GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Early Season Surprise Hot Starts

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Class AAAAAAA

Mountain View (8-1)
2015-16: 13-13

I praised the team chemistry of Mountain View throughout the summer with the Georgia Heat Check program and their year round commitment has paid dividends so far this season, making it not much of a surprise. Mountain View’s only loss has come to Class A-Private No. 1 Greenforest, 67-49 at the Jared Cook Classic. Outside of that lone defeat, the Bears have already picked up two victories against ranked teams, beating Class AA No. 7 Butler 64-48 and No. 9 Duluth this Tuesday, 72-56. The 8-1 start is the best start in school history, the young seventh year program in search of its first postseason appearance. The sharpshooting of Spencer Rodgers has paced the Bears but the growth of Miles Long at the point guard position has been crucial as he has flourished since Donell Nixon’s transfer to Buford. Long dropped 20 points in the Bears’ win in Augusta over Butler.


South Gwinnett (5-1)
2015-16: 5-20

“I know we got the guys that want to compete and get better. We’ve got the pieces. I’m excited, I think we have a special year in store for us,” is what first-year head coach Ty Anderson said at Gwinnett County Media Day. His proclamation has come to fruition thus far as the fiery leader already has tied last year’s win total. The Comets’ only loss came to against Parkview at the Parkview Tip-Off Classic, 62-55.  Wins over Woodstock and Lambert highlight the resume. Seniors Brycen Lee and D’onte Torrence have led the renaissance under Anderson’s guidance. The Comets face their biggest test of the season on Friday as they host No. 2 Newton.

Class AAAAAA

Richmond Hill (6-1)
2015-16: 17-10 

Following a season-opening loss at Class AAAAA No. 10 New Hampstead, the Wildcats have played well. They were shutout of the postseason last year in disappointing fashion and were tasked with replacing leading scorer Isaiah Hill (20.3 ppg) heading into 2016-17. Richmond Hill scored a signature win this Tuesday, upsetting defending state champion and current Class AAA No. 4 Liberty County, 58-56. The Panthers were without Davion Mitchell and the ‘Cats took advantage, using Trey DeLoach’s 18 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 blocks to stun Liberty County. DeLoach is averaging 11.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3 blocks while fellow senior Montest Bumpers is chipping in 10.1 points and 3 steals.

Bradwell Institute (5-1)
2015-16: 6-19 

William Douberly has turned around Bradwell Institute in his first year at the helm. The Tigers won just 10 games in the past two seasons before Douberly’s arrival. Bradwell Institute has won five straight after losing at Class AAA No. 4 Liberty County to open the season. They have drilled Savannah 70-42 and blew out a tough Long County team 86-54. Senior point guard Darryll Johnson has been on a scoring binge averaging over 18 points per game while 5-foot-8 backcourt member Anthony Vicente has tossed in 10 points on average his final season. The Tigers test themselves against Region 2 power Brunswick on Friday.  Bradwell Institute and Richmond Hill will fight for playoff position all year long in the tiny five team region.

Class AAAAA

Chamblee (6-2)
2015-16: 7-19 

A blowout 66-47 loss against Stockbridge to open the year at the Southwest DeKalb Showdown has been the worst outcome of the season for the Bulldogs. Chamblee nearly upset No. 7 Miller Grove, 61-56 in their only other loss. They beat Class AAA No. 10 Redan 59-55 as their best W of the year. Seniors Odell Ferrell, Dazz Riggins and Glen Robinson have been crucial to the ‘Dogs’ turnaround.

Maynard Jackson (6-1)
2015-16: 15-14 

The Jaguars snuck into the playoffs last year by upsetting a then 22-2 Westminster team in the region tournament. There will be now more sneaking around this season however as former Tennessee State head coach Travis Williams now has the group playing to their full potential. The Jags’ lone loss came at No. 8 Riverwood, 68-67. Senior forward 6-foot-6 JaQuavius Hayes has been a monster inside, averaging 23.7 points, 13.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1 steal and 1.3 blocks a night. As good as he has been, the Jags have taken their game to the next level thanks to an improved supporting cast. Juniors Marquavis Carter and Keshun Byrd have provided scoring around Hayes. Carter is hitting 47% of his threes and is averaging 15.3 points while Byrd is pitching in 10.7 points.

Class AAAA

Salem (8-1)
2015-16: 17-12 

A lot graduated from last year’s playoff team, but the Seminoles are out to a quick start. Their only loss has come to Class AAAAAA No. 10 Tri-Cities, 57-51. Salem’s best win is a 67-56 home win over Arabia Mountain. Tehjuan Powell, Montez Swann, Kendrick Harris and Brandon Smith have all played important roles. They will try to keep pace with No. 3 Henry County in Region 4 as they visit No. 10 North Clayton on Friday, who is currently 0-2 in the region standings.

LaFayette (7-1)
2015-16: 12-13 

Although they aren’t ready to become a statewide player, LaFayette is taking baby steps to become a playoff contender in a wide open Class AAAA. The Ramblers have breezed past week competition up in Region 6, but were handed a 65-63 loss by Heritage-Catoosa, who takes over first place in the standings. Head coach Hank Peppers has rode star sophomore Alex Kelehear this season as the versatile playmaking guard projects to be an all-time LaFayette great. Tyrese Hunter, LaTrail McClinic, Andrew Pendergrass and Caleb Boyd have helped take some scoring burden off Kelehear’s shoulders.

Class AAA

No Surprises yet

Class AA

No. 8 Therrell (6-0)
2015-16: 14-9

The drop to Class AA has helped Therrell who is now ranked No. 8 in the state. Wins over Mays (76-71 OT) and at South Cobb (66-57) are high quality. Sophomore guard Anthony Edwards stands 6-foot-4 and is a future D-I ball player with a high ceiling. After playing with the Atlanta Xpress, Edwards is in tip top form, pouring in 36 points against Mays and 23 points and 9 rebounds vs. South Cobb. Consistent help will be key to Therrell sustaining their early success. Deandre Brown has helped out thus far, the 6-foot-2 freshman averaging double figures.

No. 5 Glenn Hills (4-1)
2015-16: 3-19 

Coach Travis McRae has already surpassed last year’s 3-win total. The Spartans announced their presence with a 62-56 win at Class AAAA No. 7 Richmond Academy last week, but fell at Lakeside-Evans on Tuesday, 88-83 in overtime, not a bad loss. Junior center Timmy Seller has been the anchor inside. The 6-foot-8 big man is averaging 12.6 points and 7.8 rebounds. On the wing, 6-foot-4 freshman John Whitehead is adding 9.6 points a night. CJ Bowers, Eric Farmer, Jordan Lord and Robert Drew are all scoring over 8 points per game, giving Coach McRae a dangerously balanced attack.

Class A-Private

Tallulah Falls (7-0)
2015-16: 13-13 

The Indians missed the Class A-Private playoffs last season and are clicking on all cylinders early on. A pair of 6-foot-5 seniors power Coach Jim Van Hooser’s offense. Josey Keene is averaging 15.4 points and 4 rebounds while Michael Van Hooser is dropping in 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists. Michael Weidner is a scrappy guard that is posting 9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 3.6 steals. The veteran group’s top five scorers are all seniors. The Indians’ best win came against White County, 78-62. They will see a step up in competition in the upcoming weeks with their toughest game coming on January 6 at No. 6 Lakeview Academy.

Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy (4-1)
2015-16: 4-19 

Derrick Mason has changed the culture of the program, already matching last year’s win total. The Chargers’ best win was their season opener against Preseason Top 10 ranked King’s Ridge Christian, 47-32. ECLA’s only loss was a 58-55 decision against Class AAAAA 6-2 Union Grove. On Friday the Chargers host No. 7 Tattnall Square Academy.

Class A-Public

No. 6 Twiggs County (5-0)
2015-16: 9-15 

Another case of a new coach maximizing talent, Twiggs County has skyrocketed to No. 6 in the state after a handful of impressive wins. They beat Preseason Class AA No. 9 Swainsboro 76-58 and stunned current AA No. 3 Dublin at Dublin 82-74 behind senior guard Zuri Brown’s 30 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists as well as senior Cortavious Ates’ 26 points and 6 boards. Coach Andrew Johnson has the Cobras striking with a potent offense that averages 75.6 points. Ates is averaging 20 points, Brown 19 and Juwan Brown 15. Twiggs County draws Dublin in a rematch this Friday with a chance to really solidify themselves as a Class A-Public power player.

No. 10 Schley County (4-0)
2015-16: 4-21 

Who knows how long it’ll last, but the Wildcats have already matched last year’s win total and find themselves ranked in the Top 10. They hang their hats on wins over previously ranked Hawkinsville (51-45) and at Marion County (82-78). Both wins very well may not be all that impressive in two weeks, but for now it’s been enough to get the ‘Cats recognized.

 

Game Stories, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Donell Nixon & No. 1 Buford sink No. 3 Cedar Shoals

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No. 1 Buford 72, No. 3 Cedar Shoals 66

Coming off of a 59-54 overtime loss at Duluth, two-time defending Region 8 champion No. 3 Cedar Shoals was looking to get back on track. Standing in their way was new Region member, No. 1 Buford who suited up for the first time as the top ranked team in Class AAAAA.

Over the next 32 minutes, the two state powers traded blows until Buford came away victorious after a late mental error by the Jaguars.

A fast pace opened up the action as Alex Jones pushed the Wolves offense down the floor finding open men. He made sure to get powerful forward Marcus Watson in the mix early on, but Charleston Southern-signee Phlan Fleming lifted the Jags in the first quarter, gliding to the basket for six points.

Buford held a 16-11 lead after David Viti worked the glass for an And-1 and helped the Wolves finish the first quarter with a 20-15 lead.

In the second quarter starting point guard Jai’Vanni McDavid and reserve Damarrea Lowe got loose. The two sliced and diced, Lowe scoring all six of his points in the frame and McDavid netting eight of his 14 in the frame for Cedar Shoals.

As the two teams went back and forth, the one constant all night for Buford was Watson. The strong 6-foot-6 forward attacked the basket and punished the slighter of build Jaguars trying to defend him. He posted 12 points and seven rebounds in the first half and finished the game with 25 points and 13 boards.

The heavyweights entered the half deadlocked at 31, but Cedar Shoals had reason for optimism as key pieces Stavion Stevenson, AJ Jones and Snipe Hall combined for just seven points in the opening 16 minutes.

Before the Jaguars could get their footing, Jones hit Donell Nixon for the third of his six threes to open up the third quarter. Nixon, standing only 5-foot-8 on a good day, peppered Cedar Shoals from beyond the arc the entire game, the Jags losing sight of the little man as he floated on the perimeter dropping in 18 of his game-high 26 points in the second half.

Hall began to heat up for the Jaguars after a quiet first half and scored five straight to tie the game at 36, but in the blink of an eye Buford poured in a 12-0 run to take a commanding 53-40 lead, the spurt keyed by a Jones assist to Viti and then Jones and Nixon trading triples.

Up 13, Watson grabbed a rebound and tried to ignite a fast break but threw an errant pass into the chest of Stevenson who laid up an easy hoop, sparking a Jaguar run of their own. Cedar Shoals closed the third quarter on a 7-0 surge and entered the fourth quarter down 53-47.

The Jaguars ripped off 10 straight points to close to within three and eventually took the lead 60-57 as Hall and McDavid attacked Buford’s smaller guards. The 20-4 run had the home crowd in a frenzy as the Jaguars forced turnovers and picked up the tempo.

After Viti split a pair of free throws, the Jaguars somehow left Nixon open for another three, the Wolves regaining a 61-60 lead with 3:53 to play. Fifty-seven seconds later, Watson grabbed a miss and led the break, passing up to Jones. Jones took one dribble before dumping the ball off to Watson for a slam on a 2-on-1 fast break, one of Jones’ dazzling 12 assists on the night making it 63-60.

Hall answered however with an And-1 tying the game at 63 with 1:58 remaining, three of his 14 second half points. Just over 30 seconds later, it was Nixon again supplying a dagger from deep to give Buford a 66-63 lead.

The Jags were able to get a stop and raced down the court for a chance to either tie or cut it to one, but Bobby Miller came out of nowhere to poke the ball away from behind to give possession back to the Wolves.

Having to foul, Cedar Shoals sent Nixon to the line where he sank two attempts to go up five. With time ticking down, AJ Jones put on an array of moves in the corner to get free and splashed a step-back three to breathe life into the Jaguars, cutting the lead to 68-66 with 21.2 seconds left.

Nixon was sent to the line for a 1-and-1, but inexplicably as he attempted his first free throw, the Jaguars had six men on the floor, resulting in a technical foul. Nixon was awarded with four free throws and buried them all as he went 6-for-6 from the line in the fourth quarter and as a team the Wolves finished the game 18-of-22 from the stripe, clinching a wild Region 8 road victory.

My Take

No. 1 vs. No. 3 lived up to the hype albeit a sour ending to the game. Alex Jones was masterful at point guard for the Wolves. Pound-for-pound he is one of the best point guards in the state and I can fully endorse he is the best passer I’ve seen in the state of Georgia over the past two seasons, ranking in the top echelon with Will Washington formerly of McIntosh. Close to the group is also Xavier Bledson of Gainesville. Jones’ court vision is elite. He can drop dimes on the best defenses in the state. Donell Nixon was absolutely lights out from deep. Cedar Shoals had to hold their breath whenever he attempted a shot from beyond the arc. He may have missed one or two tops. Nixon was simply automatic when left open and had ice water in his veins at the line in the fourth.  Of course possibly the most important due to his X-factor ability, is Marcus Watson who moved in from North Carolina. He is a physical presence attacking the hoop but also showed the willingness to attempt threes, hitting one. As exciting as his two-handed flushes were, I was most impressed by the forward’s free throw shooting. He went a perfect 8-of-8 from the line. He has D-I written all over him. He and Nixon are just sophomores. Scary. Even scarier? David Viti and Jones are still juniors and senior Sahil Patel isn’t even playing due to a knee injury. And by the way, the biggest play of the game bar none? Bobby Miller’s chase down steal on the fast break. That was HUGE.

Cedar Shoals could have laid over and died when Buford stunned them with a lightning quick 12-0 run, but the heart of a winner can’t be taken for granted. The Jaguars are some junkyard dogs that don’t fold when games get tough. Last year it was Jerrick Mitchell powering the offense at the point and now this year it was Jai’Vanni McDavid, a junior, that did it all for Coach L’Dreco Thomas. The Jags don’t have the D-I sex appeal that other programs have, but their players play hard. McDavid finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals. Damarrea Lowe, who I loved at the Miller Grove Shot Clock League, gave the Jaguars a spark in the second quarter and is an exceptional guard off the bench that could start for most teams. AJ Jones and Snipe Hall were quiet in the first half but loud in the second. Jones scored nine of his 12 points in the fourth while Hall carried the group throughout the final 16 minutes. Phlan Fleming got off to a quick start, looking smooth getting to the cup but then faded off until he hit a big three late in the third quarter. Stavion Stevenson had a quiet night inside with just four points. The Jags are yet to hit their stride but have all the pieces in place to make another run to the Final Four. Region 8 will be a dog fight between the two statewide powers.

Top Performers

Buford
Marcus Watson – 25 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Donell Nixon – 26 points (6 threes), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block
Alex Jones – 10 points, 2 rebounds, 12 assists, 1 steal
David Viti – 11 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist

Cedar Shoals
Snipe Hall – 18 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assists, 4 steals
Jai’Vanni McDavid – 14 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals
AJ Jones – 12 points, 1 rebound
Phlan Fleming – 9 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
Damarrea Lowe – 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist
Stavion Stevenson – 4 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals

GHSA, Girls Basketball, Girls Rankings

Week 3 Girls Rankings

Class AAAAAAA

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

Class AAAAAA

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

Class AAAAA

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

Class AAAA

  1. North Oconee (5-1)
  2. Cross Creek (3-2)
  3. Columbus (4-1)
  4. Carver-Columbus (5-0)
  5. West Hall (2-3)
  6. Jefferson (4-1)
  7. Americus-Sumter (2-1)
  8. Henry County (5-2)
  9. Northwest Whitfield (3-2)
  10. Sandy Creek (5-0) 

Class AAA

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

Class AA

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

Class A-Private

  1. Wesleyan (5-0)
  2. St. Francis (4-1)
  3. Holy Innocents’ (6-1)
  4. Our Lady of Mercy (5-1)
  5. Calvary Day (2-0)
  6. Lakeview Academy (5-2)
  7. Stratford Academy (5-0)
  8. Savannah Country Day (4-2)
  9. Pinecrest Academy (4-1)
  10. Landmark Christian (4-3)

Class A-Public

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

Archer falls from No. 3 in Class AAAAAAA to No. 8 after losing 46-39 to North Oconee and 61-51 at No. 5 Mill Creek, who rises two spots even after a loss to Wesleyan. Archer will attempt to stop their slide as they visit No. 7 North Forsyth on Tuesday. Collins Hill is the state’s new No. 3 after crushing Woodstock 82-37. No. 9 Colquitt County picked up a nice 58-54 win over Bainbridge. Cherokee has lost three straight games and falls out of the Top 10. The Warriors fell to North Cobb (45-41), Marietta (57-43) and Creekview (51-32) who are a combined 16-4. Entering the poll is Lambert. The Longhorns edge the likes of North Cobb and Marietta thanks to their two latest wins coming against a slumping East Hall team 45-36 and a previously undefeated McIntosh, 62-48.

Class AAAAAA Preseason No. 1 Winder-Barrow slips to No. 3 after Flowery Branch beats them for the second time this season, 50-43. No. 9 Sequoyah won an ugly game against rival Creekview, 35-32 in overtime. Glynn Academy drops out after a 3-2 start to the season. Replacing them is No. 10 Lovejoy. They face their biggest test of the early season on Friday against No. 5 Jonesboro. The Cardinals host No. 6 Tucker on Tuesday, as it’s a big week in Region 4.

No. 2 Buford took it to North Oconee on the road 54-36 as the Wolves begin their march to a Class AAAAA title. No. 3 Griffin survived two close games to remain undefeated, beating Luella 67-66 and Fayette County 49-47. No. 5 Warner Robins escaped their meeting with Perry, 60-58 in overtime. No teams in the Top 10 lost this past week.

Even with their loss to Buford, North Oconee remains No. 1 in Class AAAA thanks to their 46-39 victory at Archer. Cross Creek jumps Columbus for No. 2 in the state. The Razorbacks beat Grovetown 64-53 behind Memphis-signee Alana Davis’ 27 points. Cross Creek gets a rematch with North Augusta, SC, a powerhouse that has gone 4-0 vs. GHSA competition this season. Columbus meets No. 7 Americus-Sumter on Tuesday with a chance to build their resume. No. 6 Jefferson dispatched of Morgan County 64-60 in an impressive win over the defending Class AAA champs. No. 9 Northwest Whitfield jumps Sandy Creek after a 52-30 rout of Ringgold.

In Class AAA, Morgan County tumbles three spots to No. 5. They lost to Jefferson and were then upset by Cedar Shoals 53-52 before righting the ship with a 66-35 win over Putnam County. Beach claims the No. 2 spot as No. 3 Greater Atlanta Christian struggled against its brutal schedule, losing to McEachern 86-55 and St. Francis 59-38, possibly the two best teams in the state when all is said and done. Calhoun was knocked out of the Top 10 by No. 10 Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe. The Warriors are off to a hot start thanks to senior Jazzmyn Elston and sophomore Macey Gregg. Elston is averaging 17.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.2 steals while Gregg, who has upped her scoring by nine points in Year 2, is pitching in 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.3 steals. The duo combined for 53 points in their 60-50 win over the Yellow Jackets.

Banks County and Dublin have fallen out of the Class AA rankings. The Leopards lost to Hart County 53-28 while Dublin dropped a heartbreaker to Treutlen 64-63. Replacing them for the moment is No. 9 Heard County and No. 10 Pepperell.  Heard County picked up a 50-44 win at Our Lady of Mercy while the Dragons knocked off No. 8 Dade County 42-39 at home. Putnam County suffered losses to Baldwin (51-24) and Morgan County (66-35) to drop two spots.

Class A-Private sees Greenforest drop from No. 4 to unranked after an eye opening 49-44 loss to No. 10 Landmark Christian, who squeaks into the bottom of the poll. Also gone are Tattnall Square and Southwest Atlanta Christian. Tattnall lost to Landmark 54-44 and to Westside-Macon 49-40. The Warriors were blown out by No. 3 Holy Innocents’ 68-20. SACA’s strong schedule should bode well down the stretch in region play. No. 8 Savannah Country Day and No. 9 Pinecrest Academy enter the rankings and will try to stick around.

Pelham laid the boom in their Class A-Public opening week, scoring two wins including a thumping of Mitchell County 73-31, knocking the Eagles out of the Top 10. No. 3 Greenville is being powered by Brittany Davis, who is flirting with averaging a triple-double over her first three games of the season. The Patriots humbled Taylor County 66-51, sinking the Vikings four spots to No. 7. Treutlen picked up wins over Woodville-Tompkins (61-59) and Dublin 64-63, knocking both teams out of their respective rankings. With Woodville-Tompkins and Mitchell County gone from the poll, No. 9 Marion County and No. 10 Hancock Central jump in.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Rankings

Week 3 Boys Rankings

1 Comment

Class AAAAAAA

  1. Norcross (6-0)
  2. Newton (6-0)
  3. Wheeler (3-1)
  4. Pebblebrook (4-2)
  5. Westlake (4-1)
  6. McEachern (3-0)
  7. Collins Hill (5-1)
  8. Tift County (5-1)
  9. Duluth (5-1)
  10. Shiloh (3-3) 

Class AAAAAA

  1. Gainesville (5-0)
  2. Jonesboro (3-1)
  3. South Paulding (4-0)
  4. Langston Hughes (4-3)
  5. Heritage-Conyers (5-1)
  6. Alpharetta (7-0)
  7. Dacula (4-1)
  8. Brunswick (4-0)
  9. Allatoona (1-2)
  10. Tri-Cities (7-1) 

Class AAAAA

  1. Buford (5-0)
  2. Southwest DeKalb (6-1)
  3. Cedar Shoals (4-1)
  4. Columbia (4-2)
  5. Eagle’s Landing (3-1)
  6. Fayette County (3-0)
  7. Miller Grove (2-2)
  8. Riverwood (7-1)
  9. Warner Robins (1-1)
  10. New Hampstead (4-2) 

Class AAAA

  1. Sandy Creek (3-1)
  2. Upson-Lee (7-0)
  3. Henry County (5-3)
  4. Thomson (1-0)
  5. St. Pius X (3-2)
  6. Westover (3-1)
  7. Richmond Academy (6-1)
  8. LaGrange (3-1)
  9. Perry (5-1)
  10. North Clayton (1-3) 

Class AAA

  1. Westside-Macon (1-1)
  2. Pace Academy (2-1)
  3. Cedar Grove (1-0)
  4. Liberty County (3-2)
  5. Greater Atlanta Christian (3-1)
  6. Morgan County (2-1)
  7. Islands (3-1)
  8. Jenkins (2-3)
  9. Calhoun (2-0)
  10. Redan (4-2) 

Class AA

  1. South Atlanta (2-0)
  2. Monticello (5-2)
  3. Dublin (1-2)
  4. Callaway (0-0)
  5. Glenn Hills (4-0)
  6. Thomasville (2-3)
  7. Butler (3-1)
  8. Therrell (3-0)
  9. Chattooga (2-0)
  10. Toombs County (5-1) 

Class A-Private

  1. Greenforest (4-2)
  2. North Cobb Christian (5-1)
  3. St. Francis (5-0)
  4. Southwest Atlanta Christian (1-3)
  5. Holy Innocents’ (2-2)
  6. Lakeview Academy (4-1)
  7. Tattnall Square (0-0)
  8. Aquinas (0-0)
  9. Whitefield Academy (1-1)
  10. Our Lady of Mercy (5-1)

Class A-Public

  1. Wilkinson County (2-1)
  2. Crawford County (3-1)
  3. Calhoun County (4-0)
  4. Turner County (1-0)
  5. Quitman County (6-1)
  6. Twiggs County (4-0)
  7. Taylor County (1-1)
  8. Treutlen (2-0)
  9. Manchester (2-1)
  10. Schley County (3-0)

 

Things are starting to settle in for a moment in Class AAAAAAA as the Top 7 remains unchanged. The most impressive wins of the week belong to No. 1 Norcross (75-67 Berkmar) and No. 3 Wheeler (53-42 1ANo. 1 Greenforest). No. 5 Westlake won a sluggish game against Class A-Private No. 4 Southwest Atlanta Christian 75-63 without point guard Jamie Lewis who is out 6 weeks with a foot fracture. Berkmar drops out of the Top 10 after a 2-3 start. The Patriots lost to No. 4 Pebblebrook 66-52 and are replaced by No. 9 Duluth, Head Coach Cabral Huff scoring a his first signature win with the Wildcats beating Class AAAAA No. 3 Cedar Shoals in overtime 59-54 just a day after edging Discovery in double OT 76-63.

Without three integral pieces including star forward KJ Buffen (broken ankle 6-8 weeks), Class AAAAAA No. 1 Gainesville hasn’t made any excuses and remain undefeated. The Red Elephants beat Class 4A No. 5 St. Pius (48-43), Milton (70-61) and Lee, AL (46-44). Bailey Minor has dumped in 53 points over his last two games to power the offense. No. 6 Alpharetta is now 7-0 and hosts 5-0 Pope in a Region 7 showdown. No. 7 Dacula’s only loss has come to Peachtree Ridge 76-71. The Falcons quickly bounced back with a 75-72 win over Grayson. With Davion Mitchell (Auburn) and Kymani Dunham (College of Charleston) both out for their respective teams, No. 8 Brunswick rode Marcus Scott to the tune of 25 points to upset the Panthers.

There’s major shakeup in Class AAAAA after last week’s No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams lose. Columbia fell to Southwest DeKalb at home 62-51 while Cedar Shoals was knocked off by Duluth in overtime. The result is Buford slotting in at No. 1 while Southwest DeKalb moves up five spots to No. 2. Southwest DeKalb’s wins over Collins Hill and Columbia sparkle in Class AAAAA. Buford’s top ranking gets put to the test right away as they travel to No. 3 Cedar Shoals on Tuesday. The Jaguars beat AAA No. 6 Morgan County 57-50 a day before their loss to Duluth. Columbia held on for a 54-53 win over Shiloh at the Wheeler Hoops Classic on Saturday. No. 5 Eagle’s Landing and No. 6 Fayette County are on the move. The Eagles handed Class 6A No. 5 Heritage-Conyers their first loss of the season, 76-71. Fayette County beat Class 4A No. 3 Henry County 79-65. The Tigers have now beaten Class AAAA’s No. 1 (Sandy Creek) and No. 3 ranked teams. Warner Robins falls four spots to No. 9 after blowing a 38-28 third quarter lead and losing to Perry, 57-53.

In their first true test of the season, Class AAAA No. 2 Upson-Lee handed Class A-Public No. 2 Crawford County just its second home loss since 2014, 77-66. No. 3 Henry County lost to Fayette County, but New Orleans-signee Damion Rosser is now back healthy. He went for 18 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists in a 62-59 win against No. 10 North Clayton. The Eagles have sputtered to a 1-3 start and drop five spots. They have played a tough schedule, getting blown out by Westlake 83-46 last week, but their lone win wasn’t in convincing fashion, slipping past Riverdale 41-40. Stephens County exits the poll at 2-1 and are replaced by No. 9 Perry, who came back to upset Warner Robins. The Panthers received 18 points from junior Jacori Burks in the win and have now won 4-straight road games. Westover moves up three spots after an overtime win against Albany and extracting revenge against Dougherty, 85-77.

Cedar Grove sits at No. 3 in Class AAA after beating Lovett 48-35 and Liberty County’s loss to Brunswick. The Saints should be getting some help as football players such as 6-foot-8 center Jelani Woods are expected back to the hardwood. Islands moves up three spots to No. 7 and will host No. 8 Jenkins on Tuesday in a potential “changing of the guard” game if the Sharks can take a bite out of the perennial Savannah power. Lovett drops out and is replaced by No. 9 Calhoun who has allowed 19 points in each of their two victories this season.

Class AA sees Dublin slip one spot after losing to Twiggs County and Truetlen. Due to Callaway not playing a game yet, the Irish don’t fall out of the Top 3. They picked up a huge 57-56 win over Class A-Public No. 1 Wilkinson County to remain ranked highly. The biggest surprise in Class AA is the play of No. 5 Glenn Hills and Vidalia. The Indians are now unranked after a 1-3 start. The Spartans are making some noise in Augusta, rising four spots after a statement victory over Richmond Academy 62-56. Inside, 6-foot-8 junior Timmy Sellers has led the charge, posting 17 points in the win over the Musketeers. New to the poll is No. 8 Therrell. Sophomore Anthony Edwards has led the attack as the Panthers have earned wins over Hiram (49-42), Mays (76-71) and Rockdale County (61-48).

The only movement in Class A-Private sees Christian Heritage replaced at the bottom of the poll by No. 10 Our Lady of Mercy. Whitefield Academy moves up a spot to No. 9 after a 60-57 win over Grady. No. 2 North Cobb Christian romped Stratford Academy 57-38, but it’s still not enough to unseat No. 1 Greenforest. No. 3 St. Francis went to Hall County and came away with a 67-64 win over No. 6 Lakeview Academy.

Calhoun County rises to No. 3, jumping Turner County in Class A-Public. The Cougars drilled Randolph-Clay 74-50. Idle No. 9 Lincoln County, No. 10 Hancock Central and No. 7 Hawkinsville are replaced by No. 6 Twiggs County, No. 8 Treutlen and No. 10 Schley County. The Cobras of Twiggs have been a big surprise, led by senior guard Zuri Brown. They have two wins over Northeast-Macon and drilled Swainsboro (76-58) and upset Dublin at Dublin, 82-74. Schley knocked Hawkinsville out of the poll with their 51-45 win over the Red Devils. Treutlen handled Dublin 78-67 in their meeting with the Irish.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Recaps

GHSA Statewide Recap 12-2

BOYS

Class AAAAAAA

No. 4 Pebblebrook 87, South Cobb 73: Collin Sexton dropped in 36 points as the Falcons soared past the Eagles.

No. 9 Berkmar 55, Parkview 44: The experienced Patriots picked up a crucial region road victory against Parkview behind Al Durham’s 21 points. Jay Estime has 14 points and Ben Soumahoro had 6 points and 11 rebounds. Truitt Spencer led the Panthers with 13 points while Toneari Lane added 11. Ahmir Langlais posted 7 points inside.

Duluth 76, Discovery 63 2OT: Adam Flagler netted 22 points to help the Wildcats outlast Discovery. Jalen Hodges scored 12 points and Will Huzzie finished with a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds. In the loss, the Titans received 21 points and 12 rebounds from Kalu Ezikpe. DJ Young added 12 points and 4 assists while Keshawn Overstreet had 13 points and 7 boards.

Marietta 59, Cherokee 54: Ramel Keyton scored 17 points while Fionn Brown and Kharon Cameron added 10 apiece as the Blue Devils knocked off former region rival Cherokee.

Hillgrove 59, 4ANo. 6 LaGrange 45: DeMierre Black dropped in 20 points in the Hawks’ win.

Class AAAAAA

No. 1 Gainesville 70, Milton 61: Without KJ Buffen and KaJuan Hale available, Bailey Minor went off with 31 points and 9 rebounds to carry the Red Elephants. Xavier Bledson added 14 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists. Jarred Rosser (9) and Mike White (8) both contributed. Duke-signee Alex O’Connell was held to 14 points. Freshman Christian Wright scored a team-high 27 for Milton.

No. 3 South Paulding 80, Northgate 44: Georgia State-signee Kane Williams hung a triple-double with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. JaCori Wilson finished with 25 points and 8 rebounds.

No. 4 Heritage-Conyers 55, Rockdale County 50: Byron Abrams went for 18 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists in the Patriots’ rivalry game victory. Isaiah Banks finished with 10 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals. Jordan Thomas had 13 points and 3 steals while JaQuez Hicks grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked 4 shots. Sayvon Traylor had 23 points and 5 rebounds in the loss.

No. 5 Langston Hughes 77, Douglas County 62: Langston Hughes made a statement in their opening game in Region 5 play, drilling the Tigers behind Landers Nolley’s 33 points. Douglas County was led by Jahorie Copeland’s 14 points and Rapheel Rogers’ 10.

No. 7 Alpharetta 66, Johns Creek 44: Jaycee Horn led a balanced Raiders offense with 15 points and 5 rebounds as Alpharetta moves to 7-0. Ryan Jenei had 12 points and 7 rebounds. Ellis Merriweather finished with 11 points and 8 boards. David Swillum dropped in 10 points.

