Tag Archives: GHSA

Spielin’ & Dealin’ Ep. 60: SportalShowcase special

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Kyle Sandy catches up with every coach coming to the SportalShowcase on December 8th.
For more information visit: https://sandysspiel.com/sportalshowcase-preview/

Gil Davis – South Paulding [0:29]
Dwight Callaway – Mundy’s Mill [5:04]
Jared Groce – Chattooga [9:52]
Lenny Williams – Woodville-Tompkins [17:42]
Geoffrey Pierce – Grayson [32:46]
Derrick Mason – ELCA [39:16]
Pernell Smith – Coffee [46:49]
James Gwyn – Campbell [50:12]
Jason Shaver – Franklin County [56:26]
Bo Boatright – Jeff Davis [1:03:21]

sportalshowcase

Week 3 Girls Rankings

sportal

Class AAAAAAA

1. Collins Hill (6-1)
2. Westlake (4-0)
3. McEachern (2-1)
4. North Cobb (4-0)
5. Norcross (4-4)
6. Hillgrove (3-2)
7. Pebblebrook (5-0)
8. Cherokee (4-2)
9. Grayson (4-1)
10. North Forsyth (3-2)

Class AAAAAA

1. Lovejoy (6-2)
2. Forest Park (7-0)
3. Northview (4-0)
4. Lanier (7-0)
5. Stephenson (5-3)
6. Douglas County (4-2)
7. Valdosta (4-1)
8. Dacula (6-2)
9. Glynn Academy (3-1)
10. Pope (5-1)

Class AAAAA

1. Villa Rica (4-0)
2. Buford (5-0)
3. Southwest DeKalb (5-1)
4. Eagle’s Landing (4-2)
5. Harris County (5-1)
6. Carrollton (2-1)
7. Rome (2-0)
8. Arabia Mountain (7-1)
9. Statesboro (7-0)
10. Griffin (3-1)

Class AAAA

1. Carver-Columbus (5-0)
2. Spalding (4-1)
3. Madison County (6-0)
4. Henry County (6-1)
5. Flowery Branch (2-1)
6. Luella (6-1)
7. Westover (3-0)
8. West Laurens (3-1)
9. Marist (3-1)
10. Burke County (1-0)

Class AAA

1. Beach (6-0)
2. Johnson-Savannah (2-4)
3. Jefferson (5-0)
4. Hart County (3-1)
5. Peach County (1-0)
6. GAC (3-3)
7. Dawson County (3-2)
8. Tattnall County (4-1)
9. Lovett (3-1)
10. Morgan County (2-2)

Class AA

1. Dodge County (4-0)
2. 
Douglass (3-4)
3. Laney (5-1)
4. Swainsboro (2-1)
5. Banks County (6-0)
6. Early County (3-0)
7. Fitzgerald (5-0)
8. Rabun County (2-1)
9. Bryan County (5-0)
10. Woodville-Tompkins (6-0)

Class A-Private

1. Wesleyan (6-0)
2. St. Francis (3-1)
3. Holy Innocents’ (3-3)
4. Stratford Academy (4-0)
5. Paideia (6-0)
6. Lakeview Academy (4-2)
7. Calvary Day (4-0)
8. ELCA (3-2)
9. Darlington (2-0)
10. Mt. Paran (4-0)

Class A-Public

1. Telfair County (3-1)
2. Wheeler County (4-1)
3. Marion County (0-0)
4. Georgia Military College (3-0)
5. Calhoun County (3-1)
6. Greenville (4-0)
7. Pelham (0-0)
8. Quitman County (4-0)
9. Central-Talbotton (1-1)
10. Emanuel County Institute (1-0)

There has been a major shuffle in Class AAAAAAA. No. 8 Cherokee sinks five spots after losses to risers No. 4 North Cobb 51-50 and No. 5 Norcross 65-58. The Lady Warriors shoot up six spots while the Lady Blue climb four slots after a perfect 3-0 week, Yamani Paul returning to the court and scoring 11 points against Cherokee. No. 3 McEachern is up three spots following a 69-39 win at North Paulding, but the Lady Indians still need a resume building win. They have Class 3A No. 6 GAC and No. 4 North Cobb on the horizon. No. 1 Collins Hill is holding strong after a 57-41 win at the Wesleyan Showcase over Class 5A No. 3 Southwest DeKalb.

There is no movement in Class AAAAAA. No. 3 Northview edged Class 7A No. 10 North Forsyth 49-40, the Titans holding the Raiders to 11 second half points after North Forsyth drilled seven first half threes. No. 1 Lovejoy raced away from South Carolina powerhouse North Augusta 67-49. No. 9 Glynn Academy suffered a loss, but it was a 60-59 thriller against Class 3A No. 1 Beach.

No. 2 Buford is rounding into shape in Class AAAAA. The Lady Wolves drilled Class 3A No. 10 Morgan County 62-36 and outlasted Parkview 54-46 using their five-in, five-out substitution pattern. Tate Walters scored a game-high 18 points while Preston Reid added 12. No. 5 Harris County slips two spots after a 58-56 loss at No. 6 Carrollton. The Lady Trojans were poised to climb even higher, but they lost focus and were blown out by Brookwood 61-29, freshman Kehinde Obasuyi scoring 18 points in the loss. No. 9 Statesboro sneaks up another spot. The Blue Devils won at Bradwell Institute 44-43 and knocked off Class 2A No. 4 Swainsboro 61-57. Woodland-Stockbridge (3-3) falls out of the poll following a 51-39 loss at No. 4 Eagle’s Landing, who rises one position. Into the rankings is No. 10 Griffin. The Bears cruised against Fayette County 67-43 and their only loss came at Class 4A No. 6 Luella 55-51. Seniors Daisya Reid and Zacoria Berry are averaging 15.7 points and 11.7 points. Junior Averyana Nelson is chipping in 11 points a night.

