On the Bubble – Teams on the verge of entering the Top 10
Bullish – Teams surging towards the postseason
Spoiler – Teams that aren’t locks to make the playoffs but could play spoiler down the stretch
Class AAAAAAA
On the Bubble
Mountain View (13-5): The Bears have already matched their school-record in wins. Junior guards Spencer Rodgers and Miles Long have elevated their play and have been leaders for Coach BJ Roy. Outside of a 67-49 loss to Class A-Private No. 1 Greenforest, the Bears’ four losses have come by a combined 21 points. Mountain View is in the thick of things in Region 6 with an opportunity to clinch their first postseason berth.
Bullish
No. 7 Tift County (14-1): The sex appeal might not be there in South Georgia, but the heart, toughness and overall winning culture is. The Blue Devils’ only loss came by 32 points to nationally ranked Montverde Academy, Fl. Senior 6-foot-6 forward PJ Horne is fully healthy from an ACL tear that ended his season a year ago and is playing at a high level down in Tifton, averaging 23.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks, already hanging 25 and 21 points in blowout wins of Class AA No. 6 Thomasville, who boasts 6-foot-8 Arkansas-commit Reggie Perry and 6-foot-9 sophomore Titus Wright.
Spoiler
Milton (4-8): Injuries and players not yet eligible have mucked up Milton’s record, but don’t count the Eagles out of storming back and winning Region 5. Each team has played just one game in the region and if things go according to plan, Milton should quickly turn their sub-.500 record around. Duke-signee Alex O’Connell has been among the state’s leading scorers. Once Milton is at full strength, O’Connell’s scoring burden won’t be as heavy, making the Eagles a dangerous team come February.
Class AAAAAA
On the Bubble
Effingham County (11-4): Effingham County spent time in the poll last year, but hasn’t broken through just yet. The Rebels’ resume is highlighted by two narrow victories over Class AAAAA No. 8 New Hampstead. Senior Jaden Rodriguez is averaging 20.7 points while junior Kha’leed Stapleton is adding 15.7 points. Region 2 looks to have stiff competition with No. 8 Brunswick as the frontrunner with Richmond Hill also playing good ball.
Bullish
No. 6 South Cobb (12-2): South Cobb has opened some eyes this year but in all reality, it probably shouldn’t be unexpected. The Eagles clawed their way to a 15-11 (6-8 Region) record last season in Region 3, the strongest region in the state with state championship participants Pebblebrook and Westlake. Junior guard Trevin Wade has taken over the role of go-to guy left by his older brother Trey. Wade is averaging 18.4 points per game while 6-foot-8 senior Ralueke Orizu is posting 12 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks a night. South Cobb is in the driver’s seat in Region 6 at 6-0 with a crucial 54-45 victory at Allatoona under their belt.
Spoiler
Mays (6-6): The Raiders have been all over the map, looking very good and very bad at times this season in Region 5, making them the perfect dark horse to get hot and play party crasher come region tournament time. The athletes and raw talent are there in seniors Reo Wright and Clayvon Croom along with 6-foot-6 junior guard Horace Wyatt. Mays entered the playoffs last year as a No. 3 seed with an under .500 record but managed to dance their way to the Elite Eight.
Class AAAAA
On the Bubble
Flowery Branch (13-3): The veteran Falcons and their stable of steady guards have Flowery Branch off to their best start since 2007-08. Flowery Branch’s only three losses have come against Top 3 teams. They played No. 1 Buford (66-54) and No. 3 Cedar Shoals (63-50) tight up until the fourth quarter before running out of steam. Their only bad loss came against Class AAAAAA No. 1 Gainesville 80-55. The one thing that escapes the Falcons is a true resume building win. They have two more cracks to earn one, but they won’t come easy as they are on the road against Cedar Shoals and Buford. Seniors Brannon Clark and John Mills along with juniors Justin Quick and Blake Coxworth must find a way to slay the dragons in Class AAAAA.
Bullish
No. 8 New Hampstead (10-4): The Phoenix have bounced in and out of the Top 10 but now entering the five-team Region 2, expect New Hampstead to take off. Senior guard Oronte Anderson is a dynamic scorer that averages over 20 per game. New Hampstead is loaded with experience as fellow seniors 6-foot-6 Xavier Jones and guard Calvin Turner provide second and third scoring options. Last year the fourth-seeded Phoenix stunned Upson-Lee, winners of 17-straight, in the first round 82-66 behind Anderson’s 32 points.
Spoiler
Lithonia (6-10): It’s been a rebuilding year for Coach Wallace Corker’s Bulldogs who went to the Final Four last year. Lithonia has played a difficult schedule but has already played the role of spoiler and has pushed some of the state’s best to the limit. The ‘Dogs have already beaten 12-3 Roswell (59-55), 8-5 Johnson-Savannah (70-64) and No. 9 Columbia (67-53) while coming up short against Class AAAAAA No. 5 Heritage-Conyers (70-66), No. 10 Southwest-DeKalb (47-44), Class AAAAAAA No. 2 McEachern (56-45), No. 2 Eagle’s Landing (47-38) and No. 5 Fayette County (61-59).
Class AAAA
On the Bubble
Stephens County (11-3): Stephens County has spent time in the Top 10 already this season and are on the verge of breaking through for good after winning six straight. The Indians’ only losses have come to 10-4 Seneca, SC 55-39 (who they beat seven days later 60-30), Class AAAAAA No. 9 Dacula 72-59 and St. Pius 70-68 who has been ranked as high as No. 4 this season. Pius and Stephens County will battle for the Region 8 title and don’t be shocked to see both of them in the Top 10 in a few weeks. The Indians have good pieces highlighted by 6-foot-7 post Deundra Singleton and guard Nunu Walker.
Bullish
No. 3 Henry County (12-5): Preseason No. 1 Henry County is starting to get hot, winning six in a row. If the Warhawks can navigate through the potential pitfalls of a very deep Region 4 and come away with the region title, they will be very scary in the state tournament, but currently they sit behind No. 5 Eastside (4-0) and Woodward Academy (3-1). D-I signees Javon Greene and Damion Rosser have averaged 22.1 and 20.3 points per game respectively. The only question is; will the Warhawks get enough stops on a nightly basis to go far in the state tournament?
Spoiler
North Clayton (5-8): It has been a rollercoaster season for North Clayton, who has spent a bulk of the year bouncing around the Top 10. A brutal schedule has led to the Eagles dropping three straight. Right now it looks like there are five teams fighting for four spots in Region 4. The Eagles are 2-2 in region play and host No. 5 Eastside in a crucial showdown this week. North Clayton will always cause problems with 6-foot-8 Lipscomb-signee Ahsan Asadullah anchoring the Eagles inside, averaging 14.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
Class AAA
On the Bubble
Calhoun (10-2): Calhoun’s reign of regular season dominance came to an end when King’s Ridge snapped their 48-game winning streak, but the Yellow Jackets are still the bully on the block for now in Region 6. Their main challenger is 12-2 Sonoraville who is also 5-0 in region play. Calhoun has spent time in the poll and has a good chance to win out, even though their region games haven’t been blowouts like years past. The well-coached bunch led by Vince Layson relies on seniors Chapin Rierson (15.2 ppg, 8 rpg, 2.3 bpg), Malik Lawrence (13.5 ppg) and Rhett Abernathy (10 ppg) to carry the load with juniors Kaylan Aker (8.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and Porter Law (4.3 rpg, 6 apg, 2.9 spg) playing expanded roles.
Bullish
No. 5 Islands (10-3): Now in Year 7, Islands has staked claim to being the best team in Savannah outside of Class AAAAA No. 8 New Hampstead who has stiffed them twice in overtime, 83-76 and 79-77. Wins over Effingham County (78-72), No. 8 Jenkins (75-72), Richmond Hill (65-45) and most recently 11-2 Pope to win the Westminster Holiday Classic 70-54, are most impressive. The Sharks have a potent backcourt led by sophomore Trae Broadnax (20.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg), all-time leading scorer and three-point marksman Justin Cave (20.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.8 apg) and fellow senior Hugh Durham (10.6 ppg). Islands’ biggest weakness is a lack of impactful height.
Spoiler
Crisp County (6-7): The Cougars opened up in the Top 10 and quickly departed and haven’t sniffed the poll since. Over in Region 1, they still remain a threat in the small five-team region. Senior guard Quentavious Dean has been on a scoring binge, averaging 23.3 points per game. Ijon Owens adds 15.6 points. If the roster composed of 10 seniors and five juniors hits their stride, they could be a tough first round opponent for a higher seed come tournament time if the Cougars earn a spot.
Class AA
On the Bubble
Early County (10-2): I flirted with putting Early County in the Top 10 this week but now after their 72-69 win over Class A-Public No. 1 Calhoun County, the Bobcats are a near lock to debut. Early County has won 10 straight now, avenging an 80-75 Game 2 loss at Calhoun County. They are scheduled to play Northview, AL on Saturday, who beat them 87-73 to open the year. In their other nine wins this season, the Bobcats have crushed opponents by an average of 29.6 points. It will be interesting to see what they do against Region 1 foes No. 6 Thomasville and 5-0 Fitzgerald.
Bullish
No. 1 South Atlanta (12-1): It’s probably taking the easy way out, but there’s no one I’m higher on in Class AA than South Atlanta. The Hornets have beaten big time competition across the state picking up five wins against teams that have been ranked. Their only loss came against Crestwood, SC 79-68. Devonta Pullins’ sharp shooting along with 6-foot-8 lefty Tyler Thornton inside make the Hornets the clear cut favorite to win in all in Class AA.
Spoiler
Northeast-Macon (4-11): The Raiders look a year away from cracking the postseason, but a trio of young guards may hold the key to success over the next few years. Sophomores Darius Dunn and Ty’ree Gilbert have picked up where they left off as freshmen. Dunn is pouring in 19.8 points per game while Gilbert is adding 19.5. Freshman Cameron Cherry is third on the team at 7.7 points.
Class A-Private
On the Bubble
Tattnall Square Academy (7-3): After opening in the Top 10 to begin the season, it looks like the Trojans have designs on resurfacing in the rankings. A 62-52 win over Class A-Public No. 5 Wilkinson County is not only a resume builder, but a very important region victory. Senior Calvin Slaughter dropped in nine of his game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter to edge the Warriors while big men Jimmy Marshall added 10 points and 12 rebounds and Sean Brown chipped in 13 points and 7 rebounds.
Bullish
No. 2 North Cobb Christian (11-3): I’m officially a believer in North Cobb Christian. No one has been able to stop Demiere Brown, a 6-foot-6 bull-in-a china shop with the ball in his hands. Brown is averaging around 25 points per game and has dominated in every game I’ve seen. If Brown can get consistent help from 6-foot-9 shooter Will Crumly, 6-foot-8 post Mo Merritt and both Myles Hamilton and Hunter Norman, the Eagles could be in business.
Spoiler
Wesleyan (6-8): In Year 1 as head coach, Adam Griffin has the Wolves playing good basketball and currently 3-1 in Region 5. Senior Sean McDonough has had a breakthrough season as a 6-foot-4 stretch forward while junior guard Christian McLean is a lethal scorer. The Wolves don’t have any huge wins yet, but they have plenty of chances down the stretch to catch some good teams.
Class A-Public
On the Bubble
Randolph-Clay (8-3): The Red Devils have picked up their play and are riding a three-game winning streak. Their only losses have come against No. 1 Calhoun County (74-50), No. 2 Quitman County (65-59) and No. 7 Clinch County (73-68). A veteran core of seniors Trajan Evans, Kevin Brown and Rahemn Price along with juniors Marquavious Watson and James Mock have some tough-nosed basketball brewing in Cuthbert.
Bullish
No. 2 Quitman County (11-1): Quitman County has just 1-win against a team over .500 in Randolph-Clay. Their only loss came to 10-3 Eufaula, AL 55-54. Quitman enters the tougher part of their schedule moving forward and will visit Pelham this weekend, but even the 4-1 in region Hornets have lost four-straight games. Quitman County’s showdown with No. 1 Calhoun County looms later in the season. The Hornets average an exciting 78.2 points per game paced by their explosive guards, junior Shahee Billings (20 ppg, rpg, 8 apg, 4 spg) and senior JaDarian Gibbs (15 ppg, 7 rpg, 4 apg). Sophomore Laqueveus “Spud” Nelson is the best of the group, pouring in over 24 points a night.
Spoiler
Bowdon (5-8): The postseason is out of reach for the Red Devils but senior Octavius Meadows and junior Zach Ledbetter are making the most out of their seasons. Meadows, 6-foot-5, is averaging 18.9 points and 5.5 rebounds. Ledbetter is adding 15.3 points. In a deep and difficult region, the Red Devils have opportunities to surprise opponents.