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Game Stories, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

No. 5 Newton rams Tucker out of first-place in Region 2

No. 5 Newton 58, Tucker 48

It had been 719 days since the Tucker Tigers (17-5, 7-1) had last lost a region game. A 45-42 loss to Stephenson on Feb. 7, 2014 back in Class AAAAA was Coach James Hartry’s last defeat. Last season the Tigers swept through their new home, Region 2-AAAAAA, and through the first seven region games of this season, they had started 7-0, surviving No. 5 Newton 57-56 at Tucker on Dec. 15.

Newton (19-2, 7-1), enjoying its best start since 2009-10 when the Rams opened 30-1 before falling to state champion Milton in the semifinals, entered Wednesday’s make-up game at 18-2, using last season’s state playoff run as a springboard into the 2015-16 season. As a No. 4 seed last year, the Rams knocked off defending state champion Tift County 52-49 in round one and took down No. 2 seed Dacula 58-54 in the Sweet 16 before falling to eventual state champion Wheeler in the Elite 8, 72-54.

With all of Coach Rick Rasmussen’s recent success with the Rams, one win still eluded Newton: Tucker. Last night, the Rams were finally able to rid themselves of their demons and get the monkey off their back with a 58-48 win at home to take over first-place.

“It was a big win for us tonight,” explained Rasmussen. “I thought we had a really good chance to beat them at their place and I thought we were certainly capable of playing better than we did the first time.”

They did.

Things didn’t start out so promising for the Rams however. Tucker jumped out to a 9-2 lead and looked like the more energized team, but Newton’s leading scorer, junior JD Notae, shook the Rams out of the doldrums and scored their first eight points of the game.

To end the first period, freshman sensation Ashton Hagans drove on the fastbreak and found senior Jaquan Simms open in the left corner for one of his four three-pointers on the night to give Newton a 13-11 lead heading into the second quarter.

The onslaught continued for the Rams in the second quarter as Notae’s early spurt in the first quarter ignited a 21-4 Newton run that flipped the score from a 9-2 deficit to a 23-13 advantage with 3:55 left to play in the second quarter. Tucker would pick itself off the mat and end the period on a mini 5-2 run, capped by a Tyler Payne steal and lay-in at the buzzer, cutting Newton’s halftime lead to 25-18.

The third quarter saw Tucker senior center Adonis Green score back-to-back baskets but halfway through the frame Green picked up his fourth foul. Coach Hartry elected to keep him in the game and just 15 seconds later, Green committed his fifth personal, fouling out with 2:52 remaining in the third quarter and the Tigers trailing 33-26.

While Tucker was searching for answers on how to replace Green, but more importantly slow down Newton’s guards, Jaquan Simms caught fire, canning back-to-back threes and drawing a foul on a deep ball. Simms scored eight of his 16 points in the third quarter and pushed the Rams’ lead to 38-26.

However, once again it was Tucker using a late spurt to keep the game close. The Tigers ran off four quick points stamped by Kenton Eskridge’s lay-up right before the horn to make it a 38-30 game entering the fourth quarter.

Tucker did not crawl much closer than eight points in the fourth quarter as Notae and Dante Johnson would not allow another late game disappointment. In their first meeting, the Rams blew the game at the line, connecting on just 7-of-18 attempts. Wednesday night, Newton sank 14-of-22 free throws, but more importantly 12-of-17 in the fourth quarter. Notae scored 11 of his game-high 22 points in the fourth including going 5-of-6 from the stripe while Johnson netted six of his eight points in the final frame, hitting all four free throws.

After a hot start for Eskridge, scoring six first quarter points, the Rams honed in on Tucker’s playmaker and held him to four points over the next three periods.

Freshman Ashton Hagans won the war with junior Kenton Eskridge
Freshman Ashton Hagans won the war with junior Kenton Eskridge

The win was an important one for Newton, not only for region seeding, but for the overall psyche of the team, finally beating a program that has troubled them over the past two seasons. Coach Rasmussen understands there is still work to be done on Friday night as Newton hosts rival Rockdale County on senior night and the Tigers potentially looming in the region tournament.

“It feels good to get this one. I’m sure we’re going to have to play them again in the region tournament, so I’m sure that will be another war and we’re excited about it.”

My Take: Newton’s guards are the real deal. People who aren’t in the know could have given me slack for keeping the Rams in the top ten after an early 2-1 start following a loss to Henry County, but I had faith that Newton would warrant its place in the rankings. Fast forward eight weeks later and Coach Rick Rasmussen’s team is No. 5 in the poll. JD Notae has caught the eye of D-1 schools such as Kennesaw State, South Alabama and Presbyterian and all for good reason. The junior had two scoring binges. One to breathe life into the Rams and the second to close the door shut on Tucker. Notae scored the first eight points of the game to start a 21-4 run that gave Newton the lead for good and in the fourth quarter his 11 points ended all hope of a Tucker comeback. Notae showed an ability to finish inside with reverse lay ups and the coolness to sink important free throws late in the game. Freshman Ashton Hagans has some of the best court vision I’ve seen this season. It is extremely rare to see a point guard with that kind of court presence and the fact that he is only a freshman makes him a high major prospect for good reason; UGA has already offered, with Tennessee, Mississippi State and Auburn all showing interest. In last night’s low scoring game, he didn’t need to dazzle or show off any slick eye-catching passes like a Will Washington, but he was mature with the ball and put it in the right spots for teammates to score, something that can’t always be taught. The third man of the trio was senior Jaquan Simms. He cashed in four three-pointers and finished with 16 points. His ability to get hot from behind the arc will be invaluable come tournament time. With sophomore DeAndrae Butler missing from the lineup, Josh Tukes and Chazz Tanner stepped up and combined for four points and 10 rebounds. Dante Johnson was a key piece off the bench with eight points and nine rebounds, bringing great energy.

Xavier Johnson played well for Tucker in the absence of Adonis Green, who fouled out with four points and six rebounds. Johnson posted team-highs of 12 points and nine rebounds. Kenton Eskridge got going early on, putting his head down and finishing at the cup, but Newton made the proper adjustments to slow down the junior. The Tigers had some nice balance scoring, but weren’t able to find enough firepower to keep up with the running Rams.

