Sequoyah 46, Etowah 38: Alyssa Cagle went for 20 points, 6 rebounds and 6 steals to power the Lady Chiefs. Emily Seres chipped in 9 points and 5 rebounds.

Centennial 60, Dunwoody 52: The Lady Knights defended their home floor in region play as Shekinah Guthrie dropped in a game-high 25 points. Aerial Nathan had 11 while Divine Guthire posted 8 points. Freshman Bailey Hebermehl knocked down three threes.

Johns Creek 55, Pope 49: Sydney Tanguilig scored a team-high 18 points as the Lady Gladiators advanced to 7-4 overall. Johns Creek sank 9-of-10 free throws in the fourth quarter to hold off the Greyhounds. Markeima Lancaster finished with 13 points and 4 steals. Ashley Alexander added 9 points and 14 rebounds.

Class AAAAA

No. 2 Buford 53, No. 1 Flowery Branch 44: The Lady Wolves made a statement in Region 8 on the road against Flowery Branch. In the loss Queen Scott battled foul trouble and finished with 16 points and 6 rebounds. Taniyah Worth had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists. Julianne Sutton added 4 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks.

No. 5 Warner Robins 66, Perry 34: The Demonettes overpowered Perry behind Kezia Holmes’ 20 points and 13 blocks. Shynia Jackson scored 17 and Le’Terria Mathis netted 12. Jordan Thomas finished with 11.

No. 6 Villa Rica 67, 4ANo. 6 Sandy Creek 65: Deasia Merrill went off for 19 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists to help the Wildcats hold off Sandy Creek. Aliyah Hindsman scored a team-high 21 and Jaila Orozco posted 17 points and 8 rebounds.

McIntosh 50, LaGrange 43: DeLayne Rotolo and Kennedi Miller both scored 14 points to pace the Lady Chiefs. Sophomore Rylee Calhoun added 11 while Mikayla Rivers (6) and Savannah Soles (5) chipped in.

Class AAAA

No. 1 North Oconee 53, Oconee County 35: Emma Weynand scored 18 points and Keller Barks added 14 and 6 steals in the battle for Oconee. Camryn Williams had 9 points and 10 rebounds. Shekya Watson scored 8 points and collected 7 of the Lady Titans’ 22 steals.

No. 5 West Hall 53, Morgan County 38: Anna McKendree and Macy Passmore scored 12 apiece to lead the Spartans. Aashyah White and Avery Prather both scored 8 in the win.

No. 7 Jefferson 59, Madison County 32: Jazmin Allen netted a team-high 19 points for the Dragonettes.

No. 8 Northwest Whitfield 57, No. 10 Heritage-Catoosa: Bria Clemmons led the charge in a crucial region showdown, posting 13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks. Hallie Brooker added 12 points.

St. Pius 62, Stephens County 31: The Golden Lions raced out to a 12-0 lead and never trailed. Leah Middleton had 15 points while Macey Carson added 10. Emma Drash netted 9. The Indians were led by Kaitlyn Phillips’ 10.

Ridgeland 77, Pickens 68: Mackenzie Hampton finished with 14 points and 7 rebounds and both Autumn Young and Torie Williams scored 13 points in the Dragonettes’ loss. Shelby Cook added 9 points and 4 rebounds. For Ridgeland, Sarah Meadows pumped in a game-high 31 points while Brylee Dunn added 16.

Class AAA

No. 1 Johnson-Savannah 50, Tattnall County 27: Alexis Pierce and Olivia Owens scored 13 apiece to carry the Atomsmashers. Owens added 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.

Franklin County 58, Gatlinburg-Pittman, TN 56: After a 0-2 start to the season, the Lions have now ripped off eight straight wins. Mya Jones scored 18 points followed by Ivy Ginn’s 17. Asia Jones added 10.

Class AA

No. 3 Rabun County 73, Oglethorpe County 26: 11 different players scored for Coach DeeDee Dillard. Tessa Matheson led the way with 12 points. Georgia Stockton (11) and Kaitlin Coleman (10) both cracked double digits.

No. 5 Dodge County 92, Hawkinsville 35: Tierra Hamilton netted 22 points while Destanee Wright finished with 15 to cruise past the Red Devils. Bresha Carr (14), Europe Brown (12) and Nesia Mitchell (10) all broke double figures.

Dublin 57, Southwest-Macon 32: The Irish received 17 points from Takorra Smith and 13 from Alexus Carr in a blowout victory. Kesjia Wilcher added 11 points.

Class A-Public

Macon County 73, Wilkinson County 53: Junior guard Jasmine Larry dropped in 30 points for Macon County.