There is a new top dog in Class AAAA and its No. 1 Carver-Columbus. Just like last year, the Tigers have steamrolled the opposition. They pounded Spencer 102-21 and Harrison 71-41. They get the nod over defending state champ No. 2 Spalding after the Jaguars fell to Class A-Private No. 3 Holy Innocents’ 55-40 and didn’t impress at Fayette County, squeaking out a 47-45 victory. The Tigers and Jaguars also have a mutual opponent: Class 5A No. 4 Eagle’s Landing. Carver won by 18 while Spalding defeated the Eagles by 7. Elsewhere, No. 3 Madison County is in a little bit of trouble after All-State guard Kayla McPherson suffered a concussion in the second quarter of their 64-45 win over Cedar Shoals. The Red Raiders gutted out a 53-48 win over Habersham Central, Old Dominion-signee Jordan Bailey netting 25 points in McPherson’s absence. No. 5 Flowery Branch got revenge with a 59-45 victory over last week’s Class 3A No. 3 Dawson County. No. 8 West Laurens drops a spot after a 66-60 loss to Veterans. No. 9 Marist leaps No. 10 Burke County after beating Pinecrest Academy 59-13 and the Lady Bears getting past Greenbrier 46-36 in their season opener.

In Class AAA it was the Capulets vs. the Montagues, better known as No. 1 Beach vs. No. 2 Johnson-Savannah. Like always, except for the 2017 state finals, it was an instant classic with the Bulldogs holding off the Atomsmashers 55-53 in overtime. Jaida Burgess found Destiny Whitehead for the game-winning layup. Burgess had a team-high 14 points for the Bulldogs while Kaila Rougier had 13. Antalazia Baker, a Woodville-Tompkins transfer, scored a game-high 24 for Johnson while Jasmine Thompson added 12. Up in north Georgia, No. 3 Jefferson moves up another spot after trouncing East Hall 70-34 at the North Georgia Showcase. No. 7 Dawson County slips four spots after losses to Class 4A No. 5 Flowey Branch 59-45 and Class 2A No. 5 Banks County 53-50. Sonoraville (3-2) exits the Top 10 following a 58-54 loss to Ringgold. No. 9 Lovett debuts after a 61-29 win over Redan. No. 10 Morgan County clings onto their spot after a 62-36 loss to Class 5A No. 2 Buford. As they always do, the Bulldogs have scheduled tough, playing three 7A schools prior to their loss to Buford. All tuned up for Region 8 play, Coach Josh Reeves’ Dogs travel to Carnesville to play defending region champion Franklin County who is currently 5-1.

It was another topsy-turvy week in Class AA. No. 1 Dodge County pounded Class A-Public No. 1 Telfair County into submission 88-58 behind Destanee Wright’s 34 points. The meteoric rise of No. 2 Douglass continues, up four more spots. The Lady Astros’ great showings against premier competition looks even better considering Class 7A No. 10 North Forsyth blew past No. 8 Rabun County 66-44, dropping the LadyCats five spots after Douglass lost to the Raiders 51-50. Now back in Class 2A play, the Astros drilled Coretta Scott King 88-5 and dispatched of KIPP Atlanta 54-31. Douglass replaces No. 4 Swainsboro, who sank two spots after losing 61-57 to Class 5A No. 9 Statesboro. Speaking of sinking, Preseason No. 1 Josey (2-3) is out of the poll after losing to No. 3 Laney 51-46. With everyone returning and a handful of transfers in to bolster the roster, the Eagles have failed every test against Top 10 competition going 0-3. No. 5 Banks County climbs four places thanks to wins over East Hall 51-35 and Class 3A No. 7 Dawson County 53-50. GSCU-signee Jaycie Bowen scored 13 points against Dawson County while Heather Vaughan added 11 and Amber Williams had 10. Entering the Top 10 is No. 10 Woodville-Tompkins. The Wolverines’ best win came against Bradwell Institute 52-39 on November 20. They get a chance to prove their legitimacy on Tuesday as they travel to No. 4 Swainsboro.

No. 1 Wesleyan had a record-breaking night in Class A-Private as Nicole Azar hit 8 threes to finish with 33 points and 8 assists in a 91-28 win over St. Pius X. Paige Lyons tallied 24 points, 7 assists and 7 steals while Callie Weaver contributed 16 points and 6 assists. No. 2 St. Francis lost to Hoover (AL) 54-53 and now feels No. 3 Holy Innocents’ closing in, the Golden Bears now healthy after beating last week’s Class 4A No. 1 Spalding 55-40 and Class 7A No. 6 Hillgrove 57-47. Athens Academy (3-3) exits the poll after losing 65-38 to No. 6 Lakeview Academy and 54-41 to No. 4 Stratford Academy. Debuting is No. 10 Mt. Paran, a young team anchored by 6-foot-2 sophomore Savannah Casey. The Eagles went 3-0 last week beating Gordon Central 64-61, Galloway 64-27 and Tallulah Falls 68-42.

No. 1 Telfair County maintains first-place in Class A-Public even after an 88-58 loss to Class 2A No. 1 Dodge County. No. 5 Calhoun County holds tight after a tough 53-36 loss to Class 2A No. 6 Early County. No. 8 Quitman County won 44-38 at Terrell County. Turner County (1-2) is out of the rankings after a bad 45-44 loss to Hawkinsville and a 79-41 loss to No. 1 Telfair County. No. 10 Emanuel County Institute jumps in the mix following a 68-43 win over McIntosh County Academy. Sophomore Prencis Harden exploded for 36 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists.

Week 3 Boys Rankings

sportal

Class AAAAAAA

1. McEachern (3-0)
2. Meadowcreek (6-1)
3. Wheeler (5-1)
4. Norcross (3-2)
5. Discovery (6-2)
6. Pebblebrook (4-1)
7. Newton (4-0)
8. East Coweta (8-0)
9. Grayson (5-2)
10. Lambert (6-1)

Class AAAAAA

1. Tri-Cities (3-1)
2. Alexander (4-1)
3. Coffee (3-0)
4. North Atlanta (5-1)
5. Brunswick (4-0)
6. South Cobb (4-2)
7. Tucker (6-2)
8. Langston Hughes (2-3)
9. Cambridge (4-2)
10. Evans (6-0)

Class AAAAA

1. Southwest DeKalb (4-1)
2. Buford (4-0)
3. Fayette County (5-1)
4. Lithonia (5-2)
5. Eagle’s Landing (2-1)
6. Hiram (5-1)
7. Cedar Shoals (2-3)
8. Warner Robins (3-0)
9. Woodland-Stockbridge (2-3)
10. Columbia (4-1)

Class AAAA

1. Upson-Lee (5-0)
2. Sandy Creek (6-1)
3. St. Pius X (3-2)
4. Henry County (5-0)
5. Woodward Academy (3-2)
6. Americus-Sumter (3-0)
7. Carver-Columbus (2-2)
8. Chapel Hill (4-0)
9. Shaw (6-1)
10. Thomson (6-0)

