GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Girls Basketball, Girls Rankings

Week 2 Girls Rankings

Class AAAAAAA

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

Class AAAAAA

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

Class AAAAA

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

Class AAAA

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

Class AAA

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

Class AA

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

Class A-Private

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

Class A-Public

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


No. 1 Norcross holds onto the top spot in Class AAAAAAA after going 2-0 at Turkey Jamm. McEachern supplants Archer for the No. 2 ranking after the Indians dropped Holy Innocents’ 78-71 at Holiday Hoopsgiving and beforehand, drilled Southwest DeKalb 62-35. No. 4 Collins Hill showed Columbus what 7A basketball is all about, beating the Class 4A Preseason No. 1 Blue Devils 57-32, holding Tatyana Wyatt to just nine points.  Brookwood drops out after a 66-53 loss to Hillgrove and a 60-44 defeat at the hands of Southwest DeKalb. Surging into the Top 10 is No. 8 North Forsyth, a young group with five freshmen and one sophomore. The Raiders won their Progressive Lightning Thanksgiving Tournament, beating Northview in the semifinals and No. 10 Cherokee in the championship, 45-39 riding the hot hand of forward Cassie Markle.

Class AAAAAA sees Harrison jump from No. 5 to No. 1 following a 64-48 win over No. 4 Douglas County and two No. 2 Winder-Barrow losses at the Tabo Tip-Off Classic. Flowery Branch edged the Bulldoggs 55-46 and Winder lost to Loganville 30-29. Winder-Barrow will need to get healthy as starting sophomore guard Chellia Watson was injured against Flowery Branch and did not return and did not play against Loganville the following day. Brunswick exits the Top 10 with losses to Johnson-Savannah 49-37 and Camden County 57-30. Another coastal area team replaces the Pirates in No. 10 Glynn Academy, who opens 3-1 with their lone loss coming to Calvary Day 41-36.

Idle Buford gets bounced from Class AAAAA No. 1 by Flowery Branch. The Falcons are 5-1 with signature wins over Winder-Barrow and Jefferson (61-40). Their only loss came to Bradley Central, TN 63-53 at the Holiday Inn Express Tournament. Bradley Central finished 34-4 last season and is regarded as one of the top programs in Tennessee. No. 8 Harris County pounded Kendrick into submission 46-33 at the Columbus Classic. Bainbridge opens the season 1-1 and falls from No. 5 to unranked. The Bearcats lost to Monroe 52-46 and beat Dougherty 44-38. It’s an early exit for Bainbridge but don’t expect them to be out of the statewide picture for long. Replacing them is No. 9 Arabia Mountain. No. 10 Loganville holds tight at the bottom of the poll thanks to their resume building win over Winder-Barrow.

Columbus’ poor showing on the big stage at Holiday Hoopsgiving against Collins Hill drops them to No. 2. Rising to the occasion in Class AAAA is No. 1 North Oconee. The Lady Titans are 4-0 with their latest victory coming over Clarke Central 50-47. North Oconee faces a gauntlet ahead of them highlighted with hosting Buford on Tuesday and visiting Archer on Friday. Buford has become a rival, as the Titans ended the Wolves’ region dominance by beating them 54-51 in the Region 8-AAAA title game last season after losing 55-31 in the regular season.

Jacksonville-signee Alexis Pierce is averaging 21.5 points and 5.8 rebounds for Class AAA No. 1 Johnson-Savannah. The Atomsmashers beat Grovetown in overtime 79-78. The Warriors were without point guard Savannah Giles and College of Charleston-signee Destiny Marshall. No. 3 Greater Atlanta Christian flashed its potential and rises back into the Top 3 after beating Stephenson 66-57 and pummeling Henry County 85-52. Kendrick exits the poll with a loss to Harris County and Fayette County (45-33). Monroe slides in at No. 10 after beating Bainbridge.

Even with a loss to South Carolina power North Augusta 62-56, Laney moves up to No. 3 in Class AA. De’Sha Benjamin is back in red and white and is a game-changer on the wing. She holds High Major offers and instantly becomes one of the best players in the state with her return to the GHSA. Dade County appears in the poll at No. 6 after a 4-0 start beating River Ridge (57-54), Northwest Whitfield (53-50) and Armuchee (68-53), winning the Northwest Whitfield Thanksgiving Classic in the process. Swainsboro, Armuchee and Heard County relinquish their spots in the Top 10. Entering is the aforementioned Dade County, No. 9 Fitzgerald and No. 10 Dublin.

St. Francis, a national power, loses its grip of No. 1 in Class A-Private with a 49-42 loss to Homewood-Flossmor, who Norcross beat 55-43. Wesleyan takes over the top spot. No. 3 Holy Innocents’ lost to McEachern but rebounded by routing Hoover, AL 67-37 at Holiday Hoopsgiving. Savannah Country Day is replaced by No. 9 Stratford Academy. No. 8 Lakeview Academy scored a win over Rabun County 67-60 to win the Piedmont College Hardwood Classic. Southwest Atlanta Christian’s dynasty of top level competitiveness across the state might be coming to an end. With low player turnout each and every year, the complications might finally be catching up to the Warriors. They fall to No. 10 after getting blown out by Newton (66-31) and Morgan County (58-31).

In Class A-Public, Hancock Central drops out after losing to Baldwin 50-41. No. 10 Woodville-Tompkins makes its debut at 2-1, their only loss coming to Beach.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Rankings

Week 2 Boys Rankings

Class AAAAAAA

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

Class AAAAAA

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

Class AAAAA

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

Class AAAA

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

Class AAA

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

Class AA

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

Class A-Private

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

Class A-Public

  1. Wilkinson County (0-0)
  2. Crawford County (1-0)
  3. Turner County (0-0)
  4. Calhoun County (1-0)
  5. Quitman County (3-1)
  6. Taylor County (0-1)
  7. Hawkinsville (2-0)
  8. Manchester (0-1)
  9. Lincoln County (0-0)
  10. Hancock Central (0-1)

 

Holiday Hoopsgiving has shed a little bit of light on the state picture, but still a clear state championship favorite in Class AAAAAAA has yet to emerge. The reason why? The parity of competition across the GHSA might be at an all-time high. National rankings don’t mean much when you lace them up and play in the Peach State. Wheeler, MaxPreps’ No. 2 ranked team in the nation, was stunned by Vashon, MO 69-67 at Hoopsgiving after holding an 11-point fourth quarter lead. Any loss is considered a “bad” loss for the Wildcats with as much talent as they have. They did knock off Class 6A No. 2 Jonesboro 66-58 on Friday, but Saturday’s loss drops them to No. 3. Without question the state’s two hottest teams are No. 1 Norcross and No. 2 Newton. Both teams are 4-0 with all eight combined wins against ranked opponents. Newton slammed Class 3A No. 3 Liberty County 104-71 at Hoopsgiving while Norcross countered with a 57-46 win over Class A-Private No. 1 Greenforest. On Saturday, the Rams went to the On the Radar Hoops Showcase and raced past No. 9 Berkmar in the fourth quarter 84-68. Norcross added to their resume an 82-74 win over Class 3A No. 1 Westside-Macon. So why does Norcross jump over Newton as the teams were ranked No. 5 and No. 4 respectively last week? As astounding as the Rams’ wins have been, Norcross’ W’s over Westside-Macon and Greenforest are just an inch better, even though Greenforest is without leading scorer Justin Forrest due to a foot injury. Newton’s electric romp of Liberty County was breathtaking, but if we are being honest, this Liberty County team just isn’t the same right now without Richard LeCounte, the 5-star UGA football recruit who averaged 20 points and 5 rebounds as a junior. LeCounte will not be playing basketball this year and the loss of his dynamic athleticism showed in their game against Newton. No. 6 McEachern is quietly looming, picking up wins over Class 6A No. 8 Allatoona and Class 6A No. 5 Langston Hughes. No. 7 Collins Hill rises after beating Class 5A No. 1 Columbia 54-51 at the Cleveland Stroud Classic. The Eagles did however suffer a loss to Class 5A No. 7 Southwest DeKalb in the championship game, 65-61. No. 5 Westlake had a shot to earn a Top-3 ranking, but the Lions fell to Greenforest 59-57. No. 10 Tift County slides back to the bottom of the poll. Montverde Academy, FL beat the Blue Devils by 32, but that’s not why they fall. Their big win over Thomasville a week ago which boosted them up the polls now doesn’t look like a signature victory as the Bulldogs are 0-3 to start.  Tift County however did rebound after their loss to Montverde by beating Lake Minneola, FL 63-47, Preston Horne scoring a career-high 40 points.

With Class AAAAAA Preseason No. 1 Jonesboro losing to Wheeler, No. 1 Gainesville has just enough to sneak past the Cardinals to earn the top spot. Much like Class 7A, expect Class 6A to be in flux all year long. Gainesville’s new ranking will be put to the test right away as they see St. Pius, Milton, Lee (Huntsville), Brookwood and St .Pius again in a challenging stretch. Jonesboro has six region games in a row before heading to the City of Palms Classic. No. 4 Heritage-Conyers climbs two spots to No. 4. The Patriots blew out Peachtree Ridge at the On the Radar Showcase 77-59 behind Jordan Thomas’ 26 points and Isaiah Banks’ 19. Langston Hughes is the most dangerous 1-3 team in the state as the Panthers drop to No. 5. It took a heroic once-in-a-lifetime performance from Javon Greene to help Class 4A No. 3 Henry County stun Langston Hughes in overtime, 92-89. Still licking their wounds from a tough to swallow defeat, Hughes was beat on Saturday by Class 7A No. 6 McEachern 70-61. Their only win of the season came against Northside-Columbus at the Columbus Classic Shootout, 105-65. Landers Nolley scored 50 in the win and followed up his performance with 35 in the loss to Henry County. No. 6 Dacula has taken care of business so far behind Arusha Hunter and Mekhail Bethea. No. 7 Alpharetta is trying to force its way into the discussion as one of the state’s elite Class AAAAAA programs. The Raiders beat Johns Creek in the Progressive Lighting Thanksgiving Tournament championship 70-53 and followed up by beating Duke signee Alex O’Connell and Milton 70-68 on an Ellis Merriweather buzzer beater. No. 8 Allatoona starts the year 0-2 with a 46-43 loss to McEachern and a 60-54 loss to Lee, AL. The Bucs enter region play for the next three games and should be able to get back on track. Alexander was bounced from the poll, losing to Hillgrove 70-55. Replacing them is No. 10 Tri-Cities. The Bulldogs dropped their first game of the year to Ribault, FL at the Andrew Jackson Thanksgiving Tournament.

Even with a loss to Collins Hill, Columbia holds on as No. 1 in Class AAAAA. Cedar Shoals and Buford are close behind at No. 2 and No. 3.  Buford beat Class 3A No. 6 GAC 66-57. Not too much changes in the poll except for Southwest DeKalb’s jump to No. 7. The Panthers’ balanced offense and aggressive defense has given teams fits. They won the Cleveland Stroud Classic by beating Collins Hill in overtime. No. 9 New Hampstead has challenged themselves, losing to York Prep, SC 71-65. Riverwood holds onto No. 10 after losing to South Forsyth 70-61 as UNCW signee Evan Cole dropped in 39 points. The Raiders bounced back with a 67-62 overtime win against Blessed Trinity.

Sandy Creek has looked good since earning the No. 1 ranking in Class AAAA. The Patriots dropped No. 5 North Clayton 69-55 behind Evan Jester’s 22 points and 12 rebounds. No. 2 Upson-Lee has cruised, but hasn’t seen much competition yet. The Knights beat Class A-Public No. 6 Taylor County 46-34 in their toughest game. That will change however as A-Public No. 2 Crawford County hosts Upson-Lee this Tuesday in a rivalry game that hasn’t been played in years. Back up to No. 3 is Henry County. Javon Greene went berserk at Holiday Hoopsgiving, pouring in an event record 57 points to stun Langston Hughes. No. 8 Richmond Academy looks primed to jump No. 7 St. Pius if the Golden Lions can’t upset Gainesville in Hall County.

Class AAA has a few developing stories including Westside-Macon rising to No. 1 in the state after losing to Norcross. Pace Academy opens up slow just like last year, losing to Jemison, AL 67-50 at the Lighthouse Classic. The Knights fall to No. 2. From what I saw against Norcross, it looks like Westside-Macon has more pieces to the puzzle than Pace does. The Knights were able to ride Wendell Carter to a state title last year, but I don’t think the playoffs will lay out as nicely for them this year with the likes of Westside and Liberty County in the mix instead of Manchester. Speaking of No. 3 Liberty County, they took a whipping from Newton but bounced back strong against Friendship Academy, DC. No. 7 Jenkins is in the danger zone, threatening to drop out of the Top 10. They fall three spots and are now 0-3. Losses to Meadowcreek (69-58) and Class A-Private No. 5 Holy Innocents’ (71-67) hurt a lot. If Jenkins or anyone else drops out, Dougherty might crack the rankings. The Trojans are 3-0 and have been powered by 6-foot-9 forward Carlos Curry.

Everything has changed in Class AA with No. 5 Thomasville’s poor play. Their guards have let them down in a major way, but luckily for them the season is still young. No. 3 Monticello went to the Impact Sports Invitational in South Carolina and lost to Dorman (86-57) and Spartanburg Christian (60-59) before beating Laurens (79-45). Ashton Bonner and CJ Adams have excelled in Coach BJ Thomas’ backcourt. Banks County and Swainsboro both say goodbye to the Top 10. Swainsboro lost 76-58 to Twiggs County and were beaten by Effingham County 61-54. Banks County suffered a 72-59 loss to Hart County. Two surprises replace the two exiting teams. No. 9 Glenn Hills and No. 10 Toombs County. Glenn Hills has seen 6-foot-8 power forward Timmy Sellers anchor them inside. They will get a major test against Richmond Academy on Dec. 2. Toombs County Head Coach Laberton Sims has nearly matched last year’s 4-win win total in his first year on the job after coming over from Tift County. The Bulldogs haven’t been challenged in their wins, beating West Laurens (57-42), East Laurens (65-25) and Jenkins County (74-58).

Greenforest remains No. 1 in Class A-Private and continues to wait on the return of Justin Forrest. Their win over Westlake was a nice early season gut-check. No. 2 North Cobb Christian dropped their first game to Orlando Christian Prep, 51-46. No. 5 Holy Innocents’ 71-67 win over Jenkins keeps them ahead of No. 6 Lakeview Academy, who won the Piedmont College Harwood Classic. No. 10 Whitefield Academy clings onto the final spot after a loss to Hillgrove in the Powder Town Showdown.

Quitman County jumps to No. 5  in Class A-Public after a 3-1 start. Their lone loss came against Eufala, AL by one. No. 2 Crawford County crunched Mary Persons 85-71, setting up a huge game with Upson-Lee. Manchester dropped the ball against Harris County 68-64 and falls one spot. Hancock Central is reeling, plummeting four spots to No. 10 after losing to Baldwin 53-35.

Game Stories, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Nationally ranked powers ignite capacity crowd at Holiday Hoopsgiving Day 1 nightcap

Contributed by Joe Chapman (@Joe_Chapman3)

The most anticipated night in the 3-year history of the Holiday Hoopsgiving did not disappoint as four of the top-50 high school basketball teams in the country showed out for the standing room only crowd at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School. This night had been hyped up since the September 30th schedule release and it clearly lived up to the anticipation, as there was not an empty seat in the arena and 3+ rows of people standing courtside as well as on the upstairs track. The post-Thanksgiving entrée was obviously the dream-matchup between the top two point guards in the country, Collin Sexton and Trevon Duval, but the appetizer of Georgia powers, Norcross and Greenforest, was not one to miss.

No. 5 Norcross 57, No. 1 Greenforest 46

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Friday night provided us with a rematch from last year’s Hoopsgiving, where Greenforest dominated Norcross, 77-48. The Blue Devils were determined to garner revenge as they led from start to finish in a low scoring, grind-it-out 57-46 affair. Neither team shot the ball very well (both at 30.5%) but Norcross gained the edge at the free throw line, going 17-21 from the stripe. Norcross capitalized all night by catching Greenforest off guard with the fast break. Their lightning quick guards, Jordan Goldwire and Kyle Sturdivant, were getting past the giants of Greenforest and attacked the rim all night. Four Blue Devils scored in double figures and were led by Goldwire with 13 points. The 6’2 senior guard shot 5-13 from the field (1-3 3pt, 2-2 FT) and added 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Goldwire not only produced on the offensive end but was also very stingy on defense as he led the team with 4 steals.

5’10 junior guard, Dalvin White, followed up with an 11 point performance of his own on 3-8 shooting (2-5 3pt, 3-3 FT) while also adding an assist and 2 steals. Rayshaun Hammonds and Lance Thomas each tallied 10 points and were crucial as always for the Blue Devils. The UGA commit Hammonds, also added a huge 9 rebounds in the win. Hammonds and Thomas were integral on the defensive end for Norcross as they made it difficult for the Greenforest guards to feed their big men inside. They didn’t put up huge numbers offensively, but were the X-factors in the win on the defensive end. Look for Norcross to make some noise this season in the new AAAAAAA classification and don’t be surprised if you see the Blue Devils crash the Final Four as they certainly have the talent to do so.

Greenforest was shorthanded in this game as senior point guard Justin Forrest was out due to a foot injury. Leading the way offensively for the Eagles in his place was senior combo guard, David Quimby. Quimby put up 15 in the loss, shooting 6-18 from the field (3-12 3pt). The power trio of Ikey Obiagu, Victor Enoh and Abayomi Iyiola only combined for 11 points on 10 shots. None of the three got enough touches, but credit Hammonds and Thomas of Norcross for helping prevent any easy entry passes to the post. Clearly Greenforest is not the same team without Forrest as they are with him. When he returns, expect this team to return to its dominant ways in Class A-Private as he provides a significant spark that’s just lacking right now. 

IMG Academy 99, No. 2 Pebblebrook 94

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Friday night closed with a bang as the top two point guards in the country, Trevon Duval and Collin Sexton, put on a show for the max-capacity crowd in the main gym at Holy Innocents’. This high scoring affair saw highlight plays on almost every possession as there were explosive dunks, deep 3’s and powerful blocks all night. The crowd “Ooohed and Awed” all night as some of the nation’s top talent proved why this was one of the most anticipated games of the high school season. Both teams shot extremely well (IMG – 61.5%, Pebblebrook – 51.6%) which led to such a high scoring affair.

Duval finished with 24 points on 10-20 shooting (1-4 3pt, 3-7 FT) while adding 6 assists and 5 steals in the win. On the other end, Sexton, deemed by many as “the best scorer in the country”, lived up to this title as he exploded for 39 points (23 in the first half) on 11-18 shooting (5-9 3pt, 12-13 FT). Duval didn’t put up the numbers that Sexton did, but that’s in large part due to his uber-talented supporting cast. Duval controlled the offense all night and kept everything under control. He didn’t make the highlight plays that people are used to seeing but he’s such a smooth basketball player and really makes everyone around him better. He’ll go up and challenge anyone he faces at the rim, while also having the ability to step out and knock down the three. It is no wonder that he is arguably the top high school player in the country and whoever lands his services will be getting a bona fide baller.

The man that brought everyone to their feet the entire night was mega-bouncy, 6’8 junior forward, Emmitt Williams. Williams can fly and he was arguably the most athletic player that stepped in the gym all day. It was dunk after dunk that made everyone shake their heads in amazement as he threw down some of the most powerful rim-rockers that I have ever seen. He finished the night with 21 points on a ridiculously efficient 8-9 shooting (5-5 FT) while also totaling 9 rebounds. While Williams was outstanding on the offensive end, he was just as dominant on the defensive end. He altered shots all night while also totaling 5 blocks. His athleticism made Pebblebrook change their shots all night while also thinking twice about attacking the rim. Williams definitely showed out on one of the country’s biggest stages.

The combination of Williams with 6’9 junior Silvio de Sousa and 6’8, 285-pound Isaiah Stokes pummeled Pebblebrook inside all night. They just bullied their way in the post, getting layups, and snagging rebounds, all while causing the Falcons to foul them multiple times down low. As good as the guard play was for IMG, the difference maker in this game that put them over the top was the size and skill down low. de Sousa added 14 points and 7 rebounds while Stokes tallied another 12 points and 4 rebounds. The 30-14 rebounding advantage for IMG showed that Pebblebrook just doesn’t have the size down low right now to challenge IMG in the paint.

The final big performer for the Ascenders was DeAndre Osuigwe. The senior guard tallied 16 points on 5-10 shooting (4-6 3pt, 2-2 FT) while also adding 4 steals and 2 assists. Osuigwe quieted the crowd all night as he knocked down huge 3-pointers every time Pebblebrook started to make a run. He was a great defender as he battled with Sexton and Drue Drinnon all night while also helping facilitate the offense smoothly. He was very key in the Ascenders victory.

For Pebblebrook, aforementioned Collin Sexton obviously led the way with 39 points and 5 rebounds. He continued to do what he does best by attacking the rim and getting to the line a whopping 13 times. He started off the game ridiculously hot, knocking down three after three to give Pebblebrook the early lead. From the games that I’ve watched during the high school season and travel ball circuits throughout this past year, Sexton is without a doubt the most entertaining player to watch. There’s so much that has already been said about him but his high-energy and high-enthusiasm style of play is just so fun to watch. Avery Johnson and Alabama are getting a downright stud that can easily help turn around a program next year.

Following Sexton in the scoring category was Elias Harden with 16 points on 6-14 shooting (4-10 3pt). Harden can stroke it from just about anywhere on the court and every time he pulls up, you expect it to go in. He hit big shots all night, including a 3-pointer to tie the game at 89 late in the fourth quarter. This kid can definitely make a big impact at Xavier next year as his shooting ability fits in perfectly with their system.

Drue Drinnon also made a solid impact for the Falcons with 13 points on 4-11 shooting (5-6 FT). The 6’0 junior made some big shots all night and fearlessly attacked the rim. He added 5 assists and 2 rebounds in a losing effort but definitely had flashes of brilliance that showed why he is such a highly sought-after recruit.

All in all, this night was just a special evening for all who attended. The enthusiasm the crowd showed all night made the atmosphere that much more entertaining. Even teams like Wheeler and Milton, who had games at different locations earlier in the day, showed up at Holy Innocents’ for the night session to witness some of the best basketball that the state had to offer. Now, Saturday night’s slate features some of the top teams in the state and country in Wheeler and Westlake. If it is anything like the Friday night session, then we are all in for a treat.

Game Stories, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Javon Greene’s historic performance leaves Langston Hughes shell-shocked at Holiday Hoopsgiving

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No. 5 Henry County 92, No. 4 Langston Hughes 89

In possibly the most improbable outcome in Holiday Hoopsgiving history, Class AAAA No. 5 Henry County rallied from down 47-31 at the half to stun Class AAAAAA No. 4 Langston Hughes in overtime without New Orleans signee Damion Rosser available.

Rosser, who injured himself in a scrimmage against Eagle’s Landing, was on crutches as he watched George Mason signee Javon Greene will the Warhawks to victory. Greene went berserk, scoring 57 points – 37 in the second half – to steal a victory in a game which they never led in regulation.

Langston Hughes rushed out to a 12-2 lead behind Southeast Missouri State signee Khalil Cuffee’s 10 first quarter points. The Panthers were on the verge of blowing the game open on multiple occasions throughout, but Greene always had an answer.

He stroked the first of his seven threes at the 4:20 mark, but the Warhawks still trailed 17-6.

Cuffee drained a buzzer beater to give Langston Hughes a 27-16 lead after one quarter of play.

 

In the second quarter, it was Northeastern signee Derrick Cook and Landers Nolley, fresh off a 50-point game, turn to pepper the shorthanded Warhawks. Nolley finished the first half with 13 points while Cook contributed 10.

Henry County cut the lead to 40-30, but Cuffee buried a three off the dribble and Cook sank two hoops including a layup at the buzzer to make it 47-31 at the half.

Nolley continued to sizzle in the third quarter, scoring 10 of his team-high 35 points in the frame as it looked like the Panthers were going to finally run away with the game.

Kovi Tate came away with a big slam but Langston Hughes still held a commanding 62-41 lead with 2:57 to play in the period.

Tate’s put back, just his third point of the game, proved to be a springboard as the Warhawks entered the fourth down 64-50 with a shimmer of hope.

While Greene kept Henry County in the game, he started to receive help from Tate and Sadonte Lindley. Lindley pitched in five of his 18 points in the fourth quarter while Tate began to dominate inside. The undersized 6-foot-5 post crept the Warhawks closer and closer as he cleaned up the glass on misses. He scored nine of his 12 points in the fourth and collected 11 rebounds.

At the 2:57 mark, Henry County found itself down just two points, 70-68 after Greene dropped in another tough bucket.

 Nolley answered with a three at the 2:08 mark but Greene responded with another triple, cutting the Panther lead to 73-71 with 1:16 remaining.

The Warhawks finally drew even on another Tate follow up slam with 47.3 seconds to go.

Nolley was stripped heading to the hoop, giving the ball back to Henry County with 3.6 seconds left. Greene’s halfcourt heave went amiss, sending the game to overtime tied at 75-75, Henry County outscoring Langston Hughes 25-11 in the fourth.

In overtime, Greene took it to another level.

On fire, unconscious, in a zone; whatever you want to call it, Greene was it. He torched the Panthers for 15 in overtime with an array of buckets and his floater with 3:35 gave Henry County their first lead of the entire game at 77-75. As good as Greene was, Langston Hughes still had a final look after a missed free throw. The Panthers raced down and Nolley got a fairly good look at the horn but his three rimmed out.

 

My Take 

There’s not many words that will do this game justice. Javon Greene was insane hitting seven threes and 18 free throws. I thought the game was going to be a rout with how well Langston Hughes came out behind their trio of D-I standouts. With Damion Rosser sitting on the bench injured, it looked like it was just going to be a “What-If” game. What if Rosser was healthy? I wonder if the game would have been closer? Greene didn’t give us that opportunity as he showed he was more than enough to carry the Warhawks in one of the gutsiest efforts you’ll ever see. Sadonte Lindley pitched in 18 points in quiet yet steady fashion, but Kovi Tate’s intensity was what really helped Henry County out. Nine points in the fourth quarter in loud fashion had to have helped Greene’s psyche as his Atlanta All-Stars teammate began to make a difference.

Even in the loss, Langston Hughes looked flat out scary. Landers Nolley, Khalil Cuffee and Derrick Cook combined for 80 points. Cuffee is an absolute steal at SE Missouri State. He is a big time guard with a great stroke. Nolley has high level college ball written all over him and Cook does a little bit of everything on the floor. They looked like a different team from the Gainesville game but ran into a buzzsaw with Greene. There wasn’t much Coach Rory Welsh could do to slow down Greene. The Panthers will just need to shake this one off and trust that they are as good as any team in the state when they are clicking on all cylinders and not playing against Javon Greene.

 

Top Performers

Henry County
Javon Greene – 57 points (7 threes, 18 FTs), 3 rebounds, 3 steals
Sadonte Lindley – 18 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals
Kovi Tate – 12 points, 11 rebounds, 1 block

Langston Hughes
Landers Nolley – 35 points (6 threes), 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals
Derrick Cook – 23 points, 3 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal
Khalil Cuffee – 22 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals

GHSA, GHSA Basketball, Girls Recaps, Recaps

GHSA Statewide Recap 11-22

BOYS

Class AAAAAAA

No. 6 McEachern 46, 6ANo. 5 Allatoona 43: In a nail biter, McEachern turned a two-point Allatoona lead heading into the fourth quarter into a three-point Indian victory. Isaac Okoro had 14 points and 10 rebounds. Babatunde Akingbola was a difference maker inside with 9 points, 10 rebounds and 7 blocks. Tre Peoples added 8 points. Mike Johnson led all scorers with 20 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals for Allatoona. Trey Doomes finished with 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block. Jeremiah Sanabria gave good minutes with 3 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block.