GHSA, Girls Basketball, Girls Game Stories

No. 7 Sequoyah holds off pesky Wolverines

No. 7 Sequoyah 57, Woodstock 54

Cherokee County powers met at the War Lodge in Hickory Flat, Sequoyah entering at a perfect 7-0 and ranked No. 7 in Class AAAAAA while Woodstock, limping in with injuries at 4-4 without South Alabama-signee Devyn Lowe.

On a rare Monday night showdown, the Lady Chiefs and Wolverines went back and forth with both sides trading runs. Sequoyah led 12-11 after one behind Alyssa Cagle’s five points. The Lady Chiefs were on the verge of a taking an commanding early double digit lead if it wasn’t for the hot shooting of senior Taylor Reed. The long ball threat scored seven of her 10 points in the first quarter and drained three threes on the night while using a flare screen to get open on the opposite wing.

In the second quarter, Cagle picked up a hockey assist as she dished to Emily Seres who found AnnaLynne Bennett on a nice interior pass to go up 19-13.

Sequoyah opened up a quick 24-13 lead on a 12-2 run and looked like they were about to put the banged up Wolverines away, but athletic senior slasher Bralise Reese got free and powered a 13-4 run with six of her game-high 16 points in the frame, leading the Wolverines into the half trailing 28-26.

The Lady Chiefs sprung out of the half quickly using five points from Colby Carden. The junior combo guard sank her seventh point of the quarter to give Sequoyah a 40-31 lead with 1:37 left in the third. Sequoyah finished out the period using a Lauren Schletty basket to maintain a 44-33 lead heading into the fourth.

In the blink of an eye, Woodstock crawled its way back into the game riding a 10-2 surge to cut the Sequoyah lead to 46-43. Senior point guard Kamryn Forrester was the catalyst, scoring six of her 10 points in the final 8 minutes and finishing the game with four rebounds, eight assists, two steals and one block.

The Wolverines finally tied the game on freshman Sophia Singer’s three-pointer but Carden quickly got the ball up the court and found Schletty to regain a 48-46 lead at the 2:49 mark. Schletty got hot and scored six of her 10 points in the fourth including sinking two free throws to go ahead 52-46 with 2:11 left, the Lady Chiefs seemingly regaining control of the game.

Instead, Forrester came away with a steal underneath the basket and while tumbling down, kicked the ball behind her to Reese for two of her eight fourth quarter points to make it 56-54 with 42.6 seconds remaining.

Sequoyah’s Bennett was sent to the line with 27 seconds and missed her first free throw, prompting Woodstock head coach Julie Crowe to call timeout and organize a plan for the Wolverines. Bennett coolly knocked down her second attempt, setting up a final possession with 18.5 seconds left for Woodstock after advancing the ball and moving past half court.

Woodstock swung the ball around the perimeter but the best look they could get was a contested Reese heave from the top of the key that clanked off the rim.

My Take

Though she missed two free throws in the fourth quarter and didn’t have as many “wow” plays as usual, junior point guard Alyssa Cagle is still the real deal for Sequoyah. Every time she touches the ball good things happen whether she’s slashing through the lane, finding open shooters or pulling the trigger from deep herself. Coach Derrick DeWitt praised her for even her post defense when getting stuck on bigger Wolverines. As long as she’s in Black and Gold, the Lady Chiefs will be an issue statewide come February and March. She is the leader of a potent 7-man junior class which sees Colby Carden and Peyton Satterfield flank her as dangerous shooters. Carden moves in from Sprayberry, following father Allen Carden who is head coach of the boys team. She played very well with Cagle and provides a versatile scoring punch and high IQ alongside floor general Cagle. Lauren Schletty, one of two seniors on the roster, really came up big in the fourth quarter; she does some nice things around the basket. Without any Hartmans on the roster, Sequoyah’s one bugaboo when it comes to contending for a state title might be their lack of size.

Woodstock has been stung with injuries but that didn’t stop the Wolverines from fighting to the very end. Kamryn Forrester was excellent as an energizer bunny all over the floor, affecting the game in multiple ways. Taylor Reed used Coach Crowe’s flare screen offense to perfection in the first half with three threes. I loved Bralise Reese’s athleticism and tenacity. She was cat-quick getting to the rim and had a great second leap to clean up misses. Her 16-point 10-rebound double-double was a strong effort. A name to stow away in the memory bank is freshman Sophia Singer. The 5-foot-10 youngster resembles Olivia Nelson-Ododa with her long and lanky frame but of course, not at her height or skill set. She knocked down a big three in the fourth quarter and rebounded well.

Top Performers

Sequoyah
Colby Carden – 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals
Alyssa Cagle – 10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals
Lauren Schletty – 10 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals 1 block
Peyton Satterfield – 9 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Emily Seres – 6 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist

Woodstock
Bralise Reese – 16 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 1 block
Kamryn Forrester – 10 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, 1 block
Taylor Reed – 10 points, 4 rebounds
Brittany Burnett – 7 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals