GHSA 2018 STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
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THE OFFICIAL
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2 | WWW.GHSA.NET
WINNING MOMENTS BEGIN AT WILSON.COM
GEORGIA TECH | MARCH 9 - 10, 2018
2018 CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE FRIDAY, MARCH 9 CL AS S A - P R I VATE G I R L S CH AMP I O N S H I P
FEATURES Letter from the Executive Director .................................................................................4
2:00 PM - Holy Innocents’ vs. Wesleyan
CL AS S A - P R I VATE BOY S CHAMP I ON S H I P 4:00 PM - St. Francis vs. Aquinas
CL AS S A A A A A A G I R L S CH AMP I ON S H I P 6:00 PM - Lovejoy vs. Harrison
CL ASS A A A A A A BOY S CHAMP I ON S H I P 8:00 PM - Gainesville vs. Hughes
SATURDAY, MARCH 10
Past State Champions ....................................................................................................4
TEAM INFORMATION Class A-Private Bracket & Team Information .............................................................8-11
Class AAAAAA Bracket & Team Information..............................................................12-15
CL A S S A A A A G I R L S CH A M P I ON S H I P 2:00 PM - Henry County vs. Spalding
Class AAAA Bracket & Team Information .................................................................18-21
CL A S S A A A A BOY S CHA M P I ON S H I P 4:00 PM - St. Pius vs. Upson-Lee
CL AS S A A A A A A A G I R L S CH AMP I O N S H I P
Class AAAAAAA Bracket & Team Information ...........................................................22-25
6:00 PM - Newton vs. Westlake
CL AS S A A A A A A A B OY S CHAMP I ON S H I P 8:00 PM - Norcross vs. Meadowcreek
VIEWING INFORMATION
SPONSOR INDEX Wilson...................................................... 2 Atlanta Hawks.......................................... 5 Formetco.................................................. 5 Regions Bank........................................... 5 Gatorade.................................................. 6 Georgia’s EMCs........................................ 6 Musco Lighting........................................ 6 TCSG......................................................... 6 Hudl......................................................... 7 Mizuno..................................................... 7
Order DVD copies of all streamed games at NFHSNetwork.com.
Atlanta Dream........................................ 16 Choice Hotels......................................... 16 Georgia National Guard......................... 16 MaxPreps............................................... 16 NFHS...................................................... 17
All games will be streamed live on NFHSNetwork.com/ghsa. The games will be available On Demand at NFHSNetwork.com/ghsa.
Jostens.................................................. 26 Sports Medicine South........................... 26 NFHS- Reason Why................................ 27 Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance............. BC
FOLLOW US
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The 2018 Georgia High School Association Basketball State Championship Guide is published by Score Media, a division of Score Atlanta, in conjunction with the GHSA. The guide was designed by Rhonda Rawls, edited by Alex Ewalt, Craig Sager II, Seth Ellerbee and Graham David, information provided by the GHSA and photos on the cover and inside the guide are courtesy of Ty Freeman and Abby Williamson. For more information on Score Media, go to Scoreatl.com or call 404-256-1572.
WWW.GHSA.NET | 3
GHSA 2018 STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS WORD FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GHSA
WELCOME GHSA BASKETBALL FANS
W
elcome to the 2018 GHSA Basketball championships! The games are sure to be exciting as all of the schools represented are looking forward to their team achieving the title of “Champion.” However we all know that all of our teams are outstanding and are definitely winners. This has been an outstanding season and this year’s championship games will include familiar faces as well as teams that have worked hard and peaked at just the right time. Our congratulations are in order for all of the teams, coaches, administrators, cheerleaders and parents who have supported the athletes through this year’s journey to the final games. I know you will enjoy and appreciate the games and all of the work leading up to this exciting event. I would also like to thank you for your support of high school basketball throughout the season. Your attendance and support is integral to the success of high school athletics and for the team you are here to cheer on. Good sportsmanship is expected from our athletes and I urge you to be positive in your support of all of our teams. Let’s work together to make today’s games a great experience for all involved. To put on an event of this magnitude takes many volunteers who have worked tirelessly to provide a “first class” event. Many hours of work from this group will enhance the experience of our players, cheerleaders and fans. The GHSA staff has been working for weeks as well to ensure a special event for all involved. Finally I would like to thank our corporate sponsors who make it possible to put on these championships. Their advertisements can be seen throughout this venue and I encourage you to support them whenever possible. The GHSA wants to thank these exemplary companies for their involvement, we appreciate their support. Thank you for your attendance and I know you are going to enjoy the best high school basketball anywhere!