Hillgrove 73, 6ANo. 9 Alexander 58: DeMierre Black pitched in 25 points, 8 rebounds and 5 steals in an upset of Class 6A No. 9 Alexander. Antoine Jones added 9 points and 5 assists in the win. Damion Howell had 14 points and 5 rebounds to lead Alexander. Grant Howard pitched in 10 points and Raheem Fulling had 8.

Mill Creek 71, Stephenson 60: Christian Mancillas earned Cleveland Stroud All-Tournament honors and powered the Hawks to another win, scoring 26 points in the process.

South Gwinnett 76, Woodstock 70: D’onte Torrence filled it up, scoring 25 points and grabbing 8 rebounds to lead the Comets a win at the Parkview Thanksgiving Tournament and to a 3-1 mark. Brent Latham dropped in 18 points as well. Dylin Hardeman led Woodstock in scoring with 16 points and 8 rebounds. Tyreke Johnson was held to 13 points. Quentin Doby scored 12 and Cameron Crowe finished with 8 points and 8 rebounds.

Peachtree Ridge 58, Tucker 56: Fred Payton scored 12 points and grabbed 6 rebounds to help the Lions hang on against the Tigers at the Jared Cook Classic. Devin Vassell scored 11 and Shaz Molu, Hirum Maxey and Kris Collins all scored 9 in the win. Jevon Tatum scored a game-high 14 for Tucker while Joseph Collins added 9.

Grayson 60, Discovery 54: Grayson got some early season revenge, knocking off Discovery for the Lanier Thanksgiving Classic Championship. Travis Anderson had 25 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. Nick Edwards finished with 10 points and 4 assists while Aaron Rowe did a little bit of everything with 6 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 6 steals. Discovery was led by Keshawn Overstreet’s 14 points and 7 rebounds. DJ Young scored 14 and Jaylen Bussey netted 11. Kalu Ezikpe finished with 11 point and 7 rebounds.

Parkview 87, North Springs 81 2OT: Starting a freshman, three sophomores and one junior, Parkview outlasted North Springs to win the Parkview Thanksgiving Tournament Championship. Sophomore Truitt Spencer scored 20, junior Cam Chavers had 17 and freshman Toneari Lane netted 16 to advance the Panthers to 4-0. North Springs junior Vinnie Viana dropped in 33.

South Forsyth 56, Marist 41: Evan Cole scored 19 points and Santhosh Saravanan had 18 to lift the War Eagles.

Marietta 91, Campbell 81 OT: Marietta rallied from down 31-9 at the end of one and down 47-34 at the half to score an improbable comeback victory. Tyree Crankfield, fresh off a school-record 45 points, dropped in 36 more for Campbell. The Blue Devils countered with Kharon Cameron (23) and Fionn Brown (20) to get back in the game. Ramel Keyton scored all 11 of his points in the fourth quarter and overtime for Marietta.

Etowah 65, North Gwinnett 49: Adrian Cohen burst out for 17 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals in the Eagles’ Jared Cook Classic victory. Julian Baldwin had 14 points, 10 rebounds and 1 block. Lewis Simonson hit five threes en route to 15 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists.

Class AAAAAA

No. 3 South Paulding 87, Paulding County 53: Georgia State signee Kane Williams displayed his all-around floor game, going for 21 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists and 5 steals in a rout. DJ Jackson tossed in 11 points and 5 assists. JaCori Wilson, one of the top unsigned forwards in the state standing at 6-foot-7, contributed 18 points and 5 rebounds.

No. 4 Langston Hughes 105, Northside-Columbus 65: Langston Hughes took out its frustrations on an unexpecting Northside-Columbus team after leading by just nine at the half. Landers Nolley exploded for 50 points (9 threes) and 7 rebounds while Khalil Cuffee had 18 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals. Derrick Cook chipped in 18 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists.

No. 7 Dacula 70, Brookwood 64: Arusha Hunter went for 27 points and 12 rebounds as the Falcons dispatched of Brookwood at the Jared Cook Classic. Mekhail Bethea added 17 points and 7 assists while Shayne Buckingham did his work inside, posting 12 points and 8 rebounds. Brookwood was led by Bubba Parham’s 24 points, 4 assists and 2 rebounds and Trae Higginbotham’s 21 points, 10 rebounds and 3 steals. Amari Kelley scored 11 points and grabbed 9 rebounds.

No. 8 Alpharetta 70, Johns Creek 53: Jaycee Horn won Progressive Lighting Tournament MVP after pitching in 16 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals in Alpharetta’s championship game. Ryan Jenei had 13 points and 10 rebounds. Jalen Young chipped in 8 points and 4 steals. Sophomore Brandon Barron contributed 11 points and 6 assists.

Creekview 83, Northview 51: Creekview buried 13 threes to bomb Northview for a 32-point win. Weber Sandlin hit five threes while KJ Jenkins drained four as the backcourt members both netted 18 points. Chandler Wright had 12 points and four blocks.

Harrison 55, Stone Mountain 53: Coach Clay Crump rode a balanced offense to sneak past the Pirates. Tate Coston (14), Chris Brown (11), Justin Matthews (10) and Juwan Owens (8) carried the load offensively.

Apalachee 70, Hebron Christian 62: Derek Miller dominated the paint for Apalachee, finishing with 17 points, 7 rebounds, 5 steals and 7 blocks. Omer Ahmed added 12 points, 5 assists and 3 steals. Parker Miller had 8 points and 7 rebounds. Deron Collier scored 9 points and Ethan Morris tallied 5 points, 3 steals and 3 assists.