No. 9 Brunswick 67, 3ANo. 3 Liberty County 62: With College of Charleston-signee Kymani Dunham for Brunswick and Liberty County’s Davion Mitchell (Auburn) out for the Panthers, the Pirates rode the hot hand of Marcus Scott who dropped in a team-high 25 points.

Alexander 52, Creekside 51: Grant Howard hit a game-winner with 4.5 seconds left to help the Cougars over the Seminoles. Howard finished with 17 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists. Damion Howell posted 12 points and 6 rebounds. Zeek Copeland added 10 points, 4 assists and 4 steals. Tyson Jackson led Creekside with 20 points and 12 rebounds.

Northview 80, Centennial 55: Northview erupted for their first win of the season as Mason McBee splashed in seven three-pointers in the first quarter. Justin Brown powered the Titans the rest of the way with 27 points.

Osborne 59, Harrison 58: LaTrell Tate (18) and Kaylan Davis (10) led the Cardinals over Harrison in a Region victory.

Creekview 65, Sequoyah 44: After a sluggish start, Creekview exorcised its demons with a win in Hickory Flat over rival Sequoyah. Weber Sandlin peppered the Chiefs with 27 points while KJ Jenkins added 17. Chandler Wright finished with 8 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks.

Sprayberry 63, River Ridge 51: Eddie Figueroa dazzled River Ridge, dropping in 26 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Rodney Pearson finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. The Knights were powered by Destin Exinor’s 18 points and Noah Fitzgerald’s 17.

Clarke Central 64, Winder-Barrow 60: Jack Mangel (12), Dwon Smith (11) and Martay Darden (11) helped the Gladiators knock off Winder-Barrow.

Class AAAAA

No. 7 Southwest DeKalb 62, No. 1 Columbia 51: Southwest DeKalb boosted its resume with another great win, edging Columbia in a big Region 5 showdown. Josh Archer scored 16 points to lead the way while Mandarius Dickerson added 14. Darius Hogan netted 10.

No. 2 Cedar Shoals 57, 3A No. 4 Morgan County 50: Snipe Hall and Phlan Fleming both pitched in 13 points to carry the Jaguars past Morgan County. AJ Jones and Stavion Stevenson added 11 apiece.

No. 8 Fayette County 64, Griffin 49: Furman-signee Noah Gurley produced 15 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Jaylen Holloway had 17 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. Josh Dupree added 14 points and 3 assists. Phillip Young went for 7 points, 3 assists and 2 steals.

No. 10 Riverwood 68, Maynard Jackson 67: Elijah Jenkins coolly hit three free throws with .5 seconds left to ice a Region 6 home win. Jenkins exploded for 25 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals. Elijah Dudley went off for 24 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. Charnchai Chantha pitched in 6 points and 3 steals while Christian Sutton added 10 points and 5 boards.

McIntosh 58, Whitewater 49: Cole Guenther and Joseph Cummings scored 10 apiece to lift the Chiefs over Whitewater. Chaz Hardin added 9 in the win.

Starr’s Mill 71, Newnan 51: Nate Allison scored 23 points to power the Panthers.

Walnut Grove 55, Loganville 54: Dashun Smith finished with 10 points and hit the game-winner with 4 seconds left to slip past Loganville. Nick Jones netted 10 points and Qadash Scott added 15.

Class AAAA

No. 3 Henry County 64, No. 5 North Clayton 59: Damion Rosser returned to the hardwood and made an immediate impact, scoring 18 points, grabbing 8 rebounds and dishing out 6 assists as the Warhawks rallied to beat North Clayton in the Region 4 opener. Javon Greene poured in 29 points, but Lipscomb-signee Ahsan Asadullah answered for North Clayton posting 29 points of his own. Yaya Diaby finished with 18 in the loss for the Eagles.

No. 9 Westover 85, Dougherty 77: The Patriots struck for some early season revenge, taking down Dougherty. Jordan Brown finished with 27 points, 5 assists and 2 steals. Kris Gardner had 26 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals. Quin Smith added 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Blessed Trinity 54, Dawson County 52 OT: The Titans held on for an important road win against Dawson County in overtime. CJ Abrams scored 16 points, Ben Shappard had 12 and Kyle Swade netted 11. Jeremiah Crumley scored a game-high 18 for Dawson County while Cullen Reed added 16.

Gilmer 65, Pickens 53: In the loss, Pickens received 13 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks from Seth Bishop. Hunter Hermann added 11 points and 5 rebounds. Blake Gorth finished with 8 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists.

Class AAA

Calhoun 62, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 19: Chapin Rierson led the Jackets with 16 points while Rhett Abernathy scored 13 as Calhoun recorded its record breaking 41st straight regular season win.

Long County 79, Screven County 70 OT: Terry Smith and Ryhiem Izzard led the way scoring 20 and 19 points respectively for the Blue Tide. Christian Bass (13) and Henry Blair (12) also cracked double figures.

Central-Macon 77, Northeast-Macon 57: Antarius McCoy poured in 32 points and 21 huge rebounds to lead the Chargers.

Class AA

No. 3 Monticello 78, Jackson 60: Ashton Bonner poured in 24 points and 4 assists. CJ Adams chipped in 19 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.

Putnam County 59, Greene County 55: Carl Johnson dumped in 30 points and 10 rebounds in the win.

Class A-Private

No. 1 Greenforest 101, Landmark Christian 70: After a 49-43 lead at the half, Greenforest turned on the afterburners to run away from Landmark. Zion Fluellen had a team-high 25 points. Jandan Duggan scored 21 and David Quimby added 21 points, 4 assists and 5 steals. Victor Enoh posted 11 points.