James R. Hines, Jr. Executive Director
Year AAAAA 1980 - 1981 - 1982 - 1983 - 1984 - 1985 - 1986 - 1987 - 1988 - 1989 - 1990 - 1991 - 1992 - 1993 - 1994 - 1995 - 1996 - 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 Berkmar 2002 Wheeler 2003 Wheeler 2004 S. Gwinnett 2005 Wheeler 2006 Norcross 2007 Norcross 2008 Norcross 2009 Wheeler 2010 Milton 2011 Norcross 2012 Milton
AAAA Tompkins Baldwin Campbell Marietta Douglass, Atl. SW, Macon Wills Washington Griffin SW, Macon Southside Statesboro Johnson, Sav. Griffin Wheeler Dunwoody Tift Co. Roswell Savannah Marietta Berkmar Dougherty Westlake Griffin Mays Mays Columbia Tucker Columbia Miller Grove Miller Grove Miller Grove Miller Grove
YEAR 2013 2014 2015 2016
AAAAAA Norcross Tift County Wheeler Westlake
AAAAA Miller Grove Miller Grove Brunswick Miller Grove
YEAR 2017
AAAAAAA Tift Co.
AAAAAA Langston Hughes
4 | WWW.GHSA.NET
PAST CHAMPIONS SINCE 1980 BOYS GIRLS
AAA Decatur West Laurens Decatur Gainesville Gainesville Lee Co. Hart Co. (Forfeited) Madison Co. Marist Westover Westover Westover Westover Marist Westside Tucker Dougherty Westover Westlake Marist Westover Cross Keys East Hall West Laurens Dunwoody Dunwoody Jordan Glenn Hills South Atlanta Columbia Columbia Columbia
AAAA Eagle’s Landing Jonesboro Jonesboro Liberty Co.
AAAAA Buford
AA Lakeshore Crawford Co. Crawford Co. Randolph-Clay Terrell Co. Central, Car. Randolph-Clay Lakeshore Claxton East Rome Mitch.-Baker Mitch.-Baker Wash. Co. North Clayton Wash. Co. Dodge Co. Swainsboro Cedar Grove Mitch.-Baker Mitch.-Baker Mitch.-Baker East Hall Wilkinson Co. Mitch.-Baker Randolph-Clay East Hall Dublin Manchester Wesleyan Dublin GAC GAC Laney
AAA Johnson, Sav. Morgan County Jenkins Morgan Co.
AAAA Upson-Lee
AA GAC GAC Seminole Co. Pace Academy
AAA Pace Academy
A Hoganville Woodbury Central, Tal. Woodbury Woodbury Woodbury Bible Baptist Clinch Co. Richmond Hill Clinch Co. Central, Tal. East Rome Greenville Richmond Hill Richmond Hill Atkinson Co. Hogansville Calhoun Co. Seminole Co. Wilkinson Co. Wilkinson Co. Taylor Co. Taylor Co. Whitefield Acad. SW Atl. Christian Randolph-Clay SW Atl. Christian Wilkinson Co. Hancock Cent. Whitefield Academy Wesleyan Wilkinson Co. Whitefield Academy
A-Public Wilkinson Co. Wilkinson Co. Calhoun Co. Wilkinson Co.
AA South Atlanta
Year AAAAA 1980 - 1981 - 1982 - 1983 - 1984 - 1985 - 1986 - 1987 - 1988 - 1989 - 1990 - 1991 - 1992 - 1993 - 1994 - 1995 - 1996 - 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 Collins Hill 2002 Collins Hill 2003 Parkview 2004 Stephenson 2005 Collins Hill 2006 Collins Hill 2007 Collins Hill 2008 Stephenson 2009 Redan 2010 Norcross 2011 Norcross 2012 McEachern
A-Private Greenforest St. Francis St. Francis Greenforest
A-Public A-Private Wilkinson Co. Greenforest
YEAR 2013 2014 2015 2016
AAAAAA Norcross McEachern McEachern McEachern
AAAA Lowndes NE, Macon NE, Macon LaGrange LaGrange NE, Macon Baldwin Baldwin Baldwin Morrow Morrow Morrow Cedar Shoals Morrow Sequoyah S. Gwinnett Sequoyah Stone Mtn. Wheeler Pope Beach C. Gwinnett Glenn Hills Mays St. Pius X Etowah St. Pius X St. Pius X SW DeKalb SW DeKalb SW DeKalb Fayette Co. Miller Grove
AAAAA SW DeKalb Tucker Stephenson SW DeKalb
YEAR AAAAAAA AAAAAA 2017 McEachern Mays
AAA Coffee Madison Co. Cairo Berrien Rockdale Co. Dodge Co. Rossville Dodge Co. Chattooga Hart Co. Hart Co. Hart Co. Hart Co. Hart Co. Hart Co. Woodward Woodward Richmond Acad. Josey Woodward North Atlanta Gainesville NE, Macon Gainesville Gainesville Hephzibah Avondale East Hall Kendrick Carrollton Columbia Washington Co. Columbia
AAAA Columbia Redan Buford Americus-Sumter
AAAAA Buford
AAA St. Pius St. Pius Laney Morgan Co.
AA East Hall White Co. Putnam Co. Morgan Co. Seminole Co. Terrell Co. Terrell Co. Seminole Co. Upson Seminole Co. Berrien Co. Wash. Co. Tri-County Fannin Co. Gainesville Haralson Co. Randolph-Clay Thomasville Thomasville Fannin Co. Randolph-Clay GAC GAC Early Co. Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan GAC Wesleyan Buford Buford Buford Lovett AA Wesleyan Kendrick Wesleyan Holy Innocents’
AAAA AAA Columbus Beach
A Miller Co. Warren Co. GAC GAC Central, Tal. Central, Tal. Central, Tal. Clinch Co. Taylor Co. Hawkinsville Broxton-M. Hayes Clinch Co. Taylor Co. Clinch Co. Taylor Co. Taylor Co. Manchester Pelham Putnam Co. Holy Innocents’ Sav. Ctry. Day Jefferson Wesleyan Taylor Co. Hawkinsville Terrell Co. SW Atl. Christian Hawkinsville Calvary Day Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan Wesleyan
A-Public Gordon Lee Randolph-Clay Taylor County Turner County
AA Laney
A-Public Pelham
A-Private St. Francis SACA St. Francis St. Francis
A-Private Wesleyan
GEORGIA TECH | MARCH 9 - 10, 2018
SUMMER CAMPS REGISTER NOW: HAWKS.COM/SUMMERCAMPS The first 75 campers will receive $75 off when using promo code: GHSA2018
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GHSA 2018 STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
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GEORGIA TECH | MARCH 9 - 10, 2018
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GHSA 2018 STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS Darlington
2017-2018 GHSA Class A Private Girls State Basketball Tournament
27
Team 24
Athens Acad.
Athens Acad.
47
39
Team 9
63 Christ. Heritage 49
40
Christ. Heritage
60 Holy Innocents' 51
49
Team 7
Bye
St. Francis
39 Fellowship
Fellowship
Team 10
39 Our Lady Mercy
Bye
41
48
55
Team 16
Paideia
37
Paideia
Our Lady Mercy
Team 8
Team 17
Team 23
Paideia
Christ. Heritage
Sav. Christian
Greenforest
21
Holy Innocents'
89
86
67
Galloway
47
Lakeview Acad.
Team 18
Galloway
St. Francis
Team 15
Holy Innocents'
St. Francis
Team 1
Holy Innocents'
82
Columbus State 2:00 pm
76
Holy Innocents'
Team 2
St. Francis
Bye
Bye
Feb. 16-17 Mt. de Sales
Feb. 21-22
Feb. 27-28
March 2
March 7-10
March 2
Feb. 27-28
Feb. 21-22
30
Team 21
Pinecrest
Mt. Paran
30
Pinecrest
44
Wesleyan H
63
Team 12
Feb. 16-17
Prince Avenue
25
Columbus State 6:00 pm
34
Team 22
ELCA
ELCA
52
60
Team 11
Wesleyan
Prince Avenue
Wesleyan
Team 5
Prince Avenue
67
71
Bye
George Walton Team 20
46 Landmark
Landmark
36 Stratford Acad.
44
20
41
Tattnall Sq.
36
Sav. Cty. Day
Team 19
Tattnall Sq.
®
Stratford Acad. Team 4
Bye
Wesleyan
41
53
Team 13
71
Stratford Acad. 32
Team 6
Wesleyan
Calvary Day
Calvary Day
Champion Stratford Acad.
56
64
Calvary Day
Runner-Up
Bye
WESLEYAN
8 | WWW.GHSA.NET
Team 3
Bye
FIRST, SECOND & THIRD ROUND INFORMATION: Higher-seeded team will host. If both teams are the same seed, a “universal― GHSA coin flip will determine the host school. Minimum seating capacity: 7A, 6A & 5A - 1,200; 4A - 1,000; 3A & 2A - 700; A - 500 (with bleachers on both sides & 50% of seating offered to visiting team’s spectators). FINALS: The (H) printed in the bracket indicates the designated host school if playing at neutral site.
HOLY INNOCENTS’
Team 14
CLASS A-PRIVATE GIRLS FRIDAY 2:00 PM
3.09.18
GEORGIA TECH | MARCH 9 - 10, 2018
DID YOU KNOW? HOLY INNOCENTS’ IS 12-4 AGAINST WESLEYAN OVER THE PAST FIVE SEASONS. THE TEAMS ARE MEETING IN THE FINALS FOR THE FOURTH-STRAIGHT YEAR, AND WESLEYAN HAS WON TWO OUT OF THREE.
HOLY INNOCENTS’ T
GOLDEN BEARS • 29-1 • REGION 5
his year’s Class A-Private girls final is a familiar matchup between the Holy Innocents’ Golden Bears and the Wesleyan Wolves. Last year’s championship game ended with a 51-48 score in favor of the Wolves. Now, after playing to a 29-1 record, Holy Innocents’ is back where it was last March but is hoping for a different outcome. Senior guard/forwards Kennedy Suttle and Kaila Hubbard make up the core of the returning players from last year’s runner-up team. They provide the team with much-needed upperclassman leadership and were both named to the Top 15 Midseason All-Metro Team by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. In Holy Innocents’ three previous wins over Wesleyan this season, Suttle proved to be more than the Wolves could handle. She along with Hubbard, who became the second player in school history to join the 2,000-point milestone several weeks ago, could prove troublesome yet again for the Wolves. Their performance in the quarterfinals matchup against Christian Heritage resulted in 31 combined points, propelling the team to an 86-49 victory. This combination of experienced players isn’t the only thing driving the team, though. A new talent in 6-foot-3 freshman guard Jillian Hollingshead provides the team with a strong presence in the post who can score and create space. A bad case of the flu had sidelined Hollingshead, but in her return to the court against Christian Heritage, she scored 17 points and grabbed 10 boards to propel her team to the semifinals. Hollingshead continued to produce during their 51-32 victory over Stratford Academy in the semis, scoring 18 points and snagging nine rebounds. Freshman guard/forward Rachel Suttle, the younger sister of Kennedy, added 12 points in that win. With such a wide range of talent, it’s not hard to see how Holy Innocents’ managed to defeat Wesleyan all three times the two have faced off so far.