Class AAA

1. Morgan County (3-0)
2. GAC (2-3)
3. Johnson-Savannah (2-1)
4. Cedar Grove (3-0)
5. Dawson County (4-1)
6. Hart County (4-1)
7. Pace Academy (4-2)
8. Westside-Macon (3-1)
9. Liberty County (3-1)
10. Central-Macon (1-0)

Class AA

1. Woodville-Tompkins (4-0)
2. Therrell (2-2)
3. Washington County (2-0)
4. Thomasville (4-0)
5. Metter (2-0)
6. Glenn Hills (5-0)
7. South Atlanta (4-0)
8. Bleckley County (5-0)
9. Northeast-Macon (3-2)
10. Vidalia (5-0)

Class A-Private

1. St. Francis (4-2)
2. Mt. Bethel (2-2)
3. ELCA (2-1)
4. Greenforest (2-2)
5. Trinity Christian (3-4)
6. Walker (4-0)
7. Holy Innocents’ (2-3)
8. Lakeview Academy (4-2)
9. Mt. Pisgah (5-2)
10. Riverside Military (6-1)

Class A-Public

1. Wilkinson County (0-1)
2. Georgia Military College (2-1)
3. Drew Charter (5-3)
4. Macon County (1-0)
5. Treutlen (2-0)
6. Wilcox County (4-0)
7. Calhoun County (4-0)
8. Lanier County (3-3)
9. Pelham (0-0)
10. Greene County (1-0)

Two new teams crack the Top 10 in Class AAAAAAA for the first time this year, one familiar face and one burgeoning dark horse that has earned its time in the spotlight. No. 7 Newton crushed No. 10 Lambert 88-63 at the North Georgia Showcase, dropping the Longhorns two spots. It was a 30-point deficit midway through the fourth quarter. Armani Harris thoroughly dominated inside, the 6-foot-7 senior hanging 39 points and 11 rebounds, going 20-of-23 from the foul line. Tre Clark added 19 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists while Tyrease Brown netted 17 points as the trio combined for 75 of the Rams’ 88 points. No longer flying under the radar, No. 8 East Coweta is off to their best start in over a decade at 8-0. Playing in the brutal Region 2 with the likes of No. 3 Wheeler, No. 6 Pebblebrook and Westlake (3-3), not to mention 2018 quarterfinalist Campbell, the Indians stamped another signature win by knocking Westlake from the poll with an 88-74 victory. Mandez Jones poured in 32 points as East Coweta tamed the Lions for the first time in their last 17 meetings. The Indians have a blend of potent guard play with Jones teaming with Chris Youngblood and Brandon Stroud, who scored 20 and 15 points respectively along with the move-in of 6-foot-5 forward Zac Hill, who added 15 points in the Westlake win. Friday was no fluke, as the Indians also hold wins over Class 5A No. 3 Fayette County (86-73) and four-time Alabama state champion Carver (68-60). Their next test will come against No. 6 Pebblebrook, who took down Class 6A No. 6 South Cobb 67-59. Making room for Newton and East Coweta in the poll is Westlake and Peachtree Ridge (4-2), the Lions rallying to beat Duluth in overtime 59-54, but falling to Shiloh in double overtime 79-67. Sinking four spots but remaining in the Top 10 is No. 9 Grayson. The Rams were upset by 4-1 Mill Creek in the nightcap of the North Georgia Showcase, 70-58. After trailing 29-19 at the half, the Hawks outscored Grayson 51-29 over the final 16 minutes getting 32 points from the bench led by Sebastian Augustave and Nathan Ward’s 12 points apiece.

Class AAAAAA is a mess right now. Heritage-Conyers (2-2), Mundy’s Mill (4-1) and Dacula (0-5) all depart from the poll. The Patriots lost to rival Rockdale County 51-44, the Tigers looked rusty in a 62-59 loss at Mt. Zion-Jonesboro and the Falcons, the Preseason No. 2 ranked team in back-to-back seasons, has flopped again, this time losing to Duluth 78-57 and in overtime 73-69 to Mountain View to seal their fate. No. 7 Tucker has not played well either, barely escaping 0-6 Forest Park 56-53 before showing small signs of improvement against ML King 61-47. Simply put, the Tigers have played down to the level of competition in the majority of the games they’ve played this season, but still have upside if Coach James Hartry can get his team on the same page. Three weeks into the season, no one has taken a stranglehold of the classification which should lead to plenty of movement in the polls and a fun next three-plus months. No. 2 Alexander missed 20 free throws but somehow managed to survive at Douglas County 69-67, riding former Tiger Malik Battle to 26 points. Earlier in the week Douglas County defeated No. 8 Langston Hughes 56-42, dropping the two-time defending state champs three spots. No. 4 North Atlanta avoided a scare against Riverwood as Campbell-signee Messiah Thompson proved his All-State mettle, hitting a buzzer beater to win 50-49. With the middle of the ranking’s order nearly obliterated there’s been some major movement. No. 5 Brunswick debuts after beating Tift County 66-56. No. 6 South Cobb is up two spots after beating Osborne 66-55 and pushing Class 7A No. 6 Pebblebrook to the limit before losing 67-59. No. 9 Cambridge is into the rankings with their best wins coming against Jefferson 99-89 and Alpharetta 82-64. Surprise from east Georgia, No. 10 Evans sneaks into the Top 10. The Knights had quite the offseason, losing 6-foot-10 center Dylan Cardwell to Oak Hill Academy and seeing 6-foot-7 Dajuante Williams flirt with Evans before ultimately spurning them at the last moment. If the two were still enrolled, the Knights would have opened in the Top 10. 6-foot-5 Chevez Trask however did enroll and he’s provided a physical presence around the rim while Cameron Cabarrus and Christian Chambers lead the Knights from the perimeter. Evans’ signature wins to date have come against North Augusta (SC) 64-52 and rallying to beat Class A-Public No. 2 Georgia Military 65-60.

There was terrible news in Class AAAAA as No. 1 Southwest DeKalb’s Eugene Brown III fractured his tibia against No. 10 Columbia in a 78-47 win. One of the hottest prospects in Georgia, Brown’s season ends with averages of 15.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3 assists while hitting 13-of-25 threes. With the Miller Grove transfer situation still lingering, not many teams have dealt with more adversity on and off the court than the Panthers have. Southwest plays No. 4 Lithonia and Miller Grove this week. No. 3 Fayette County edged Jonesboro 54-52 before clipping Class 4A No. 5 Woodward Academy 57-56. No. 6 Hiram is up three spots following a 3-0 week headlined by a 72-55 win over South Paulding, 6-foot-8 center Nathan Presnell recording 26 points and 15 rebounds. Carrollton (1-2) is out of the rankings after losses to Harris County 57-53 and Class 4A No. 2 Sandy Creek 86-61. Defending state champion No. 8 Warner Robins claws its way into the poll after beating Jones County 55-38.