Top Performers

Newton
JD Notae – 22 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals
Jaquan Simms – 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
Dante Johnson – 8 points, 9 rebounds
Ashton Hagans – 7 points, 1 rebound, 8 assists, 3 steals
Chazz Tanner – 4 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block

Tucker
Xavier Johnson – 12 points, 9 rebounds, 1 block
Kenton Eskridge – 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks
Amir Butcher – 7 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block
Josh Vann – 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist
Trevon Flowers – 6 points, 1 rebound
Adonis Green – 4 points, 6 rebounds

Game Stories, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

All-American Alterique Gilbert’s fourth quarter stops No. 9 Southwest DeKalb comeback

No. 1 Miller Grove 53, No. 9 Southwest DeKalb 45

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A 15-5 run had No. 1 Miller Grove seemingly on the ropes after taking its largest lead of the game 43-30 entering the fourth, but when the Wolverines needed a hoop, they turned to none other than McDonalds All-American and UConn signee Alterique Gilbert to answer the call as Miller Grove held off host No. 9 Southwest DeKalb in front of a capacity crowd, 53-45.

Southwest DeKalb looked to establish 6-foot-6, 245-pound senior TiQuan Lewis early on. The Washington County transfer posed problems inside for the slighter Wolverines in their first meeting, posting 19 points and 12 rebounds in a 76-69 loss. On Tuesday, the big man scored the Panthers’ first seven points of the game but was held to two points the rest of the way as Miller Grove began digging down and harassing Lewis with active hands.

While Lewis got Southwest DeKalb off to a quick start, Aaron Augustin began his own scoring spree, slashing to the basket and showing off his outside shot to finish with seven of his 10 points in the first quarter, giving the Wolverines a 15-10 lead after one.

Augustin sank his final basket of the night, a three-pointer at the 4:06 mark of the second quarter to push the Wolverine lead out to 21-14. Southwest DeKalb leading scorer Keith Gilmore scored just one point in the first quarter but began to find the bottom of the net while it looked like the Panthers were about to lose distance with the Wolverines. The senior scored nine of his team-high 16 points in the second period, but the Panthers still entered the half trailing Miller Grove 34-22.

To open the second half, Southwest DeKalb made sure to not stray away from the inside game, feeding it to Lewis early on, but Miller Grove caused him to fumble away a few opportunities with its pressure defense.  He and Gilmore combined for 17 of the Panthers’ 22 first half points meaning someone else had to step up. While Southwest searched for a third option in the third quarter, Miller Grove slowly began to pull away.

TiQuan Lewis is a big boy
TiQuan Lewis is a big boy

Aidan Saunders received a pass in transition and threw down a dunk, the first of the game, to extend the lead to 41-30. Seconds after the gym-rocking slam, the student sections of both teams began to get into it, causing a five-minute stop in the action while teachers and police went into the crowd to make sure nothing got out of hand. After the brief stoppage, Miller Grove added another hoop to give itself a 13-point cushion heading into the final eight minutes.

Instead of rolling over and letting the Wolverines blow them out of their own gym, the Panthers showed some bite of their own. A long and methodical comeback began to take place with Southwest using its helter skelter tempo and press to force Miller Grove into rushed shots and turnovers. Coach Eugene Brown finally found his third and fourth scoring options as Nathaniel Ambersley scored six of his 11 points in the fourth while Mandarius Dickerson added nine points in the game.

With 1:10 remaining, Gilmore caught a feed down low and went baseline to lay it up and claw the Panthers within 48-45. Seconds later at the 48.5 mark, Gilbert answered with an And-1 to make it 51-45 and stem the tide. The All-American poured in nine of Miller Grove’s 10 fourth quarter points and took over when Coach Sharman White needed him the most.

29.2 seconds remained when Coach White called a timeout. The Wolverines attempted to inbound the ball, but an offensive foul was called, giving the ball back to the Panthers still down six. Southwest DeKalb was unable to score, but forced a turnover with 15 seconds left. Gilmore had the ball on what looked like a 3-on-1 fast break, but instead of trying to get the bucket and play the fouling game, he elected to attempt a pull-up three which missed and resulted in a rebound and outlet for a Gilbert run-out dunk with seconds left to end the game.

Missed opportunities hurt the Panthers, especially as they entered the bonus with 5:26 left in the fourth, but made only 1-of-5 from the line and finished 8-of-16 for the game.

My Take: If you didn’t get to Southwest DeKalb by halftime of the girls’ game, you weren’t getting a seat. I strolled in right as the game was finishing up and there were no seats to be found. The action that ensued on the court warranted the crowd. Miller Grove looked like the top team in the state, coming away with a huge win in a wild environment. The Wolverines look to push the ball every chance they get and have some of the best spacing I’ve seen all year with shooters peppering the perimeter. Alterique Gilbert didn’t have his best game, missing some open threes, but he would not be denied when the game was on the line. Aaron Augustin had a big first half with 10 points but didn’t score in the second. He along with Gilbert were able to hit open men. The pair made everyone around them better tonight. The Wolverines are a very unselfish bunch and play for one another even with all the stars on their roster. They came away with 11 steals hounding the Southwest DeKalb guards, especially in the first half holding Darius Hogan, Mandarius Dickerson and Nathaniel Ambersley to five total first half points, with Hogan never cracking the scorebook on the night after scoring 12 against Miller Grove in their first meeting.

Southwest DeKalb showed a lot of heart, scrapping to get back into the game. TiQuan Lewis is a load inside and can punish smaller defenders. Keith Gilmore was the senior leader I expected him to be, finishing with 16 points and 12 rebounds. If Coach Brown can get guard production around those two, the Panthers will be a tough team in the state tournament. The glaring issue for the Panthers was a lack of pure shooting. They made just one three-pointer on the night and shot 50% from the foul line. Missed free throws and Hogan’s quiet game came back to bite Southwest. Hogan is the team’s best shooter from deep, averaging over two makes a game and hitting 40%.

Top Performers

Miller Grove
Alterique Gilbert – 17 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals
Aaron Augustin – 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
Raylon Richardson – 7 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block
Aidan Saunders – 7 points
Joshua Jackmon – 5 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists
Tae Hardy – 4 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals

Southwest DeKalb
Keith Gilmore – 16 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist
Nathaniel Ambersley – 11 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
TiQuan Lewis – 9 points, 10 rebounds, 1 block
Mandarius Dickerson – 9 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks

GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Class AAA Region Run Down

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Class AAA

Region 1

              Team                                      Overall           Region
(B) No. 2 Jenkins                      16-2                 8-0
(B) Johnson                                 13-5                 7-1
(B) Islands                                     15-5                 7-2
(A) Dodge County                    11-5                 5-2
(A) Tattnall County                 11-7                 5-2
(A) Brantley County               12-6                 6-4
(B) Savannah                                8-11                5-5
(B) Southeast Bulloch             10-11              3-5
(A) Appling County                   2-14                 2-5
(B) Beach                                        5-15                 2-6
(A) Toombs County                  3-16                 2-8
 (A) Pierce County                      3-12                1-10

The balance of power lies in sub-region B as defending state champion No. 2 Jenkins looks to fend off Johnson and the much improved Sharks of Islands. The Warriors play Johnson for the first time tonight at home, then travel to Johnson on the last day of the regular season, Feb. 6. 6-foot-5 junior Trevion Lamar has quickly made a name for himself with the Warriors, leading the team in both scoring (16.8) and rebounding (9.1) while adding 4.3 assists per game and team-highs in steals (2.7) and blocks (1.9). Point guard Zion Williams transferred from Savannah High and is averaging 14.5 points and 4.6 assists as a junior. Seniors Michael Coffee and Dimetri Chambers are both scoring in double figures. Johnson’s only region loss came in double overtime at Islands, 64-61. The Sharks, whose program began in 2010-11, have steadily improved. Their wins by year read: 2010-11: 0, 2011-12: 0, 2012-13: 1, 2013-14: 2, 2014-15: 11. This year the Sharks have clinched their first-ever winning record behind patient Head Coach Karl DeMasi and 1,000-point scorer junior Justin Cave, who averages 21.2 points. Only one senior is on the roster. DeMasi’s primary rotation consists of one freshman, two sophomores and four juniors.

Region 2

           Team                                       Overall             Region
No. 6 Central-Macon             17-2                 10-1
Southwest-Macon                  14-5                 10-2
Westside-Macon                     15-4                 10-2
Jordan                                           8-11                 6-5
Spencer                                        4-12                 4-5
Rutland                                         5-12                 4-7
Kendrick                                      2-13                 2-7
Jackson                                        1-15                 1-9
Peach County                             2-16                 1-10

Region 2 has become one of the state’s most interesting regions located in Middle Georgia. No. 6 Central has won 10-straight including an 80-76 2OT thriller at Southwest last Saturday. The Chargers’ only loss came way back on Dec. 4, their second game of the season at Westside, 82-63. In their rematch, Central won 75-72, but that early loss could still come back to haunt them and has left the door open for the Seminoles and Patriots. There is some interesting talent in Macon. Central has senior point guard Derrick Evans and juniors Kentrevious Jones and Anterious McCoy. All three are constant 20-point threats. Jones may be the most intriguing of the bunch, standing 6-foot-10 and 280 pounds. Westside flaunts one of the most sought after prospects in the Class of 2018 in 6-foot-8 guard Khavon Moore. He averages 21.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.8 steals and 2.7 blocks. Southwest counters with its own pair of aces in senior Justin Slocum and junior Nick Hargrove. Slocum is 6-foot-6 and posts 21.5 points, 12.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks a night while Hargrove, a private school transfer, records 20.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists.

Region 3

             Team                                       Overall            Region
No. 5 Laney                                     17-2                 6-1
No. 9 Westside-Augusta        10-3                 5-1
Josey                                                    8-9                   5-2
Butler                                                  9-6                   3-4
Washington County                   8-10                 3-4
Glenn Hills                                        2-15                 2-5
Hephzibah                                        0-19                 0-7

No. 5 Laney’s record looks like the Wildcats are having another strong year, but if you dig deeper into the results, the Cardiac Cats have shown signs of vulnerability. Countless times this season Laney has had to rally from down double digits in the second half to pull out a victory. Laney has won seven games by six points or less. No. 1 Morgan County edged them on Jan. 9, 65-63 and took over first-place from the Wildcats. Laney then slipped again just a week later, falling to Josey 66-55. Christian Keeling (Charleston Southern) and Zep Jasper (College of Charleston) are the heartbeat for new head coach Shawn Parks’ team. Keeling averages 24 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists while Jasper goes for 20.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists. No. 9 Westside has proven to be tough, losing to Laney at home 69-64 and again on the road 62-60 in the Richmond County Christmas Tournament, meaning it didn’t count in the standings and that Westside has one last crack at the Wildcats tonight with a chance to take over first-place. Damontrez Hawes leads the Patriots with 18.3 points per game while Dekwan Lewis (12.6) and Christian Robinson (11.1) are both valid options.

Region 4

            Team                                         Overall            Region
(A) No. 4 South Atlanta           16-4                 6-0
(B) No. 7 Westminster             17-2                 5-0
(A) North Clayton                       12-8                 5-1
(B) Blessed Trinity                      11-9                 4-2
(B) Decatur                                      9-12                 4-3
(B) Douglass                                    12-8                 3-3
(A) Cedar Grove                             8-8                   3-3
(A) Jackson-Atlanta                   13-8                 3-3
(B) Therrell                                      10-7                 2-3
(A) Towers                                       5-14                 1-5
(B) Washington                             1-18                 0-7
(A) McNair                                       3-14                 0-8

No. 4 South Atlanta made possibly the biggest statement out of any team in the classification with a wire-to-wire win over 1A-Private No. 1 Greenforest at the Blue Collar Basketball MLK Showcase at Peachtree Ridge on Monday, 62-57. The Hornets are long, quick and athletic. Everyone Coach Michael Reddick throws on the court has a chance to sting the opponent. Orlando Bebee, Devontae Dean, Frank Bailey and Devonta Pullins make up a deep backcourt while Tyler Thornton, Korbian Bell, Demonte Roberts and Artavious Banks do yeoman’s work inside. Quietly, No. 7 Westminster is the hottest team in the state outside of No. 3 Calhoun with 16-straight wins. Bo Jackson clone Will Benson leads the offense and is headed to Duke to play baseball. Tyler Barry, former NBA player and announcer Jon Barry’s son, pulls the trigger from deep while Mikael Sampson is an improving post and Philip Jones, a steady point guard. North Clayton might not have the prettiest record, but watch out. The Eagles lost 58-52 at home vs. South Atlanta on Jan. 5 and get another crack at the Hornets on Feb. 2. Junior Ahsan Asadullah is 6-foot-8 and has displayed elite footwork and passing skills down low while averaging a team-high 16.1 points.