WESLEYAN T
WOLVES
•
26-4
•
REGION
5
he Wesleyan Wolves are back for another state championship game. There may not be a more decorated team in the state than Wesleyan, which will look to add to its impressive resume with a 13th state title. The Wolves have played in 15 straight finals and have a 16-0 record in the semifinals. The program sports a 77-5 record in the state tournament, but this season presented a challenge after eight seniors graduated from last year’s championship squad, including McDonald’s All-American Mikayla Coombs. But the team wasn’t without upperclassman stars, and point guard Amaya Register has strong playmaking abilities and a willingness to drive hard to the basket. Alongside senior power forward Sutton West, the duo scored a combined 29 points to advance their team to the semifinals with a 60-20 quarterfinals win over Calvary Day. The Wolves then took on No. 2 seed St. Francis in the semifinals. St. Francis’ 49 points are the most points allowed by Wesleyan in two years of postseason play, but Wesleyan won comfortably, 71-49. Returning from injury is freshman point guard Paige Lyons, who is expected to step in to fill a contributing role. Wesleyan’s junior guard Callie Weaver will also be relied upon to step up. The team will have a tall task in handling Holy Innocents’ 6-foot-3 freshman Jillian Hollingshead. Head coach Jan Azar’s daughter Nicole, a freshman guard, hit several big three-pointers during the course of the season and could be a factor in the Wolves’ success in the title game. Wesleyan has walked away twice victorious in the finals against Holy Innocents’ recently, while losing once, and will look to keep its rival from tying up this head-to-head series in the championship game. Wesleyan won the 2015 title over HIES after dropping three regular-season games to the Golden Bears, proving that prior results can be deceiving.
Head Coach: Nichole Dixon No. Name Pos.
Gr.
1
Kennedy Suttle
G/F
12
3
Rachel Suttle
G/F
4
Jade Dodd-Mungin
F
5
Cierra Foster
PG
9
10
Katie Brown
G
12
11
Shay Sweat
G
12
12
Kaila Hubbard
G/F
12
13
Kate Reddy
G
9
14
Logan Jackson
F
9
22
Charlsie Birkel
PG/G
9
23
Caroline Birkey
PG/G
9
24
Renee Davis
F
9
25
9 12
Jada Farrell
F
10
35,21 Jillian Hollingshead
G
9
44
F
10
Jasiah Washington
Head Coach: Jan Azar No. Name Pos.
Gr.
2
Gracie Taylor
G
9
3
Nicole Azar
G
9
5
Ann-Margaret Jones
G
10
10
Lauren Hill
PG
10
12
Paige Lyons
PG
9
14
Amaya Register
PG
12
15
Sutton West
G/F
12
20
Alyssa Phillip
F
9
21
Abby Scott
G
9
22
Izzy Larsen
G/F
10
32
Callie Weaver
G
10
33
Avyonce Carter
F
10
34
Riley Keller
F
9
WWW.GHSA.NET | 9
GHSA 2018 STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS Landmark
2017-2018 GHSA Class A Private Boys State Basketball Tournament
49
Team 24
Lakeview Acad.
Lakeview Acad.
Team 9
66
85
56 Holy Innocents'
69
63
50
Whitefield Acad.
68
Stratford Acad.
Team 23
Stratford Acad.
Greenforest
Team 10
Holy Innocents'
Greenforest
Team 8
Holy Innocents'
73
58
Bye
Holy Innocents'
Mt. Pisgah
41
54
Bye
ELCA
58
Team 17
Mt. Vernon
50
67
Mt. Vernon
Team 16
46 Christ. Heritage
Team 7
Greenforest
54
69
41
Athens Acad.