No. 6 Lakeview Academy 79, Athens Academy 43: Tre Gober and Drew Cotrell both scored 19 points in the Lions’ rout of Athens Academy. Josh Randolph chipped in 14 points while Adam Cottrell added 13. Carter Reeves pulled down 14 rebounds.

Wesleyan 57, Galloway 41: Sean McDonough dropped in a career-high 27 points to power the Wolves. Christian McLean added 12.

Mt. Vernon Presbyterian 70, Atlanta International 38: Tahj Keeton scored 22, Ward Phillips 16 and Will Mitcham 14 as the Mustangs routed AIS.

Class A-Public

No. 8 Manchester 81, St. Anne-Pacelli 16: Jah’Nile Hill dropped in 20 points and 9 assists in one half of play as the Blue Devils destroyed the Vikings.

Towns County 83, Providence Christian 61: The Indians advanced to 4-0 on the young season. Providence received 17 points from Parker Trump and 14 from Mitchell Miller in the loss.

Bowdon 92, Central-Carrollton 59: Zaylin Wood posted 21 points and 15 rebounds. Octavius Meadows and Zach Ledbetter both went for 16. 

                                                      

GIRLS

 Class AAAAAAA

No. 2 McEachern 51, Ferguson, FL 24: Chanel Wilson scored 16 points and dished out 4 assists as she won Player of the Game at the Art Turner Showcase in Virginia. Symone Oliver collected 9 points and 10 rebounds. Que Morrison went for 8 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists and 6 steals.

No. 8 North Forsyth 54, North Hall 49 OT: Freshman Caroline Martin went for 15 points and 5 rebounds and Cassie Markle added 9 points and 14 rebounds as the Lady Raiders remained undefeated. GCSU-signee Sadie Cleveland scored her 1,000th career point in the loss.

Marietta 57, No. 10 Cherokee 43: Taylor Smith scored 16 points and Tatiana Foster added 11 in the win.

Parkview 44, Berkmar 7: Diarra Smith scored 14 points while Gabby Jester chipped in 9 points.

Class AAAAAA

No. 4 Douglas County 78, Langston Hughes 29: Sophomore Amari Robinson poured in 25 points to lead the Tigers. Arsula Clark and Taylor Donelson both scored 13.

No. 8 Northview 56, Centennial 23: Shannon Titus was too much to contain, scoring 19 points in the Lady Titans’ region victory. Ashlee Austin and Maya Richards scored 9 while Asjah Innis chipped in 8.

No. 9 Sequoyah 35, Creekview 32: The Lady Chiefs won an ugly game in which they trailed 8-7 at the half. Alyssa Cagle scored 8 points and Emily Seres netted 6 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Peyton Satterfield led the Chiefs with 11 points. Kendel Bennett and Allison Luly (Belmont) scored 8 apiece to lead the Grizzlies. Sydney Rumble added 6.

Class AAAAA

No. 6 Villa Rica 84, East Paulding 29: Sophomore Deasia Merrill poured in 25 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists. Alexia Cooley scored 14 and Loretta Eads added 11 points.

No. 7 Carrollton 57, St. Pius X 36: The Trojans led 26-12 at the half and opened up the third quarter with a 13-3 run to put the game out of reach. Elexus Bell and Ansley Barge scored 14 points apiece. St. Pius was led by Kathryn McKenzie’s 11 points and Leah Middleton’s 9.

McIntosh 49, Whitewater 35: McIntosh advanced to 5-0 as the Lady Chiefs continue to build their resume on their hunt for a Top 10 ranking. GCSU-commit DeLayne Rotolo pumped in 16 points and Rylee Calhoun added 15.

No. 10 Loganville 53, Walnut Grove 25: Destiny Flott scored 15 points followed by Milana Woods’ 14 and Aryanna Gerald’s 9 in the Red Devils’ Region 8 victory.

Class AAAA

No. 1 North Oconee 46, 7ANo. 3 Archer 39: The Lady Titans bounced back from a loss to Class 5A No. 2 Buford by clamping down on the Tigers. Camryn Williams and Keller Barks scored 14 apiece in the win. Williams added 6 rebounds and Barks, 4 rebounds and 2 steals with four threes. Emma Weynand added 8 points.

No. 3 Cross Creek 64, 6ANo. 5 Grovetown 53: College of Charleston-signee Destiny Marshall netted 20 points and Ayanna Collins pitched in 13 but it wasn’t enough to slow down Memphis-signee Alana Davis, who poured in 27 points to lead the Razorbacks over the Warriors.

No. 10 Northwest Whitfield 65, LaFayette 16: Holly Heath scored 17 points as the Bruins cruised. Bria Clemons added 12 points and 6 assists while Rylee Meret netted 10 points and Chandler Highland scored 9.

Pickens 72, Gilmer 47: The ‘Nettes blitzed rival Gilmer behind Torie Williams’ four threes and 22 points. Mykenzie Weaver scored 10 points and Tessa Duncan had 9.

Class AAA

Franklin County 69, West Oak, SC 25: Ivey Ginn (16), Mya Jones (14), Asia Jones (12) and Madison Williams (11) led a balanced scoring attack for the Lions.

Class AA

No. 4 Rabun County 74, Walhalla, SC 35: Georgia Stockton finished with 13 points and 4 steals while Tessa Matheson tallied 13 points and 7 rebounds. Savanna Scott went for 12 points, 5 rebounds and 4 stelas. Brooke Henricks had 12 points and 6 rebounds.

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