Class AA

Did You Know: Pace Academy is 3-8 in neutral site games this year.

R6 #1 Pace Academy (19-10)

No. 3 Pace Academy has 10 losses, starting the year 2-8 after taking its lumps on the national circuit. After losses to Class AAAAAA No. 2 Westlake and 1A-Private No. 1 Greenforest to kick off the year, Pace’s only other two in-state losses came to GAC 55-49 in the third game of the season dropping them to 0-3 and at No. 6 Lovett in overtime 66-63 on Jan. 30. All eyes will be on five-star junior center Wendell Carter Jr. and versatile 6-foot-7 sophomore forward Isaiah Kelly. Carter went for 35 points in Pace’s 69-58 win over Jefferson County in the Sweet 16 while Kelly added 14. Penn-commit Zack Kaminsky stands 6-foot-6 at small forward and netted 14 in their win over Jefferson County. The Knights met one-loss No. 1 Thomasville in the Elite Eight and embarrassed the Bulldogs 75-48 in a jaw dropping performance. Carter thoroughly dominated the 6-foot-8 front line of Reggie Perry and Titus Wright posting 26 points, 14 rebounds, 12 blocks, four assists and two steals. The Knights only led by nine at the half but after Barrett Baker splashed in a pair of threes in the third quarter, the rout was on. Baker scored 17 on the night as Coach Demetrius Smith’s fourth option. Pace faced another challenge on paper against No. 2 Crawford County. The Eagles’ quickness however was no match for the Knights’ size. Kelly finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks, picking up the slack for Carter who hurt his toe but still managed 12 points and 10 rebounds. Crawford County’s explosive tandem of William Jarrell and Marcal Knolton was held to just 23 points in Pace Academy’s 61-51 physical win. For the Knights to win their first state title in basketball, expect a heavy dosage of Carter in the low post to exploit their size advantage over No. 10 Manchester.

R5 #1 Manchester (25-5)

No. 10 Manchester doesn’t have the consistent size or the Division-I talent that No. 3 Pace has, but they do a strong belief that they can play with anyone and have two dynamic guards that can help Coach Curtis Noble try and hoist their first trophy since 2007. Coming out of Region 5, the Blue Devils hadn’t been tested much during the regular season. Their main competition was Temple, who they beat 65-62 and 69-37. In non-region play, the Blue Devils scored an impressive 63-61 win over No. 2 Crawford County at the Merriweather County Holiday Tournament. On their road to Macon the Blue Devils have knocked off No. 5 Early County in the Sweet 16, 75-62 and dropped No. 6 Lovett 70-56 in the Elite Eight. Against Lovett, Manchester trailed 18-13 at the end of the first quarter but quickly took control behind a 21-6 second quarter. Senior Demarcus Addie exploded for 30 points while Jah’Nile Hill, a sophomore, added 13. In the Final Four the recipe was the same. Manchester eliminated Monticello 63-53 after Addie netted 22 points and Hill tacked on 14 more. Cadarian Brown emerged as a third threat scoring 11 points. Jerquavion Mahone is a 6-foot-4, 255-pounder that throws his weight around inside. Bobby Stevenson and Garrett Brown provide size at 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-7 and will likely see some time guarding Wendell Carter Jr. if needed. Manchester hurt Monticello on the glass. They will have to replicate that same type of intensity on the boards while battling Pace’s larger frontcourt. The Blue Devils ride a 19-game winning streak into the state championship and should have the house packed at the Centreplex as Manchester is just an hour and thirty minutes away from Macon. Manchester last advanced to the state championship in 2011-12 when they lost to Laney 67-53.