49
Wesleyan
Team 18
Wesleyan
Team 15
ELCA
Christ. Heritage
ELCA
Team 1
Christ. Heritage
52
Columbus State 4:00 pm
60
St. Francis
Team 2
ELCA
Bye
Bye
Feb. 16-17 Fellowship
Feb. 21-22
Feb. 27-28
March 2
March 7-10
March 2
Feb. 27-28
Feb. 21-22
36
Team 21
Darlington
62
Aquinas H
46
Darlington
Team 12
N. Cobb Christ.
47
Columbus State 8:00 pm
62
66
Feb. 16-17 44
King's Ridge
50
Sav. Christian
Team 22
Sav. Christian
Team 11
Aquinas
N. Cobb Christ.
Aquinas
Team 5
N. Cobb Christ.
65
63
Bye
Tallulah Falls Team 20
Walker
Team 13
St. Francis
64 Walker
47
Bye
Aquinas
65
56 87
41
47 W.D. Mohammed Team 14
Brookstone
Prince Avenue
Champion St. Francis
Team 19
Brookstone
®
St. Francis
Brookstone
48
57
St. Francis Team 4
83
Team 6
Aquinas
73
54
Prince Avenue
Runner-Up
Bye
Bye
FIRST, SECOND & THIRD ROUND INFORMATION: Higher-seeded team will host. If both teams are the same seed, a “universal― GHSA coin flip will determine the host school. Minimum seating capacity: 7A, 6A & 5A - 1,200; 4A - 1,000; 3A & 2A - 700; A - 500 (with bleachers on both sides & 50% of seating offered to visiting team’s spectators). FINALS: The (H) printed in the bracket indicates the designated host school if playing at neutral site.
ST. FRANCIS
AQUINAS
10 | WWW.GHSA.NET
Team 3
CLASS A-PRIVATE BOYS FRIDAY 4:00 PM
3.09.18
GEORGIA TECH | MARCH 9 - 10, 2018
DID YOU KNOW?
ST. FRANCIS A
ST. FRANCIS SOPHOMORE DWON ODOM NOTCHED HIS SECOND TRIPLE-DOUBLE OF THE SEASON IN THE QUARTERFINALS WITH 20 POINTS, 10 REBOUNDS AND 14 ASSISTS.
KNIGHTS • 27-3 • REGION 6
fter claiming two state titles in a row, the Knights’ streak ended after a 78-66 loss to Greenforest to conclude the 2016 season. St. Francis’ road to the finals has featured nothing but high-scoring games, but this is not the result of a weak defense. The Knights offense is setting an unmatchable scoring pace, outscoring opponents in the postseason by almost 24 points per game with an average of 81 points per game. They will be in prime condition for a true clash of offense and defense against a defensive-minded Aquinas team that put up nearly half as many points as St. Francis did in the semifinals. The Knights roster is full of talent, even after the loss of some key players from last year’s team. Point guard Wallace Tucker graduated after last season, taking away a big part of the Knights offense. But the team has a star in 6-foot-1 sophomore guard Dwon Odom, who has solidified himself as the leader of the St. Francis offense. Also dominant as a freshman last season, Odom has continued to impress during his sophomore campaign. His average of 15.4 points a game is not only the highest on the team, but Odom also logged a triple-double racking up 20 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in a huge performance against Holy Innocents’ during the semifinals, an 83-54 win. C.J. Riley, a 6-1 junior guard, has increased his shooting role. His previous two performances against Holy Innocents’ and North Cobb Christian yielded more points per game than his season average of 11.6; he scored 12 points against Holy Innocents’ and 18 points against NCC. St. Francis has yet to play in a tight playoff game but could find itself in one in the championship against the Fightin’ Irish.
AQUINAS L
FIGHTIN’ IRISH • 26-5 • REGION 7
ast year’s attempt to bring home the school’s first-ever boys basketball state championship was cut short after a 63-48 loss to St. Francis in the quarterfinals. Now, Aquinas sports a 24-5 record this season with only one loss in its region, and the Fightin’ Irish are not only looking to take revenge on the Knights, but also make school history. This senior-heavy roster has the advantage of multiple years of experience playing with each other, improving every offseason. Senior guard Tre Gomillion and sophomore forward Zy Wright have been playing lights-out this postseason, combining for just under half of the team’s points in the 66-41 quarterfinal win over Brookstone; Wright had 17 points, and Gomillion scored 15 in the easy win. Gomillion has no issue steering into traffic and making tough shots while heavily contested. Points from transition are a key part of the Aquinas offense, with players like senior guard Trent Bowdre using his vision downcourt to find the open man. After a first-round bye, Aquinas defeated Savannah Christian 63-47 in the second round. Aquinas’ most recent game against Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy in the semifinals made for a defensive showdown. Head coach Harrison Zeigler continuously rotated players in and out of the game, creating opportunity for everyone to score and rest. His knew his squad had to contain one of the stronger offensive teams in the state with Eagle’s Landing Christian, and with a final score of 47-41 and only 10 field goals made by the Chargers, the Irish were successful. Aquinas faces another explosive offense in St. Francis that has been averaging 81 points per game in the postseason, but if the Irish can keep up the defensive intensity, they can challenge for the program’s first-ever championship.
Head Coach: Drew Catlett No. Name 0 1 3 4 10 11 12 14 15 20 21 22 23 24 25 30 33
Jai Smith Ben Jones CJ Riley Caleb Snyder Daniel Moss Madison Durr Grey Schiwitz Jusaun Holt Josh Harps-Zhu Sam Hines Thomas Owen Graham Owenby Dwon Odom Chase Ellis Jonathan Pittman Kai Simmons Sean Paradise
Pos. G G G W G G F W F F F F G W F F W
Gr. 10 12 11 12 12 9 10 9 11 10 12 12 10 10 10 9 11
Head Coach: Harrison Zeigler No. Name
Pos.
Gr.