Winder-Barrow 60, Johnson-Gainesville 48: Marcus Jones scored 18 points and Dwayne Wilson had a 13-point 17-rebound double-double in a loss to the Bulldoggs.

Sprayberry 74, Chapel Hill 73: Rodney Pearson poured in 28 points and Eddie Figueroa finished with 22 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals as the Yellow Jacket’s potent backcourt lifted them to a win at the Marietta Turkey Classic.

Class AAAAA

No. 1 Columbia 82, Druid Hills 38: Columbia got back in the win column by overpowering Druid Hills. Lorenzo McGhee had 13 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks. Kevon Eskridge went for 11 points and 4 assists while AJ Bey pitched in 11 points, 5 assists and 3 steals.

No. 2 Cedar Shoals 69, Oconee County 34: Charleston Southern signee Phlan Fleming dropped in 21 points while running mate Snipe Hall added 13.

No. 3 Buford 75, Cambridge 51: Alex Jones orchestrated the Wolves to a 24-point victory. Jones finished with 19 points, 8 assists and 5 steals. Tobi Obasanya had 13 points and 5 rebounds. Donell Nixon added 11 points and Austin Panks chipped in 10. David Viti collected 9 points and 5 rebounds.

No. 9 Southwest DeKalb 65, 7ANo. 10 Collins Hill 61 OT: Four players scored in double figures for Collins Hill but the Eagles ran out of juice in the Cleveland Stroud Classic Championship down the stretch after knocking off 5A No. 1 Columbia the night before. Kenny Stanciel (15), Justin Lee, JD Ozoh (12) and Max Clark (11) paced the attack, Stanciel and Lee being selected to the All-Tournament Team. Mandarius Dickerson scored a game-high 17 for Southwest DeKalb as the Panthers used 10 threes to stay ahead of Collins Hill. Quincy Carter scored 13 points and Kadarius Johnson added 12. Tabias Long and Darius Hogan were named to the All-Tournament Team. Dickerson was named Tournament MVP.

No. 10 Riverwood 89, East Jackson 52: Elijah Jenkins scored 17 points and tallied 4 rebounds and 7 assists to power the Raiders. Josh Brown had 12 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks. Charnchai Chantha chipped in 9 points, 10 assists and 3 steals. Rudy Fitzgibbons added 13 points and Elijah Dudley 18 in the win.

Flowery Branch 85, Chestatee 32: The Falcons used a 42-5 run and a 24-0 third quarter to run Chestatee out of the gym. John Mills had 19 points and Myles Janess produced 15 points and 5 rebounds. Justin Quick and Patsheko Lutumba both scored 11 points apiece. Blake Coxworth chipped in 9 points.

Grady 84, Harris County 76: DJ Brittian ran wild, posting 28 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals. Kolby Morton added 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. In the loss, 6-foot-7 post Aquavious Fanning had 20 points and Tailique Williams netted 27.

Starr’s Mill 57, Lanier 55: Zach Pina scored a game-high 17 points to pace the Panthers. Nick Karli added 13 and Drew Hudson scored 10. Lanier’s Adrian Martin was held to 10 points.

Union Grove 52, Walnut Grove 37: Jailen Robinson scored 14 points in a loss.

Class AAAA

No. 5 Henry County 82, Banneker 72: Javon Greene poured in 23 points while Damion Rosser recovered from injury. Casey Armour (13), Josh Steele (10) and Sadonte Lindley (9) all pitched in. Lindley also recorded 7 rebounds, 12 assists and 5 steals. Tre’Von Pope scored 15 and Shamar Karangu had 11 to lead Banneker.

No. 6 LaGrange 75, Houston County 44: Amari Colbert posted 15 points and 8 rebounds in a loss for the Bears. Houston County was held to 30% shooting from the field. LaGrange was led by Quez Jackson’s 12 points and Kenan Gray’s 10.

No. 7 St. Pius 50, Dawson County 36: St. Pius leapt out to a 13-0 lead and led wire-to-wire against Dawson County. Zach Ranson finished with 14 points and 8 rebounds. Matt Gonzalo notched 6 assists for the Golden Lions. Cullen Reed scored a team-high 17 points for the Tigers.

White County 69, Franklin County 49: John Ward scored a team-high 21 points as White County rolled Franklin County. Clay Dockery netted 15 and Austin Harris scored 11. Jay Lepkoske (10) and Austin Rowland (9) also cracked the scoresheet.

Cartersville 61, Northwest Whitfield 45: Jaylon Pugh poured in 21 and Perignon Dyer netted 20 as the Hurricanes blew by the Bruins. Luke Shiflett powered Northwest with 16 points and 5 steals.

Gilmer 55, Pickens 54: Chase Simmons scored 16 points and pulled down 6 rebounds but the Dragons were defeated by their rival Bobcats. Joseph Gossett had 11 points and Seth Bishop finished with 10 points and 6 rebounds in the loss.

Class AAA

No. 7 Greater Atlanta Christian 69, Jefferson 37: Hunter McIntosh netted 17 points and Air Force signee Charlie O’Briant pitched in 16 as GAC earned third place in the Tabo Tip-Off Tournament held at Jefferson.

Fannin County 61, Hiwassee Dam, NC 42: Clay Ware scored 19 points and Logan Holt had 17 as the Rebels won the ETC Tournament.

North Hall 83, Providence Christian 62: Evan Easton was too much to handle for the Storm, scoring a game-high 30 points. Taylor Hanson (14), Noah Holman (11) and Justin Rabb (10) all cracked double figures as well. Parker Trump led Providence Christian with 18 points followed by Connor Allen’s 12 and Mitchell Miller’s 11.