After spending the entirety of last season and the first three weeks this season chasing right behind No. 1 Upson-Lee in Class AAAA, No. 3 St. Pius X finally relinquishes its grasp of second-place following an 85-64 loss to Class 3A No. 2 GAC. The Golden Lions rebounded with a 59-58 win at Class 3A No. 7 Pace Academy on a Chase Cormier three with six seconds remaining, but No. 2 Sandy Creek is inching closer to the top following an 86-61 demolition of Carrollton. Drexel-signee TJ Bickerstaff is averaging 18 points and 10.2 rebounds while Julian Alexander is scoring 14.5 points a night. Following a season-opening loss to Class 5A No. 3 Fayette County 74-66, the Patriots have won six straight highlighted by wins over Class 5A No. 4 Lithonia and GAC 70-66. Last week they escaped Fayetteville with a 66-57 overtime win at Starr’s Mill. The Patriots return to action next week against red-hot Class 7A No. 8 East Coweta. Below the top three, a lot has changed. No. 4 Henry County is up after No. 5 Woodward Academy lost a nail-biter at Fayette County 57-56. No. 6 Americus-Sumter shoots up four spots following convincing wins over Dougherty 87-58 and at Lee County 81-52. Baldwin (2-2), Westover (0-3) and LaFayette (5-0) exit the poll. Baldwin scored a 64-43 win at Dublin but lost at Class 2A No. 3 Washington County 69-53. Westover has been a massive disappointment, losing again to Lee County 64-54 and getting beat in Region 1 play by Northside-Columbus 59-55. LaFayette’s tradition of soft scheduling hurts them again, not impressing in a 51-41 win over rival Heritage-Catoosa before taking care of Trion 63-37. The Ramblers will likely resurface in the Top 10 later this season as the rest of the poll beats on each other. In at the bottom of the rankings are three teams that have tried to challenge themselves this year. No. 8 Chapel Hill is off to its best start since 2005-06 when the Panthers won 25 games. Michael Bell has provided instant offense for an up-tempo team that is averaging 85 points per game through their first four. Javante Jackson paces a quick defense that loves to trap. The Panthers have quality wins over Class A-Private No. 9 Mt. Pisgah 85-77 and New Manchester 83-77 in overtime. Chapel Hill is already a win away from matching last season’s win total. No. 9 Shaw could throw a monkey wrench into the Region 1 picture as the junior class of Darnell Moran (13.4 ppg), Dylan Harris (10.9 ppg) and Rod Winfrey (9.7 ppg) lead a balanced offense. The Raiders hold nice wins over Harris County 72-59 and Spencer 66-61, while maybe their most impressive result was a 63-51 loss against Class 7A No. 10 Lambert. Following a down year in which they finished just 7-18, No. 10 Thomson looks like they might be ready to return to the statewide picture. The Bulldogs earned wins over traditional Class 2A power Laney (64-59) and Josey (74-48). Seniors Antrone Murphy (17.5 ppg) and Zander Hamilton (17.3 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 1.8 bpg) are off to hot starts.

In Class AAA, No. 2 GAC drilled 14 threes to bury Class 4A No. 3 St. Pius X 85-64. No. 7 Pace Academy is down two spots after losses to Redan 55-50 and St. Pius 59-58. No. 8 Westside-Macon slides two spots after a loss to Class 2A No. 8 Bleckley County 75-74 in overtime. No. 6 Hart County is on the move, climbing three spots after beating Class 7A South Gwinnett 62-61 and outscoring Elbert County 26-11 in the fourth quarter to rally and stun the Blue Devils 55-52. East Hall (3-3) is rosterless on MaxPreps and also out of the rankings after losing a tight one with Duluth at the North Georgia Showcase 51-44. The Vikings are replaced by No. 10 Central-Macon, who opened up the season with a 58-57 win over Class 2A No. 9 Northeast-Macon.

Injuries have helped shake up Class AA. Swainsboro (1-2) exits the Top 10 after losing to newly ranked No. 10 Vidalia 58-42 and at Statesboro 69-58 as the Tigers were without leading scoring Jamil Watkins, Fredrick Seabrough and Jamal Watkins in the losses. The loss of Jamil Watkins is a huge blow, the wing is out 3-4 weeks with a malleolus bone fracture in his ankle. Also out of the poll is Elbert County (1-1) who couldn’t close in a 55-52 loss to Class 3A No. 6 Hart County. Replacing the Blue Devils is upstart No. 8 Bleckley County. First-year Head Coach Garrett Collins has come in from the middle school ranks and has the Royals flourishing at 5-0. Wins over Class 3A No. 8 Westside-Macon (75-74 OT), Class 5A Veterans (65-62) and Class 4A Perry (64-56) all look good. They have a big test on Tuesday as they head to Central Georgia Tech to play No. 9 Northeast-Macon, who beat Class A-Public No. 1 Wilkinson County at the Palace 93-90 before dropping 58-57 to Class 3A No. 10 Central-Macon. No. 6 Glenn Hills rises four spots thanks to a crucial Region 4 victory over Butler 76-69 and a thumping of Harlem 78-50. No. 3 Washington County’s long-awaited season debut went off without a hitch, drilling Johnson County 81-33 before knocking Baldwin from the Class 4A poll with a 69-53 win. It’s likely the biggest week in regular season history for No. 1 Woodville-Tompkins as the Wolverines test their No. 1 ranking at Swainsboro and at No. 10 Vidalia before heading to the SportalShowcase to battle Chattooga. The Wolverines broke the scoreboard in a 100-47 win over Bacon County and are averaging 91.7 points per game.