1
Ferris Lowery
G
11
2
Zy Wright
F
10
3
Tre Gomillion
G
12
4
Stephen Webster
G
10
5
Gerald Merriweather
G
12
10
Trent Bowdre
G
12
11
Chris Williams
F
10
13
Daniel Parrish
G
12
20
Anthony Ramage
F
9
22
George Welch
F
12
25
Dajuan Hill
F
12
35
Cam Gardner
F
12
WWW.GHSA.NET | 11
GHSA 2018 STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS Sequoyah
Region 6 - Team 3
2017-2018 GHSA Class AAAAAA Girls State Basketball Tournament
44
New Manchester 54
Region 5 - Team 2
H
Gainesville
31
Region 8 - Team 4
66
Brunswick
55
Region 2 - Team 3
Coffee
Region 1 - Team 2
Stephenson
Region 4 - Team 4
Heritage, Con.
Region 3 - Team 1
Northview
Region 5 - Team 3
Lovejoy
Region 4 - Team 1
57
63
63 H
Valdosta
42
50
Feb. 21-22
West Georgia 2:00 pm
67
Lovejoy
Valdosta 59 H
Feb. 27-28
March 3
March 7-10
March 3
Feb. 27-28
Feb. 21-22
40 49
Harrison H
H
Winder-Barrow
54
West Georgia 6:00 pm
64
69
Lanier 58 H
Harrison
39
Winder-Barrow
61
61
H
Lovejoy Northside, WR
68
70
79 H 37
35
23
29
Harrison
Harrison Grovetown
0 H
®
H
Lovejoy
19 Lovejoy
37
67 OT
52
54 H
Bradwell
28
Champion 37
Bradwell 42 H
Runner-Up
Dacula
Region 8 - Team 3
Pope
Region 7 - Team 2
River Ridge
Region 6 - Team 4
Douglas Co.
Region 5 - Team 1
MLK
Region 4 - Team 3
Greenbrier
Region 3 - Team 2
Richmond Hill
Region 2 - Team 4
Valdosta
Region 1 - Team 1
Feb. 16-17 54
Creekview
49
Region 3 - Team 4
Greenbrier
H
Northside, WR
Lakeside, Evans
51
49
54
Gylnn Acad.
55 Coffee
Stephenson
Winder-Barrow
Region 2 - Team 2
78 H
Douglas Co.
54
35
Region 1 - Team 3
54
39
H
Johns Creek
Region 8 - Team 1
42
Douglas Co.
59
57
Region 7 - Team 4
62
Douglas Co. 85
Northview
Coffee
Creekview
Region 6 - Team 2
86
55
H
Feb. 16-17 Alexander
61
Pope
61
Northview
Northview
Region 7 - Team 1
45
New Manchester 35
56
Alpharetta
Region 7 - Team 3
Lanier
Region 8 - Team 2
S. Paulding
Region 5 - Team 4
Harrison
Region 6 - Team 1
Grovetown
Region 3 - Team 3
Tucker-forfeit
Region 4 - Team 2
Houston Co.
Region 1 - Team 4
FIRST, SECOND & THIRD ROUND INFORMATION: Higher-seeded team will host. If both teams are the same seed, a “universal― GHSA coin flip will determine the host school. Minimum seating capacity: 7A, 6A & 5A - 1,200; 4A - 1,000; 3A & 2A - 700; A - 500 (with bleachers on both sides & 50% of seating offered to visiting team’s spectators). FINALS: The (H) printed in the bracket indicates the designated host school if playing at neutral site.
LOVEJOY
HARRISON
12 | WWW.GHSA.NET
CLASS AAAAAA GIRLS FRIDAY 6:00 PM
Bradwell
Region 2 - Team 1
3.09.18
GEORGIA TECH | MARCH 9 - 10, 2018
DID YOU KNOW? IN THE STATE QUARTERFINALS, LOVEJOY TRAILED WINDER-BARROW AND UCONN SIGNEE OLIVIA NELSON-ODODA BY 5 POINTS IN OVERTIME BEFORE RALLYING FOR A 68-67 WIN.
LOVEJOY L
WILDCATS
•
31-1
•
REGION
4
Head Coach: Cedric King
ovejoy is looking to cap off a truly dominant season with its first-ever state girls title. Head coach Cedric King’s team has lost just one game, a three-point loss to Region 4 opponent Stephenson. But the Wildcats went undefeated the rest of the way in region play at 15-1 and bring a 31-1 overall record into the championship game. Lovejoy breezed through the first two rounds of the playoffs, defeating LakesideEvans 54-19 in the first round and Northside-Warner Robins 52-23 in the second. The quarterfinals, however, proved to be one of the most exciting games of the playoff season. No. 1 Lovejoy traveled to No. 2 Winder-Barrow, featuring UConn signee Olivia Nelson-Ododa, and survived 68-67 after overtime. Star sophomore guard Genesis Bryant scored 33 points for the Wildcats to go with six steals and three assists. Bryant’s fellow sophomore Anaya Boyd contributed 20 points with seven rebounds and four steals. The Wildcats prevailed despite a triple-double from Nelson-Ododa with 24 points, 19 rebounds and 10 blocked shots. Lovejoy fell behind 61-56 in the overtime period but went on a 12-6 run to close out the win. “We just had to keep playing, you can’t stop playing,” King told the Clayton News-Daily. “If you don’t keep playing and competing like we do you’ll get caught up in it. The girls settled down and we made plays.” Lovejoy was back to its dominant self in the semifinals, defeating Northview 70-42 to move on to the finals. The Wildcats could not get past that point last season, falling to eventual-champion Mays in the semis. But Bryant’s 18 points and Kayla Brown’s 16 points and 10 rebounds led the way in the blowout win, which Lovejoy led 35-17 at halftime. Boyd had 11 points, seven assists and five steals.