Region 5

         Team                                       Overall            Region
(A) No. 8 Callaway                  10-3                 5-0
(B) Pepperell                              11-6                 4-1
(B) Rockmart                               4-14                 2-3
(B) Cedartown                            6-10                 2-3
(A) Central-Carroll                   9-9                   1-4
(A) Haralson County               2-17                 1-4

Talk about a down year for the diminutive region. Last year saw both No. 8 Callaway and Rockmart crack 20 wins, this season it looks as if only Callaway has a shot. The Cavaliers lost back-to-back games vs. LaGrange, 80-68 at home then 63-60 on the road before falling weeks later to Lanett (AL), 72-54, the Panthers’ record this season at 18-4. Callaway hasn’t quite had the explosive offense it had last season, but Braylon Sanders, Earnest Patillo, Dre Martin, Quantrez Cooper and Joe Brown make up a formidable five in the wide open classification. Pepperell has played well after an 11-15 season and was selected as a Sandy’s Spiel Super Sleeper entering 2015. The Dragons are a competitive bunch, but the Cavaliers are a lock to roll through the region undefeated and capture the No. 1 seed. Callaway’s average margin of victory against region opponents this season is a whopping 27.6 points, with their closest game coming against Central, 84-76.

Region 6

      Team                                       Overall            Region
No. 3 Calhoun                            18-0                 11-0
Coahulla Creek                         16-4                 10-2
Ringgold                                      8-10                 7-5
North Murray                          13-7                 7-5
Sonoraville                                 8-9                   5-5
Murray County                         7-14                 5-7
Lakeview-Ft Oglethorpe      6-14                 4-7
Adairsville                                    6-13                 2-9
Gordon Central                            2-16                 0-11

The Yellow Jackets are the only unbeaten team left in Class AAA. No. 3 Calhoun has handled every team placed in front of them and has established their legitimacy as being a title contender by sweeping through the SmileGeneration.com bracket of the Lake City Classic to win the tournament by an average margin of victory of 15 points. Jireh Wilson is a 1,000-point scorer and Wofford football signee averaging 13.7 points. Kaelan Riley, the star quarterback going to Mercer, posts team-highs of 15.9 points and 8.3 rebounds. Chapin Rierson, a 6-foot-5 junior, is a versatile X-factor with a motor that doesn’t quit. He chips in 12.9 points and 6.6 rebounds a night. Ray Reeves is the team’s best three-point shooter at 36 percent and averages 7.9 points. Much like Islands of Region 1, Coahulla Creek is an upstart program enjoying its best season ever in its short existence. After finishing 14-11 last year, the Colts are off to a 16-4 start. Seniors Alex Fisher and Caleb Lewis power Coach Matthew Queener’s offense. The Colts lost 60-52 against Calhoun and a 56-52 falter at Murray County likely erases Coahulla Creek’s shot at catching the Yellow Jackets, but the two teams play at Calhoun on Feb. 2.

Region 7

           Team                                       Overall            Region
No. 10 Banks County             18-2                 8-0
Lumpkin County                       16-5                 6-2
East Hall                                        13-6                 6-2
West Hall                                     10-9                 4-4
Franklin County                        7-14                 2-6
Dawson County                       10-10               1-6
Fannin County                           8-11                 0-7

Only three points separate No. 10 Banks County from being undefeated. A 67-66 loss to North Hall on Dec. 21 and a 42-40 loss in the Commerce Christmas Classic championship to 6A No. 10 Collins Hill are the Leopards’ only two blemishes. Coach Mike Cleveland overlooks the play of Zez Steeple, Zac Orr and Kahmal Wiley. Steeple, a 5-foot-7 guard, is an electric playmaker with his passing and scoring. Orr is a rugged 6-foot-6 center that is difficult to handle down low while Wiley at 6-foot-4, 245 pounds is a tank inside and cleans the glass alongside Orr. Head Coach Jeff Steele has brought over his magic touch after leading Johnson-Gainesville to a 29-1 record a year ago. Lumpkin County finished just 9-20 in 2014-15 and behind Steele and senior 1,000-point scorer Jack Howard, the Indians have revived their program. Brandon Zarate inside and guard Zach Pulley make Lumpkin County a dangerous team come tournament time. Lurking in the shadows is Coach Joe Dix’s East Hall Vikings. They won’t have a chance to catch the Leopards after falling 82-66 to them on Tuesday, completing the sweep, but the Vikes do get another crack at Lumpkin County next Tuesday, who they already beat 73-63 at Lumpkin. The boys from Valhalla don’t have much size, but Tylor Brown and Markese Jackson are active attacking the rim while brothers Triston and Luke Cooper can get hot from deep.

Region 8

         Team                                       Overall            Region
No. 1 Morgan County           16-4                 8-0
Jackson County                        12-8                 5-3
East Jackson                               9-10                 4-4
Jefferson                                       7-12                 4-5
Elbert County                             8-11                 3-5
Oconee County                         5-13                 2-5
Hart County                                6-15                 2-6

The prevalent theme across AAA has been surprise teams and momentous turnarounds. No program has fit the bill more than Jackson County, who finished 4-22 last year. Coach Chuck Butler has established a winning mentality with upperclassmen and have lived and breathed by the motto EAT: Effort, Attitude, Toughness. The Panthers have feasted on opponents this year, especially one program that elected to stray from the homegrown route, East Jackson. There is no way to sugarcoat it anymore, the Eagles’ season has been a disappointment after opening the year ranked No. 4 with the amount of talent Coach David Boyd has at his disposal. Sophomores Drue Drinnon and Travis Anderson are among the best young guards in the state, but it hasn’t resulted in wins. Lamont Smith left mid-way through the season and is back in Gwinnett County helping Duluth win games. Jalen Morgan is now eligible for the second half of the season, but the Eagles’ lack of post production is what has hurt them the most. The Panthers swept the season series in a pair of emotional wins, 67-63 at East Jackson and 74-73 at home on Tuesday. No. 1 Morgan County is still the class of the region after a state championship in 2014 and a runner-up finish in 2015. Florida Atlantic signees DeVorious Brown and Jailyn Ingram have given Coach Jamond Sims exactly what he needed after losing 3,000-point scorer Tookie Brown to Georgia Southern. Freshman guard Alec Woodard has stepped up while 6-foot-6 senior Jordan Ford has brought an explosive long athlete to the interior.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Class AAAA Region Run Down

Class AAAA

Region 1

          Team                                        Overall            Region
No. 10 Worth County           14-3                 4-0
Monroe                                          11-5                 9-1
Bainbridge                                    12-7                 6-3
Westover                                      10-7                 5-3
Americus-Sumter                     11-6                 5-3
Crisp County                               14-5                 6-5
Dougherty                                    10-9                 5-5
Albany                                             7-9                   3-5
Thomas County Central       4-15                 2-5
Cook                                                 5-14                 2-6
  Cairo                                                2-18                1-11

Region 1 isn’t quite the region it was a year ago with five teams over 18 wins, but it still is regarded as a deep and dangerous group of teams. Bainbridge opened the season at No. 4 with its star trio headed by UGA signee Tyree Crump returning, but the Bearcats quickly fell from the poll and are just now hitting their stride, winners of five-straight including an 82-69 upset of 2A No. 2 Seminole County last Tuesday. Bainbridge plays at Monroe at Jan. 23 in an important tilt. Monroe cracked the top ten for one week before getting blasted by South Cobb 72-55. The Tornadoes’ only region loss came to No. 10 Worth County last Friday, 60-59. The Rams might have the best frontcourt in the state with 6-foot-8 Auburn signee Anfernee McLemore and unsigned 6-foot-5 Brandon Moore. Moore went for 32 points and 10 rebounds against Monroe and is averaging over 22 points and 12 rebounds. McLemore is chipping in 15 points, 12.8 rebounds and over six blocks a game. Westover is sneaky good with possibly the best three-man backcourt in the region. Senior Allec Williams leads the team in points and assists while freshman Jordan “Snow” Brown and sophomore Kris Gardner have bright futures ahead of them.

Region 2

  Team                                 Overall           Region
Perry                                  11-7                 8-0
No. 7 Upson-Lee         15-3                 6-1
Mary Persons               12-7                 5-3
Howard                            8-10                 4-4
Baldwin                            7-12                 2-6
Veterans                          2-17                 2-6
West Laurens                3-16                 0-7

Perry nicked No. 7 Upson-Lee 68-63 on Dec. 8; the Knights’ lone region loss. The two meet this Friday to decide who will have the inside track for the No. 1 seed heading into the region tournament. You would think the Panthers are led by 6-foot-8 Georgia State signee Chris Clerkey, but the senior has yet to average double digits over his career. It is 6-foot-3 Damion Bagley who is averaging close to 20 and 10. To stay undefeated in region play, Perry beat Veterans 55-52 on Tuesday. Bagley went for 17 points and 13 rebounds while Clerkley chipped in eight points and 10 rebounds. The Knights turn to O’Qualan Harris for the bulk of their offense. Bagley finished with 24 points and eight rebounds against Upson-Lee in their first meeting, while the Knights held Chris Clerkley to six points on 0-of-7 shooting from the field.

Region 3

       Team                                        Overall            Region
No. 5 Liberty County            15-1                 4-0
Burke County                            11-4                 3-1
No. 9 Thomson                          14-3                 3-1
New Hampstead                      10-6                 1-3
Windsor Forest                         8-10                 1-3
Wayne County                          3-15                 0-4

No. 9 Thomson had a chance to make a statement with a win at No. 5 Liberty County on Jan. 9. Instead, the Bulldogs were thrashed by the Panthers 100-53, who look like they are going to roll into the state playoffs undefeated in region play and sweep through the tournament. Human highlight reel and Auburn-commit, Davion Mitchell poured in 31 points while running mate and fellow junior Richard LeCounte dropped 27. The potent duo is likely the best backcourt in the classification. Mitchell averages 22.5 points and 7.3 assists while LeCounte averages 19.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Need a third option? Coach Julian Stokes has a third and fourth. Sophomore Will Richardson is a name to write down. He is posting 13.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists as a 6-foot-3 guard. The Panthers don’t have much size, with their tallest player 6-foot-4, but the 6-foot-3 Martial Washington is up to the task averaging close to eight points and eight rebounds. Against Thomson, he carved them up for 23 points and 19 rebounds. Aside from the win over the Bulldogs, Liberty County also stomped Burke County 88-68. Thomson has the size and talent with 6-foot-8 San Antonio Brinson being able to play inside and out, and Darius Turman, Marquez Winfrey and RJ Johnson all talented players making the 47-point loss inexcusable. The Bulldogs have come a long way however, finishing just 8-21 a year ago.

Region 4

          Team                                      Overall            Region
(B) No. 1 Jonesboro               17-3                 6-0
(A) No. 6 Eagle’s Landing    19-1                 5-0
(A) No. 8 Walnut Grove       17-3                 3-2
(A) Eastside                                 14-5                 3-2
(B) Riverdale                                7-10                 3-2
(B) Spalding                                  7-14                 3-2
(B) Mt. Zion                                  5-16                 3-3
(A) Henry County                    12-8                 2-3
(A) Locust Grove                       7-12                 2-3
(B) Griffin                                      5-15                 1-4
(B) Pike County                         1-15                 0-5
(A) Hampton                               0-19                 0-5

Just when you think No. 1 Jonesboro’s dominance of Class AAAA is finally over after winning back-to-back state titles, junior MJ Walker decides to take his game to the next level and keep the Cardinals atop their perch as the team to beat. Walker is posting 23.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game and is quickly becoming one of the best juniors in the country. Eric Lovett (14.2 ppg) and sophomore Jamari Smith (10 ppg) have picked up the slack and filled roles left behind by Austin Donaldson (GSU) and Tracy Hector (KSU). Point guard Tariq Jenkins has also stepped up his play with 9.1 points and 4.6 assists. Region 4 is no cakewalk however. No. 6 Eagle’s Landing and No. 8 Walnut Grove are threats to dethrone Jonesboro. Even Henry County, with the explosive duo of Damion Rosser and Javon Greene, has pushed Jonesboro to the brink, falling 70-65 in overtime. Griffin may not be ready to compete, but keep tabs on the progress of 7-foot junior center Tyshaun Crawford. He is new to the game but has continued his steady improvement, averaging 9.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.1 blocks on the year.

Region 5

         Team                                       Overall            Region
Sandy Creek                              14-5                 4-1
Woodward Academy            9-9                   3-2
Whitewater                               12-7                 3-2
Carrollton                                   9-11                 2-3
Fayette County                       10-7                 2-3
Troup County                           6-10                 1-4

Sandy Creek is as talented a group as they come in Class AAAA, that’s why it’s puzzling why they haven’t taken the region by the throat. The Patriots’ only loss came to Whitewater last Friday 56-54, closing their margin for error. They survived rival Fayette County 78-73 in overtime and held on against last year’s state runner-up Carrollton, 61-59. Gardner-Webb signee Christian Turner is a true bulldog at point guard, averaging 14.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 6 assists and 3.8 steals. Both AJ Freeman (10.8 ppg) and Evan Jester (10.1 ppg) score double digits with Freeman providing three-point marksmanship and Jester a double-double threat, grabbing 9 rebounds a night. The most talented player is junior Elias Harden. The 6-foot-6 wing averages 21.3 points and 6.4 rebounds, but gets too trigger happy from deep, launching a team-high 123 three-pointers, but connecting on just 28 percent. Both Whitewater and Fayette County will be tough outs. The Wildcats of Whitewater are led by Garrett Owen and Zach Yeager. 6-foot-7 junior power forward Noah Gurley paces the Tigers with 17.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.4 blocks after averaging just 2.1 points and 2.6 rebounds as a sophomore. Four players average over eight points for Woodward Academy led by Julian Cameron’s 11.8. Carrollton has go-to guys in Desmond Webb and Jarel Rowe, who can carry the Trojans.

Region 6

      Team                                       Overall            Region
No. 4 Grady                              18-2                 12-1
No. 2 Lithonia                         15-4                 12-1
No. 3 St. Pius                           17-2                 11-2
Redan                                       13-6                 7-6
Stone Mountain                  9-10                 6-7
Marist                                        8-12                 6-7
Columbia                                 7-10                 4-9
Arabia Mountain                   7-12                 3-10
Chamblee                                   5-14                 3-10

Make no bones about it; Region 6 is the best region in AAAA with Region 4 close behind. Three teams litter the top five with a wild push towards the region tournament ready to ensue. No. 4 Grady and No. 2 Lithonia have both held the No. 1 ranking in the state for multiple weeks. The Knights have four wins over ranked teams at the time they played them. Grady holds a slim lead atop the standings thanks to a Dec. 1 51-50 win vs. No. 3 St. Pius and a 62-52 win at Lithonia on Dec. 11, but last Friday the Golden Lions trimmed into their region lead with a 62-50 win at the X-Dome. The region will be won and lost on Jan. 26 and Jan. 29. On the 26th, Lithonia travels to Grady and on the 29th, St. Pius visits Lithonia. Stars headline the region’s top teams. Lithonia has 6-foot-7 Cedar Grove transfer Jacara Cross and Rodney Chatman (UTC). Coach Brian Weeden of Grady features Avi Toomer (Bucknell) and St. Pius uses Kerney Lane (18.5 ppg, 7 rpg) to power the Golden Lion offense. Redan and Stone Mountain are likely battling for the fourth-seed come playoff time. They may not have the amount of wins they would like, but they are tough teams that could surprise Region 7’s No. 1 seed. There’s a good chance that Region 6 could advance every playoff team through to the next round.

Region 7

             Team                                       Overall            Region
Heritage-Catoosa                        15-5                 9-1
Cartersville                                     13-5                 9-1
Northwest Whitfield                15-5                 8-2
Southeast Whitfield                  7-13                 4-6
Pickens                                              5-14                 3-6
LaFayette                                          9-9                   2-7
Gilmer                                                  5-13                 2-8
Ridgeland                                          3-14                 1-7

Region 7 brought home the state title in football this year thanks to Cartersville. Don’t expect the same in basketball as they draw the brutal Region 6 with three top five teams. The race to grabbing the No. 1 seed will be imperative for playoff survival. Cartersville has split the season series with Northwest Whitfield, but has beaten Heritage 60-54 with their final meeting coming at Heritage on Jan. 29. Jaylon Pugh, Cade Archer and JKobe Orr are dangerous for the Purple Hurricanes with football standout Kobie Whitfield chipping in as well. 6-foot-5 sophomore Cole Wilcox averages 13.5 points and 8.1 rebounds for Heritage while Hunter Erickson adds 13.5 points a night as well. Northwest Whitfield has split with Heritage, but their Nov. 27 win didn’t count in the standings because it was in a holiday tournament. Sophomore Luke Shiflett and junior Paxton Pardee are key contributors for the Bruins. Southeast Whitfield is powered by the state’s leading scorer, Ty Pendley, who averages 27 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists. If the Raiders want to make it into the postseason, Pendley will have to carry them. He is a free throw magnet, taking nearly 10 attempts a game, sinking 90 percent of them. His 90 percent mark was tops in the entire country last year.

Region 8

         Team                                       Overall          Region
Stephens County                   15-4                 3-0
Buford                                          9-11                 4-0
North Hall                                  15-5                 3-1
White County                          14-6                 2-1
Monroe Area                           10-8                 1-2
North Oconee                         4-15                 1-2
Johnson-Gainesville            5-15                 1-3
Madison County                    12-8                 1-3
Chestatee                                   1-18                 0-4

My preseason Sandy’s Spiel Super Sleeper Stephens County has delivered, but both Buford and North Hall are coming on strong. Buford scheduled a brutal non-region schedule and have been better for it. Alex Jones is starting to heat up with Sahil Patel causing problems inside with his 6-foot-8 frame. Coach Eddie Martin will find a way to make the Wolves a team others do not want to face in the state playoffs. Coach Tyler Sanders’ North Hall Trojans are making some noise. Their only loss came to Buford 58-55 last Friday but they quickly rebounded this Tuesday, stopping White County on the road 65-52. The trio of Carson Heinen, Sam Jackson and Evan Easton has been a handful to stop for opponents. Even with their latest loss, don’t count out White County as a contender for the region title. The Warriors defeated Stephens County 71-57 in a non-region game on Dec. 1.

GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Class AAAAA Region Run Down

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Class AAAAA

Region 1

   Team                  Overall            Region
Carver                 13-4                 4-1
 Shaw                     13-6                 5-2
Northside          13-4                 4-2
LaGrange          15-4                 4-2
Columbus          7-10                 2-4
Hardaway          2-11                 1-5
Harris County 5-12                 1-5

 LaGrange and its explosive backcourt find itself in a struggle to climb the standings after losing on Tuesday at Northside 53-50. Trailing 45-33 heading into the fourth, the Grangers made a late push but could not get over the hump. First-place Carver has split with Northside, but its Dec. 21 loss came in a Christmas Tournament, meaning it does not reflect on the standings. The two teams will meet at Northside on Feb. 2. Carver’s lone region loss came to Shaw, 76-72 on Jan. 12. Dakeen Diaz led the Raiders with 21 points while Kourtney Shakespeare chipped in 18. Shaw finished just 8-16 a year ago and has enjoyed an impressive turnaround behind Coach Terry White. Things have gotten tougher however, as the Raiders are losers of their last two of three games, including a bad 82-67 loss at last-place Harris County on Tuesday.

Region 2

            Team                                     Overall         Region
(B) No. 8 Warner Robins     12-2                3-0
(A) Richmond Academy       15-4                6-0
 (B) Jones County                      12-8                2-1
(A) Greenbrier                            12-9                4-2
(A) Lakeside                                 8-10                3-3
(A) Cross Creek                         10-8                3-3
(B) Northside                              10-8                1-2
(A) Grovetown                            9-9                  1-5
(A) Evans                                      10-11              1-5
(B) Houston County               6-13                0-3

 Region 2’s sub-regions will finally meet in the region tournament. Last year it was Houston County, who finished 10-16 and 0-7 in region play, stealing away a playoff berth from Grovetown (17-7, 9-1), 63-60 in the tournament. It looks like Warner Robins, fresh off a Final Four appearance and a 63-57 win over Miller Grove in the Elite 8 stopping the Wolverines’ quest for seven straight championships, is the favorite to win the region. Marquez Callaway is a dual-sport star and can get to the basket at ease. He went 17-of-17 from the line in last year’s win over Miller Grove. 6-foot-8 senior power forward Donovan Brown provides size inside and game-changing length on defense. Nelson Phillips can fill it up from the outside as a 6-foot-4 wing. Richmond Academy has won nine straight games and is powered by Illinois State-commit Madison Williams, who transferred in over the offseason from a private school in Augusta. DT Stephens, Nick Roberts, Rashad Calloway, Chris Jones and Moses Williams make up a talented core. Jones County isn’t a team to sleep on. The Greyhounds got off to a slow start after an Elite 8 appearance a year ago, but are starting to find their groove. Senior Devin Wooten has taken his game to the next level. The explosive 6-foot guard averages 25.4 points per game and nearly four three-pointers.

Region 3

              Team                                     Overall            Region
No. 10 Effingham County    16-3                 8-0
Camden County                         15-3                 6-2
Brunswick                                      15-4                 6-2
Richmond Hill                              13-8                 6-2
Statesboro                                     13-6                 5-3
Coffee                                                9-8                   4-4
Ware County                                 8-10                 2-6
Glynn Academy                            9-9                   2-7
South Effingham                          6-12                 1-6
Bradwell Institute                       5-13                 1-8

 If there were ever a region to keep one eye on, it’s Region 3. South Georgia’s region doesn’t make too many trips up to the Metro area, making them a bit of an unknown, but after Brunswick marched to its first ever state championship last year, the rest of the state should be on alert. Camden County was the last undefeated team in the state to fall, making Region 5’s No. 2 Allatoona the only unbeaten left. The Wildcats had sneaked up to No. 7 at 12-0, but current No. 10 Effingham County crushed them 77-63 on Jan. 8. Four players average double figures for the Rebels led by Deshaun Wilkenson’s 16.2 points. Both Jaden Rodriguez and PJ Brown pitch in 13.1 points a night while Rashad Griffin adds 11.1. On Jan. 23, the Rebels will host defending champ Brunswick in their lone meeting. The Pirates started a modest 2-2 overall before righting the ship and are now winners of eight in a row. 6-foot-8 junior center Kymani Dunham is a load inside. Zach Moore and Skyler Baggs are important pieces as well.

Region 4

         Team                         Overall           Region
(A) No. 3 McIntosh     17-2                 12-0
(A) Drew                       10-2                 8-1
(A) Morrow                 14-5                 9-3
(A) Mundy’s Mill      13-7                 9-4
(B) Woodland            10-8                 8-4
(B) Stockbridge         10-7                 6-3
(A) Starr’s Mill          7-9                   6-6
(B) Dutchtown           7-12                 4-6
(B) Union Grove        7-12                 4-8
(A) Forest Park             7-13                 2-11
(B) Luella                       6-10                 1-8
(A) Northgate             2-16                 2-9
    (B) Ola                            3-14                 1-10

No. 3 McIntosh is the class of the region and will go undefeated baring a major upset. Furman signee Jordan Lyons is averaging 18.9 points, Wofford signee Dishon Lowery is posting 11.9 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks while Will Washington is notching 13.8 points and 8.5 assists per game and may be the most important of the trio. Interesting officiating at Morrow on Tuesday led to a 68-63 squeeker. A dark horse in the region to make the state tournament and score an upset is Stockbridge. The firepower between seniors Virgil Fields and Jadon Davis is nearly unmatched. Fields hit a floater in the lane with three seconds left to knock off Dutchtown 81-80 on Tuesday. His final stat line read: 27 points, 19 rebounds, 7 assists. Davis’? 37 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists. Another lethal scorer lies at Drew. Senior James Ruiz may only be 5-foot-9, but the pure scorer is pouring in 26.4 points per game.