Class A-Private saw No. 1 St. Francis treat host No. 8 Lakeview Academy rudely in a 76-58 victory. No. 3 ELCA stepped up in a major way, outlasting No. 4 Greenforest 84-83 in overtime behind College of Charleston-signee Trevon Reddish’s 23 points and Kamari Smith’s 18. X-Factor Felix Uadiale posted 13 points and a school-record 28 rebounds. The Chargers turned around and beat No. 5 Trinity Christian 62-53 as Uadiale tallied 19 points and 16 rebounds as an encore performance. No. 7 Holy Innocents’ slips a spot following a 69-65 loss to Hillgrove. Darlington (0-1) is out of the poll and replaced by No. 10 Riverside Military who garners their first-ever Sandy’s Spiel Top 10 ranking. The Eagles beat Darlington 61-55. Isaac Teasley is averaging 20.4 points and 6.4 rebounds while Gainesville transfer Shad Dabney is posting 11 points and 4.4 assists per game as sophomore.

No. 1 Wilkinson County clings onto the top spot in Class A-Public after losing 93-90 at home to Class 2A No. 9 Northeast-Macon, outscored by the Raiders 33-24 in the fourth quarter. No. 6 Wilcox County took it to No. 8 Lanier County 79-61. No. 7 Calhoun County had two close calls, slipping past Chattahoochee County 75-74 and Early County 61-60.

Statewide Recap 11-30-18

BOYS

AAAAAAA

No. 4 Discovery 70, Mountain View 59: Jaden Walker totaled 24 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists. Hasahnn Reynolds pitched in 16 points and 7 rebounds. London Riley netted 8 points. Mountain View was led by Naheim Alleyne’s 14 points and Cam Rowland’s 12.

No. 6 Norcross 53, Berkmar 46: Brandon Boston dropped in 22 points while USC-signee Kyle Sturdivant had 14 to edge the Blue Devils past the Patriots. Berkmar was led by Kashaun Swan’s 16 points.

East Coweta 88, No. 7 Westlake 74: The Indians made a statement, moving to 8-0 to start the year. Mandez Jones poured in 32 points while Chris Youngblood netted 20. Brandon Stroud scored 15 and Zac Hill had 15.

No. 8 Lambert 65, Roswell 35: Colin Granger posted 19 points and 10 rebounds while freshman Chance Thacker hit 4 threes on his way to 14 points. Mitch Ganote tacked on 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

Rockdale 51, 6ANo. 6 Heritage-Conyers 44: Jalen Horton scored 20 points and Kevin Sesberry netted 12 in an upset of the Patriots. In the loss, Adrian Boykin scored 11 points.

Walton 57, Forsyth Central 48: Brandon Sherer scored 13 in the loss while Anthony Roveto netted 11.

South Gwinnett 69, Banneker 47: Gerald Tillman and Max Harris scored 14 points apiece. Ja’heim Hudson had 13 points and 5 rebounds. Zawdie Jackson dished out 6 assists.

AAAAAA

No. 5 Langston Hughes 63, New Manchester 60: Dee Topps scored 27 points in the defeat.

No. 9 Mundy’s Mill 75, Stephenson 68: Chris Lango (17), Jordan Black (14), Rayquan Brown (12) and Jalen Thrash (9) paced the Tigers.

Cambridge 91, Northview 35: Kamar Robertson had 24 points to lead the Bears. Matt Cleveland (14), Bryce Boutelle (14) and David Kramer (12) all cracked double digits. Austin Flemmer and Bryce Klacynski each scored 7 points.

Lovejoy 69, Morrow 61: Braelen Pierce scored a team-high 21 points followed by Omari Callahan’s 19. Marlon Brownfield had 14 points and Jamal Reynolds netted 8.

Brunswick 66, Tift County 56: Sheydan Baggs scored 16 points while Kelan Walker had 15 points and 8 rebounds. Sharod Ross added 11 points. Joyful Hawkins posted 9 points and 9 rebound. Justin Walker tallied 9 points and 7 rebounds.

Chattahoochee 74, Centennial 67: AJ White dropped 30 points while Cam Sheffield added 27. The Cougars went 26-of-28 from the foul line.

South Paulding 67, Cedartown 51: Shane Gibson had 9 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals while Knowledge Ruben added 9 points. Cam Armstrong chipped in 8 points and 3 steals.

Apalachee 63, Monroe Area 59: Jamonte Wallace scored 12 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter to carry the Wildcats to the finish line. Jay German stroked 4 threes.

Alpharetta 63, Dunwoody 58: North Carolina A&T-signee Brandon Barron scored 29 points. Kalik Brooks added 15 points and Kyle Hulsman chipped in 11.

AAAAA

No. 1 Southwest DeKalb 78, No. 6 Columbia 47: The Panthers pounded their region rivals. KD Johnson finished with 25 points. James Glisson III posted 22 points and 13 rebounds. Jarrett Walton added 5 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.

No. 4 Lithonia 67, Chamblee 60: Eric Gaines scored 19 points to pace the Bulldogs. N’Kyzie Hawkins netted 13 points while Brison Rockcliffe added 10. Rodney Smith dumped in a game-high 31 points off 6 threes in the loss. Zachery Mackson chipped in 18 points.

Kell 82, East Paulding 44: Scoot Henderson netted 15 points. Rakim Thompson scored 14 and Najhae Colon had 9. Justin Perry pitched in 8.

Walnut Grove 74, Loganville 62: Jailen Robinson scored 19 points and Quantavious Rogers had 16. Ryna Landers added 12 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists.

Grady 62, Maynard Jackson 55: Michael Stevens scored 19 points and Jalen Dunham added 10 points, 5 rebound and 3 assists. Dewan Wright finished with 9 points and 6 rebounds. Markell Scott had 8 points, 4 rebounds and 6 steals.

AAAA

No. 1 Upson-Lee 75, Monticello 24: Jarrett Adderton (18), Travon Walker (16), Zyrice Scott (12) and Javeon Walker (12) led the charge as the Knights raced to their 67th straight win.

No. 3 Sandy Creek 66, Starr’s Mill 57 OT: Julian Alexander went for 26 points to lift the Patriots past the Panthers. Keith Williams scored 13 points. Drexel-signee TJ Bickerstaff tallied 12 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists. Jabari Smith had 7 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists.

No. 4 Woodward Academy 82, Hampton 48: Walker Kessler posted 24 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 4 blocks. Will Demorest netted 14 points while Jacorrei Turner added 13 points. Michael Whitmore had 12 assists and 3 steals. Kevin Powell had 6 points and 4 rebounds. Donte Bush pitched in 6 points.

No. 5 Henry County 47, Salem 41: Wisdom Uboh finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 2 steals. Josh Steele scored 13 points and had 4 rebounds. Lay Davis snagged 18 rebounds.

Pickens 72, Ridgeland 69: Zach Goss powered in 27 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks. Seth Bishop had 16 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals. Tucker Lowe added 16 points and 3 assists while Brady Moore finished with 11 points and 4 rebounds.

Eastside 63, North Clayton 61 OT: Eastside got 22 points from Darrell Duncombe and 13 from Jacob Walden. In the loss, Jermaine Lattimore scored 26 points. Derrius Martin scored 10 points and Xavier Valley added 9. Onuma Dieke netted 8.

Chestatee 62, Johnson-Gainesville 59: Cameron Gwyn finished with 21 points while Brenton Nichols pitched in 17. Danny Garcia scored 23 points in the loss. Jesse Harbin had 15 and Jonathan Williams netted 10.

Madison County 67, Habersham Central 53: Traveon Latimore scored 23 points while Dylan Carey added 15 as 10 players scored.

West Hall 55, North Oconee 51: Noah Edmondson went for 20 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals in the win.

AAA

No. 3 Johnson-Savannah 72, Savannah 45: Brandon Harris scored 18 points to go with his 10 rebounds and 2 steals. Emondre Bowles finished with 10 points, 7 assists and 8 steals. Robbie Bradham (10) and Mike Graham (9) chipped in offensively. Lamont Sams posted 8 points, 7 rebounds and 5 blocks.

Redan 55, No. 5 Pace Academy 50: Javen Smith caught fire with 31 points, 4 assists and 3 steals to lift Redan to a signature win early in the season. Siah Gray had 15 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.

Central-Macon 58, 2ANo. 7 Northeast-Macon 57: Tony Card had 7 points including the game-winner to shock the Raiders. Quay Primas posted 13 points and 7 rebounds. Cam Collier had 11 points and 8 rebounds. Tyre Pearson double-doubled with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Darius Dunn scored 31 points in the loss. Ty’Ree Gilbert had 12 points.

Lovett 64, Towers 50: Ryan Mutombo collected 16 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks. Lance Beck scored 13 points. Michael Hardee had 11 points and UVA football-commit Nick Jackson added 6 points and 7 rebounds.

Jackson County 52, Oglethorpe County 31: Kendric Zimmer netted 21 points on 5 threes. Kalib Clinton scored 13 points.

AA

No. 1 Woodville-Tompkins 99, Bacon County 47: Freshman Alfred Coaxum piled in 26 points. Preston Crisp scored 19 followed by Bernard Pelote’s 17. Deante Green added 10.

No. 3 Washington County 81, Johnson County 33: The always balanced Golden Hawks kicked off their 2019 campaign. Ivory Williams and Jarden Maze led WACO with 13 points apiece. Kejuan Bloodsaw scored 11 points. Jay Sanders had 9 points and 8 rebounds. Zeri Taylor posted 6 points, 4 assists and 6 steals. Jamarius Dixon tallied 5 points and 2 steals.

Bleckley County 75, 3ANo. 6 Westside-Macon 74 OT: Mykel Anderson scored 31 points including the go-ahead tip-in with six seconds left to upset the Seminoles. Nykeem Farrow poured in 25 points.

Hapeville Charter 70, Washington 59: Miles Carter dumped in 26 points to pace the Hornets. Davin Quinones scored 17 and Calel Burns scored 16.

A-Private

No. 1 St. Francis 91, King’s Ridge 39: Jusaun Holt finished with 22 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals. Xavier-commit Dwon Odom had 16 points, 4 rebounds and 10 assists. Chase Ellis posted 13 points, 12 rebounds and 3 assists. CJ Riley scored 10 points to go with his 3 assists and 3 steals. Jordan Brown tossed in 10 points and 4 assists. Grey Schiwitz had 8 points and 5 rebounds.

No. 7 Walker 83, Atlanta International 29: Chris Newell scored a game-high 23 points. Burke Chebuhar had 16 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists. Chandler Baker added 16 points and 6 rebounds. Darius Garvin netted 11 points. Omar Cooper orchestrated the offense with 5 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and 3 steals.

No. 8 Lakeview Academy 81, Rabun Gap 70: Adam Cottrell sank 7 threes en route to 25 points. Blake McIntyre totaled 14 points, 10 assists and 5 steals. Arturo Varela had 14 points and 5 assists. Holden Cooper netted 12 points while KJ Millwood pitched in 10 points and 8 rebounds.

Brookstone 62, Mt. Vernon Presbyterian 60: In the loss, Jordan Wicker scored 16 points. Justin Douglas had 14 and Will Mitcham pitched in 13 points.

Paideia 47, Notre Dame Academy 43: Jaylan Troutman scored 13 points.

Galloway 51, Mt. Paran 40: Anthony Arrington scored 16 points. Connor Hay netted 13.

A-Public

No. 2 Georgia Military 68, Lake Oconee Academy 23: Malik Foston finished with 25 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. Jalen Milner had 11 points, 5 assists and 3 steals. Jabari Dixon chipped in 10 points while Jamond Butts gathered 6 steals.

No. 6 Wilcox County 74, Fitzgerald 64: Tyrese Powers scored 20 points in the loss while Joe Arnold added 14 and Key Daniels netted 11.

No. 10 Greene County 65, Putnam County 22: DJ Wright finished with 18 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Justin Mallory added 10 points, 7 rebounds and 5 blocks.

Commerce 69, Providence Christian 43: Ian McConnell (16), Jalen Dorsey (13) and Tylel Strickland (13) paced the Tigers.

Randolph-Clay 80, Webster County 65: In the loss, Keundre Campbell pumped in a 40 piece. Rasheed Jenkins scored 19 points. Campbell is averaging 33.7 points while Jenkins is pitching in 21.7 as the Bobcats have only been able to suit up five players.

Bowdon 70, Ranburne (AL) 53: Chris Parker posted 23 points and 10 rebounds. Andrew Messer and Cam Buchanan scored 10 points apiece. Kolton Drummond scored 9 while Tray Wyatt netted 8.

Greenville 68, Jordan 62: Kenneth Green and Tra’Quan Davis scored 19 points apiece in the loss. Terrelle Barnes added 10 points and Kentrel Green scored 7.

Non-GHSA

Arlington Christian 92, LaFayette Christian 67: Femi Akinola scored 22 points followed by Rico Wade II’s 18. Jamar Little (17) and Dexter Redding (14) both hit double digits. Chandler Barrow scored 8. Toderick Hartzog tallied 3 points and 10 assists.