HARRISON H
HOYAS
•
26-4
•
REGION
6
arrison was the Class AAAAAA runner-up last season, falling 52-51 to Mays in a thrilling championship game. This weekend, Harrison is looking to seal the deal. The Hoyas were ranked No. 3 entering the postseason and bring a 26-4 overall record and a Region 6 title into the finals. Harrison cruised to comfortable wins in the quarterfinals and semifinals to earn its place in the championship game, 69-37 over Bradwell Institute and 68-54 over Douglas County, and had to overcome an unorthodox playoff schedule. Harrison had more than a week’s layoff before the second-round win (61-54 over Lanier) due to Tucker’s disqualification from the tournament. But the team showed little signs of rust in its home blowout win over Bradwell, in which Sarah Woghiren scored a game-high 18 points. Audrey Jordan (12 points), Harper Vick (11 points) and MaeOla Willis (10 points) also helped with the scoring. In the semifinals, Vick took center stage with 20 points and eight rebounds, and Woghiren added 17 points. “Their goals were to win region and make it back to this point,” Harrison head coach Steve Lenahan told the Marietta Daily Journal. “That’s what they’ve been working toward. They’ve been playing better together come playoff time. They are confident because what they have been doing is working.” In the team’s closest playoff victory, over Lanier, the Hoyas took the lead in the closing minutes of a game that entered the fourth quarter tied at 38-38. But Harrison hit 17 of 20 free throws in the final frame, going 24-for-29 for the game to essentially win at the free-throw line. Woghiren and Jordan both scored 18 points and combined to go 13-of-17 at the charity stripe. Harrison led 26-21 at halftime before losing that lead in the third quarter.
No. Name
Pos.
1
Genesis Bryant
G
10
2
Janiah Alexander
G
9
3
Lashanti Blunt
G
10
4
Anaya Boyd
G
10
5
Mariah Spain
G
9
10
Avanna Preston
G
11
12
J’Auana Robinson
W
11
15
Jordyn Jackson
W
10
20
Kayla Brown
W
12
22
Asha Shareef
W
9
23
Kaziah Terrell
G
10
24
Sage White
G
11
Head Coach: Steve Lenahan No. Name Pos.
Gr.
Gr.
1
Harper Vick
PG
12
4
Collette Smith
SG
12
10
Eastyn King
G
11
11
Meredith Ward
G
10
12
Serenity Martin
PG
11
14
Arden Jordan
G
10
15
Emily Williams
G
12
20
Amara Newsom
G
10
21
Mae Willis
G
12
22
Sarah Woghiren
G
12
24
Audrey Jordan
G
12
31
Hannah DeWitt
SF
12
35
Edith Gordon
F
10
WWW.GHSA.NET | 13
GHSA 2018 STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS Creekview
Region 6 - Team 3
2017-2018 GHSA Class AAAAAA Boys State Basketball Tournament
61 Douglas Co.
Douglas Co.
72
Apalachee
49
Region 5 - Team 2 Region 8 - Team 4
H
62
Bradwell
79
Region 2 - Team 3
Drew
64
70
Region 5 - Team 3
West Georgia 4:00 pm
Feb. 27-28
Coffee 70
March 3
March 7-10
57
March 3
Hughes H Gainesville
Gainesville
43
Feb. 27-28
Feb. 21-22
Dacula H
Tri-Cities
55 84
Tri-Cities 42
Gainesville Richmond Hill
102
49
H
Jonesboro
35
58
62
Jonesboro 62
®
44 H
72
Lakeside, Evans 66
H
Jonesboro
61
Champion Lakeside, Evans 68
63
H
51
Brunswick 75
Runner-Up
Lanier
Region 8 - Team 3
Cambridge
Region 7 - Team 2
Allatoona
Region 6 - Team 4
Hughes
Region 5 - Team 1
Tucker
Region 4 - Team 3
Grovetown
Region 3 - Team 2
Effingham Co.
Region 2 - Team 4
Coffee
Region 1 - Team 1
Feb. 16-17
87
64
82
H
Region 3 - Team 4
67
West Georgia 8:00 pm
111
Lakeside, Evans 65
Region 4 - Team 1
74
Gainesville
H
H
Lee Co.