Class AA

Spartanburg Christian, SC 60, No. 4 Monticello 59: Ashton Bonner went for 24 points and 4 assists in a loss at the Impact Sports Invitational. CJ Adams had 15 points and 6 rebounds.

Washington 59, Jackson County 54: Jackson County received 22 points from Christian Smith in a loss.

Class A-Private

No. 1 Greenforest 67, Mountain View 49: After Mountain View cut the Greenforest lead to 39-30 heading into the fourth quarter, Greenforest put its foot on the gas. Ikey Obiagu finished with 17 points, 8 rebounds and 8 blocks. Jandan Duggan netted 16 points to go along with his 5 assists. Mohammed Abdulsalem pitched in 12 points and 7 boards. Mike Evans got in on the action with 9 points and 4 assists. Mountain View was led by Spencer Rodgers’ 13 points. Miles Long and Brandon Green both scored 11 points.

No. 6 Lakeview Academy 95, East Hall 79: Lakeview Academy won the Piedmont College Hardwood Classic Championship in convincing fashion. Drew Cottrell was named Tournament MVP after pouring in 31 points in the title game. Tre Gober netted 24 and All-Tournament Team memeber Josh Randolph went for 20 points, 14 rebounds and 8 assists. Carter Reeves chipped in 10 points.

                                                                                

GIRLS

 

Class AAAAAAA

North Forsyth 45, No. 7 Cherokee 39: North Forsyth won the Progressive Lighting Holiday Classic on their home floor as the Raiders dispatched of Cherokee. Cassie Markle finished with 16 points and 6 rebounds and Bella Caracciolo chipped in 6 points and 7 rebounds as North Forsyth moves to 6-0.

Class AAAAAA

No. 6 Northview 40, Creekview 27: Northview bounced back at the Progressive Lighting Holiday Classic and placed third with a win over Creekview. Ashlee Austin had 12 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks. Shannon Titus finished with 7 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 6 blocks. Asjah Innis went for 8 points and 5 assists.

Johns Creek 45, Alpharetta 33: Ashley Alexander led a balanced Gladiator attack with 13 points followed by Sydney Tanguilig and Markeima Lancaster’s 12 apiece to claim fifth place at the North Forsyth Thanksgiving Tournament.

Cambridge 31, Peachtree Ridge 24: Eliza Snyder scored 12 points and Sierra Sieracki had 8 while Raegan Dunwoodie paced the defense with 10 deflections to disrupt the Peachtree Ridge offense. Jalea Gray had 9 points and 8 rebounds in the loss.

Class AAAAA

No. 6 Warner Robins 53, Valdosta 50: Shynia Jackson posted a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, as did Le’Terria Mathis with 10 points and 11 rebounds as the Demonettes slipped past Valdosta. Kezia Holmes scored 13 points and Victoria Brown went 6-of-8 from the line in the final two minutes to secure a Warner Robins victory.

No. 9 Loganville 30, 6ANo. 1 Winder-Barrow 29: Loganville grinded away at Winder-Barrow and handed the No. 1 ranked 6A team in the state their second consecutive loss to a Class 5A school. Seniors Daijah Cousins and Destiny Flott  scored 9 apiece for the Red Devils while Imani Arnold and Aryanna Gerald both scored 5. Winder-Barrow star center Olivia Nelson-Ododa was held to just 6 points. Latrice Perkins led the Bulldoggs with 9 points. Jakayala Sullivan and Lexi Maddox both scored 5 in the loss.

Class AAAA

No. 3 North Oconee 50, Clarke Central 47: Emma Weynand scored 16 points and Camryn Williams added 15 as the dynamic duo helped the Lady Titans survive Clarke Central.

St. Pius 58, Dawson County 33: The Tigers fell to 0-4 on the season after a tough slate at the North Forsyth Thanksgiving Tournament. Abi Chatham led Dawson County with 11 points. St. Pius rushed out to a 27-9 lead after one and cruised the rest of the way. Melat Endashaw had 11 points while Macey Carson and Kathryn McKenzie scored 10 apiece and both Leah Middleton and Emma Drash chipped in 8.

Oconee County 39, Cedar Shoals 32: Freshman Sybille Foucart pumped in 21 points to lead the Warriors. Ansley Hart added 7.

Gilmer 64, Pickens 62: Mykenzie Weaver scored 24 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in a loss. Torie Williams pitched in 14 points and Taylor Wigington had 8 points and 5 assists.

Class AAA

No. 1 Johnson-Savannah 49, Brunswick 37: Jacksonville-signee Alexis Pierce carried the Atomsmashers with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 3 steals.

No. 4 Calhoun 55, Allatoona 51: Calhoun bounced back from a loss to Rome behind another big game from South Carolina softball signee Jana Johns. She poured in 22 points and 8 rebounds while Ashlyn Barnes netted 12 points. Cassie Henderson grabbed 14 rebounds.

Franklin County 82, White County 64: Ivey Ginn exploded for 32 points. Asia Jones netted 19 and Maddie Moorhead scored 14 in Coach Tony Watkins’ potent offense.

Class AA

Elbert County 36, Jackson County 31: Jackson County fell to Class AA Elbert County. Logan Cook led the Panthers with 11 points.

Class A-Private

No. 9 Lakeview Academy 67, 2ANo. 3 Rabun County 60: Rabun County trailed by 14 early and could never quite get over the hump, losing to Lakeview Academy in the Piedmont College Hardwood Classic Championship. Savanna Scott finished with 18 points and 9 rebounds. Brooke Henricks had 12 points and 4 rebounds while Georgia Stockton pitched in 10 points and 3 steals. Star guard Hanna Grogan carried the Lions with 18 points in the win. Christen Copeland had 14 and Ryann Moody added 12.

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