 

GIRLS

AAAAAAA

No. 2 Westlake 82, East Coweta 33: Raven Johnson scored 16 points in the first half. East Coweta got 9 points from Sherry Geboy and 8 from Letiya Reeves.

Roswell 62, Lambert 33: Freshman Ella Boyle scored a team-high 17 points. Jasmine Frierson and Georgia State-signee Kennedy Powell netted 10 apiece. Lindsay Pruitt added 6 points and 5 steals. Makala Torrence finished with 6 points, 5 assists and 4 steals.

AAAAAA

No. 1 Lovejoy 85, Morrow 18: Genesis Bryant dumped in 22 points while J’Auana Robinson pitched in 14 points. Anaya Boyd totaled 10 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists.

No. 3 Northview 68, Cambridge 30: Rice-signee Ashlee Austin netted 19 points while Asjah Inniss scored 18 and Charleston Southern-signee Maya Richards finished with 17. Markiema Lancaster scored 9 points.

No. 6 Douglas County 70, Alexander 56: Clemson-signee Amari Robinson poured in 25 points while Dymon Cook scored 15. Alexander was led by sophomore Chloe Pollock’s 22 points.

No. 10 Pope 74, Johns Creek 54: Cheyenne Holloman scored a game-high 21 points. Katie Ward netted 15 and Kara McKiernan scored 14. Abby McKinley added 13 points and Teya Holloman put in 9. In the loss Johns Creek got 13 points from Ahmia Childs and 10 from Carson Tanguilig.

ML King 46, Tucker 43: Ashlynn Green scored 17 points to power the Lady Lions. Daziah Hairston chipped in 9 points.

New Manchester 59, Langston Hughes 37: Hannah Wright scored 13 points. Vanderbilt-signee Kyndall Golden posted 12 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks. Azaria Robertson chipped in 8 points and 6 rebounds while Kamryn Bates had 6 points, 4 assists and 3 steals.

Centennial 48, Chattahoochee 26: Mya Davis (12) and Aerial Nathan (11) combined for 23 points.

AAAAA

No. 1 Villa Rica 83, Bremen 34: Kentucky-signee Deasia Merrill pumped in 25 points. Dekyia Cofield scored 13 points followed by 10 apiece from Aliyah and Niya Hindsman.

No. 5 Eagle’s Landing 51, No. 7 Woodland-Stockbridge 37: Jaleah Storr posted 18 points and Jalisa Dunlap had 13 in the win.

McIntosh 57, Whitewater 45: The Lady Chiefs advanced to 4-0. Rylee Calhoun (13), Keara Collins (12) and Carrie Consolino (11) all cracked double figures. Kennedi Miller and Olivia Henders each cored 6 points while Anna Muh had 4 points and 7 rebounds.

Cass 62, Chapel Hill 27: Sharia Wade netted 16 points and Claire Davis had 12 in the win. Payton Stoddard chipped in 11 points. Alexis Ware scored 8 while Londaisha Smith, Ariana Hames and Brianna Stephenson all scored 5 points.

AAAA

No. 4 Henry County 75, Salem 37: Briana Juniel scored a team-high 20 point. Paris Mullins added 15 points. A’Maiya Jackson (12), Janiya Jones (11) and Sky Watters (9) all chipped in.

No. 7 West Laurens 57, East Laurens 49: The Raiders got a game-high 29 points from Calmela Mack. MaKayla Murray scored 14 points followed by Jakerra Wilbur’s 11.

Pickens 74, Ridgeland 52: Mykenzie Weaver finished with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 2 steals. Torie Williams had 11 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists while Sarah Morris tallied 11 points and 3 rebounds. Olivia Simmons collected 9 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists.

Chestatee 59, Johnson-Gainesville 18: Maggie McNair (11), Christina Garcia (9) and Nicole Sedwick (7) paced the War Eagle offense. Morgan McNeal and Emma Easterwood scored 6 apiece.

North Oconee 49, West Hall 30: Ansley Hall double-doubled with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Tatum Thompson had 4 blocks.

AAA

No. 5 Hart County 79, Elbert County 54: Western Kentucky-signee Torrion Starks triple-doubled with 23 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and 8 steals. Shakendra Grove added 21 points. Taniya Alexander finished with 19 points and 17 rebounds.

Franklin County 52, Stephens County 38: Bailey Aderholdt scored 18 points to carry the Lions. Lexy Spencer added 15 points and Rose Boyd contributed 9 points.

AA

No. 1 Dodge County 61, Crisp County 21: Destanee Wright had 20 points while Europe Brown and Kylie Hart scored 12 apiece. Kaonte Goolsby added 9 points.

No. 3 Rabun County 75, Walhalla (SC) 24: Brooke Henricks finished with 15 points while Laken Stiles added 12 points, 4 assists and 7 steals. Presbyterian-signee Georgia Stockton tallied 10 points. Destiny and Gracie Deetz scored 8 apiece.

No. 8 Fitzgerald 72, Wilcox County 42: Hayleigh Ross exploded for 30 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 7 steals. Keyara Boone posted 25 points, 8 rebounds and 6 steals.

No. 9 Banks County 51, East Hall 35: Amber Williams (13) and Heather Vaughan (11) both scored in double figures. GCSU-signee Jaycie Bowen added 8 points. Kennedy Smith scored 7 and Pollie Simpson had 6.

No. 10 Bryan County 63, Jeff Davis 26: Olonna Rawls poured in 27 points while Alation Eason scored 17. Jay Black had 7 points and Shelby Gunn scored 5.

South Atlanta 65, McNair 42: Ashanti Cobb buried 7 threes en route to 34 points.

Hapeville Charter 51, Washington 33: Ja’dah Thomas had 21 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. Jada Hardison posted 10 points and 3 rebounds. Jer’maya Moore tossed in 8 points and 8 boards.

Union County 50, Fannin County 48: Freshman Ava Hunter had a game-high 18 points. Andelin Hill scored 11. Kyla Locklear added 8. Becca Ledford and Morgan Holt scored 13 apiece for Fannin County.

A-Private

No. 6 Lakeview Academy 76, Rabun Gap 73 2OT: Joelle Snyder (18) and Eliza Snyder (17) carried the Lions. Savannah Kinsey scored 12 points and Maddy Towles had 11 point and 3 assists. Sadie Thrailkill tallied 6 points, 11 rebounds and 7 steals.

No. 7 Calvary Day 52, Hilton Head Christian (SC) 42: Zhani Thompson double-doubled with 21 points and 14 rebounds.