Region 5

          Team                         Overall            Region
No. 2 Allatoona            19-0                 12-0
No. 7 South Paulding 16-3                10-2
New Manchester         14-4                 10-2
Alexander                       10-8                   7-5
  Villa Rica                        13-5                   7-5
Hiram                                 8-11                 5-7
Lithia Springs                6-13                 4-8
Paulding County            4-15                 2-10
Chapel Hill                         3-16                 2-10
East Paulding                   4-15                 1-11

 Region 5’s calling card (outside of East Paulding) is defense. Nobody does it better than No. 2 Allatoona, winners of now 68-straight region games. The Buccaneers aren’t as sexy as some other teams around the state with big offensive numbers, but the experienced team finds ways to win. Sophomore Trey Doomes and Ephraim Tshimanga do it all for the Bucs with their stifling defense atop their matchup zone and their decision making on offense. The only team with the right mixture of discipline and fire power that could potentially end Allatoona’s reign of terror is No. 7 South Paulding. Coach Gil Davis’ team laid an egg in their first meeting back on Dec. 18, losing 65-46 on the road. Last Friday they played much better and lost by just nine at home, 53-44. In the region tournament championship last year, South Paulding pushed Allatoona to the brink, but couldn’t drive the dagger into the beast, losing to the Bucs 72-68 in triple overtime. Kane Williams is a constant triple-double threat at guard while 6-foot-7 Ja’Cori Wilson can carry the Spartans at time. New Manchester is much improved coming off a 13-14 season, but don’t quite have the juice to take down the two big boys just yet. Region 5 matches up against Region 8 come state tournament time, which could provide some of the most interesting pairings across the state.

Region 6 

                 Team                                           Overall          Region
(A) No. 1 Miller Grove                      19-2                 9-0
(A) No. 9 Southwest DeKalb        18-3                 8-1
(B) Tri-Cities                                           6-9                   4-1
(B) Mays                                                    8-10                 4-2
(A) Druid Hills                                       9-10                 5-4
(A) Stephenson                                     8-9                   4-4
(B) Creekside                                       11-10               3-3
(B) Carver                                                7-9                   1-3
(A) Dunwoody                                      5-15                 2-7
(A) Clarkston                                        4-15                 2-7
(B) Banneker                                        4-17                 1-4
(A) ML King                                           3-16                 1-7

 No. 1 Miller Grove hasn’t lost a region game since Jan. 20, 2012 at Chamblee 56-54. If No. 9 Southwest DeKalb doesn’t nip them next Tuesday at SWD, then the Wolverines will go perfect again. The Panthers put up a great fight on Dec. 15 before bowing out 76-69. Miller Grove is of course led by McDonalds All-American and UConn signee Alterique Gilbert. Coach Sharman White has an embarrassment of riches with new additions Colin Young (Laney), Aaron Augustin (Peachtree Ridge) and Tae Hardy (Southwest DeKalb). Homegrown horses are also in the stable. 6-foot-7 forward Raylon Richardson, Aidan Saunders and Joshua Jackmon are all important contributors while freshmen Tworn Seals and Maurice Harvey are names to remember in the upcoming years. Even though they lost Hardy to a cross-town rival, the Panthers have enjoyed their best season since 2012’s 22-10 campaign and have now matched last year’s 18-win total with four regular season games remaining on the schedule.

Region 7

               Team                      Overall           Region
(B) No. 6 Riverwood    20-1                 8-0
(A) Sequoyah                   13-7                 7-1
(A) Dalton                          15-5                 6-2
(B) Sprayberry                14-6                 6-2
(A) Creekview                 13-7                 5-2
(A) Rome                            11-8                 5-3
(B) Kell                                11-9                 5-3
(B) Forsyth Central      8-13                 3-5
(A) River Ridge               8-11                 3-6
(B) North Atlanta         6-13                 2-5
(A) Cass                              8-11                 2-7
(B) North Springs         2-13                 1-5
(B) Cambridge               5-15                 1-6
(A) Woodland                3-14                 0-8

Region 7 has been controlled by No. 6 Riverwood. After a 20-9 overall record with an 11-3 region mark in 2014-15, the Raiders have taken the next step and are a loss to Carrollton at the Lake City Classic away from being undefeated. Kohl Roberts is a tank inside and came up big against Sprayberry on Tuesday in a 58-52 win on the road. Roberts, the 6-foot-8 senior center, posted 27 points, 17 rebounds, four blocks and four steals. He is averaging over 16 points, 13 rebounds, three steals and four blocks a game. Coach Buck Jenkins’ son Elijah has had a big junior year, improving his shooting and pitching in over 12 points a night. Charnchai Chantha provides a spark on the perimeter with his passing and three-point shooting while Isaiah Gaddy is an athletic forward with bounce.

Region 8 

                 Team                                   Overall            Region
No. 4 Gainesville                       13-4                 10-0
No. 5 Cedar Shoals                  19-2                 9-1
Heritage-Conyers                  15-5                 7-3
Apalachee                                   14-4                 6-3
Salem                                             12-7                 6-3
Discovery                                   11-9                 4-6
Clarke Central                          7-13                 4-6
Flowery Branch                      12-7                 3-6
Lanier                                             7-13                 3-7
Winder-Barrow                      1-17                 1-9
Loganville                                    0-16                 0-9

Region 8 has emerged as a powerhouse and has put three teams in the top 10 for the entire season until this week’s rankings came out. Following a 15-1 start, Heritage-Conyers has now lost four straight games. The Patriots have more than enough fire power to get back into the rankings and make the state playoffs however. Three juniors are among the team’s top four leading scorers. No. 5 Cedar Shoals has put together an impressive resume and has used its balanced attack to do so. The region has both star power in No. 4 Gainesville’s D’Marcus Simonds (GSU) and Apalachee’s Kamar Baldwin (Butler) and balance with each of the top four teams having multiple players averaging in double figures. Gainesville has survived every region test thus far, beating Heritage 85-79 and Cedar Shoals in double overtime 80-77, both games they trailed at the half. Last Friday the Red Elephants escaped Apalachee 59-55. If there is any region tournament to go check out, it would be Region 8. Anyone in the top four realistically has a shot at winning the tournament.