Ten second half threes ignite No. 2 GAC in romp of No. 2 St. Pius X

3ANo. 2 GAC 85, 4ANo. 2 St. Pius X 64

Two of Georgia’s best private school programs clashed at the X-Dome for No. 2 St. Pius X’s home opener. It was a game of runs, but ultimately the No. 2 ranked Spartans (1-3) unleashed a barrage of threes to notch their first win of the season, drilling 14 to race past the Golden Lions (2-2) in convincing fashion 85-64.

GAC got on the board first and led 4-0 as Ben Sheppard swooped in for a layup. The Golden Lions answered quickly with a 7-0 run using backdoor cuts. The three-headed backcourt of Hunter McIntosh, Belmont-signee Ben Sheppard and Roy Dixon quickly turned the tables using a frantic defense pressuring the passing lanes to turnover a usually efficient St. Pius.

A 13-0 run rapidly ballooned the Spartan lead to 17-7 with 1:30 remaining in the first period. Sheppard found McIntosh for a three-pointer at the buzzer to give GAC a 20-12 lead after one, a foreboding sign for how the rest of the night would play out.

At the 4:24 mark of the second quarter, GAC held a 27-15 lead and looked to land the knock out punch but St. Pius’ experienced seniors, Brian Gonzalo in particular, would have none of it. Freshman Chase Cormier nailed a corner three to help spark the Golden Lions before Gonzalo picked up a steal and completed an And-1 to cut the lead to 29-23 with 3:32 remaining.

St. Pius’ trademark full court press began to swarm the Spartans as Gonzalo fueled the comeback, scoring all 12 of his points in the frame and trimming the GAC lead to 31-29 with 1:52 left following a pair of Matt Gonzalo free throws.

The Spartans landed a counter punch as McIntosh and Baskerville combined for 12 points in the quarter to extend the lead to 38-31 before Matt Gonzalo hit a pullup jumper at the horn to head into the half down 38-33.

Over the next 16 minutes, the Spartans left no doubt that last year’s state title run wasn’t a fluke and that their 0-3 start to this season was. McIntosh and Sheppard traded three balls to quickly spark a 6-0 run that left the score at 44-33 at the 6:44 mark.

Sheppard, who played set-up man in the first half with six assists, began to hunt his shot in the third quarter and drilled a deep straight away three to push the lead back to eight after the Golden Lions dug in. Cormier answered from deep minutes later, once again cutting the Spartan lead to five, but again Sheppard dialed up a triple to make it a 55-47 game at the 2:25 mark.

Cole Perusek got in on the action and knocked down a three off a McIntosh assist to make it an 11-point game, the junior stepping up big with 13 points on the night off the bench.

In the quarter the Spartans buried six three-pointers led by Sheppard’s three and McIntosh’s pair, putting the game nearly out of reach with a 63-49 advantage heading into the fourth.

In a game of counter punches between heavyweights, Sheppard and the Spartans finally landed the knockout blow in the fourth quarter, hitting four more threes to finish with 10 over the final 16 minutes of the game. Sheppard’s fourth trifecta ran the score up to 68-49 with 6:28 remaining, another quick start to open a quarter with a 5-0 spurt.

Sheppard recorded a double-double in fitting fashion with 5:06 left to play, flipping to McIntosh for another three, Sheppard finishing the night with 21 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists and 4 steals while McIntosh poured in a game-high 25 points to go with his team-best 7 rebounds.

 

My Take

It’s not often that St. Pius X gets ran out of their own gym, in fact it was the Golden Lions’ largest home loss since losing to Lithonia 55-44 in 2015. St. Pius showed flashes of their championship contending pedigree but 14 threes were just too much to overcome. With the question looming of who will replace Everett Lane’s scoring, the Gonzalo brothers answered the bell early on. Matt looked more aggressive over the first three quarters scoring 14 points, but was shutout in the fourth. Brian provided a massive lift in the second quarter and carried the Golden Lions with 12 points and outstanding defensive effort but was unable to sustain his production in the second half. The Golden Lions were a bit sloppy with the ball to open the game, GAC a half step quicker and playing the passing lanes which led to run outs. The Golden Lions eventually settled in but their early missteps helped the Spartans grow a 17-7 lead. St. Pius had few open looks but cashed in when available, freshman Chase Cormier logging important minutes with a pair of threes.

GAC will tell anyone that listens that they have the best three-guard backcourt in the state. They are definitely in the discussion especially when they are knocking down shots. The Spartans won’t lose too many games when they drill 14 threes. The season debut of Chris Hinton was a major lift. The All-American defensive lineman heading to Michigan has sweet feet, pouncing around the court like a nimble cat but with the frame of a bulldozer. He is still working his way into basketball shape but his presence immediately demands attention and his low post passing is a crucial element to brings another dynamic to Coach David Eaton’s offense. With all the attention on Hunter McIntosh, Ben Sheppard and Roy Dixon – rightfully so – it was the Spartan role players that really provided a lift. Production wise, GAC is about seven deep right now but that’s all they’ll need if Cole Perusek and Clifton Baskersville continue to play well. Perusek, a 6-foot-4 junior, provides energy on the glass and a versatile piece that can stretch the floor. He finished with 13 points off the bench while Baskerville, a junior guard, sank three threes en route to 13 points. Dixon had a quiet game offensively but played solid defense and helped the offense flow. McIntosh has a knack for being in the right place at the right time, credit his elite IQ for that. The recent Tulane-offeree is a jump shooting guard with size and a nose for rebounding. He plays well off of Sheppard who stole the show. After tallying six assists in the first quarter alone, the Belmont-signee decided to lead the charge from deep with his five second half triples. His 6-foot-5 size and length allows him to glide to the basket when attack the rim and shoot over smaller defenders on the perimeter. Now nearing full strength, GAC has the pieces in place to defend their state title and will continue to play one of the toughest schedules in the state to prepare themselves for March.

Top Performers

GAC
Hunter McIntosh – 25 points (5 threes), 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals
Ben Sheppard – 21 points (5 threes), 4 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 steals
Clifton Baskerville – 13 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal
Cole Perusek – 13 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block
Roy Dixon – 6 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
Chris Hinton – 4 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal

St. Pius X
Matt Gonzalo – 14 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block
Brian Gonzalo – 12 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals
Riley Costas – 7 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block
Niko Broadway – 7 points, 3 assists
Patrick Snipes – 6 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist
Zach Ranson – 4 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks (Ejected 4Q)