Stephenson
64
H
Coffee
54
Alexander
83
Region 2 - Team 2
67
Grovetown
50
Gainesville
Richmond Hill
52
62
47
Region 1 - Team 3
H
70 Heritage-Conyers 58
Feb. 21-22
Pope
Region 8 - Team 1
68
H
52
Region 7 - Team 4
Hughes
Hughes
73
Heritage-Conyers 83
Sprayberry
Region 6 - Team 2
69
Heritage-Conyers 86
H
Feb. 16-17 Alexander
69
H
Hughes
91
Heritage-Conyers 69 Region 3 - Team 1
71
Lanier
62
Bradwell 62
Region 4 - Team 4
53
H
Valdosta
Region 1 - Team 2
57 N. Atlanta
N. Atlanta
N. Atlanta
Region 7 - Team 1
79
74
H
Alpharetta
Region 7 - Team 3
Dacula
Region 8 - Team 2
Tri-Cities
Region 5 - Team 4
South Cobb
Region 6 - Team 1
Evans
Region 3 - Team 3
Jonesboro
Region 4 - Team 2
Northside, WR
Region 1 - Team 4
Brunswick
Region 2 - Team 1
FIRST, SECOND & THIRD ROUND INFORMATION: Higher-seeded team will host. If both teams are the same seed, a “universal― GHSA coin flip will determine the host school. Minimum seating capacity: 7A, 6A & 5A - 1,200; 4A - 1,000; 3A & 2A - 700; A - 500 (with bleachers on both sides & 50% of seating offered to visiting team’s spectators). FINALS: The (H) printed in the bracket indicates the designated host school if playing at neutral site.
GAINESVILLE
HUGHES
14 | WWW.GHSA.NET
CLASS AAAAAA BOYS FRIDAY 8:00 PM
3.09.18
GEORGIA TECH | MARCH 9 - 10, 2018
DID YOU KNOW? DEFENDING CHAMPION LANGSTON HUGHES UPSET NO. 1 RANKED GAINESVILLE 72-69 IN OVERTIME OF LAST YEAR’S QUARTERFINALS BEFORE CLINCHING THE PROGRAM’S FIRST STATE TITLE.
GAINESVILLE T
RED ELEPHANTS • 24-6 • REGION 8
he Red Elephants have stomped their way through the Class 6A playoffs, beating teams by an average of 30.3 points per game along the way, to set up a rematch with defending state champion Langston Hughes. When the teams met last year in the quarterfinals, Gainesville stormed back from nine points down in the fourth quarter to force overtime, but Hughes prevailed 72-69. It was a rough shooting night for Gainesville, which connected on just four of 24 attempts from beyond the arc. Expectations remained sky-high as this season arrived, but a difficult front end of Gainesville’s schedule got the best of the Red Elephants early and dropped them to 2-6 after eight games. Head coach Benjie Wood’s squad, however, hasn’t lost since on their way to a 24-6 record, and their 22-game winning streak has been accentuated by the utter dominance they’ve displayed on their current postseason run. Gainesville’s 111-66 win over Lakeside-Evans in the quarterfinals displayed just how dangerous this offense is when all of its pieces are working together. Led by 6-foot-4 guard Xavier Bledson’s game-high 23 points, Kajuan Hale’s 22 and K.J. Buffen’s 18, Gainesville shot an outstanding 58 percent from the field as a team on 42-of-72 shooting. Four days later, Gainesville ignited once again for a 102-86 semifinal win over Heritage-Conyers. Five different players scored in double-figures, and it was sophomore point guard Rafael Rubel netting a team-high 22 points this time. Bledson finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds and nearly completed a triple-double with his eight assists. Also chipping in were Jarrel Rosser (16 points), Jarred Rosser (13) and Kajuan Hale (10), who combined for 39 points. Gainesville’s last state title came in 1984, when the program successfully defended its first and only other state crown it won in 1983.
HUGHES L
PANTHERS
•
26-5
•
REGION
5
angston Hughes made it to the finals for the first time in program history a year ago and thrived in the spotlight, defeating Brunswick convincingly 73-52. Now, the Panthers are back on the championship stage for the second-straight year and looking to repeat against a red-hot Gainesville squad that nearly ended last year’s historic run in the quarterfinals. The Panthers feature a roster filled with long and athletic playmakers, including 6-foot-7 Virginia Tech signee Landers Nolley II, who is averaging 30.2 points and 8.0 rebounds per game this season. Nolley along with two other stars, 6-foot-5 senior Tyler Smith (12.6 ppg) and 6-foot-4 junior Tyrel Morgan (12.6 ppg), give the Panthers a trio of wings who can play inside or outside the paint. This group has come up big throughout the playoffs, including Hughes’ hard-fought 71-67 win over Coffee in the quarterfinals. Rallying back from a 40-32 halftime deficit, Nolley finished with 34 points, Smith had 12 points and Morgan added 11. In the semifinals, Nolley showcased his range in the fourth quarter as Hughes ran away with a 69-49 win over Jonesboro, finishing with 27 points, six rebounds and seven assists. After the game, Hughes head coach Rory Welsh spoke with the AJC about about his star’s shot selection. “He wasn’t forcing anything,” Welsh complimented Nolley. “He’s been doing a better job of taking what the defense gives him. In the third quarter, they were running double-teams at him and he didn’t get any clean looks, but he made the right reads in terms of passing the ball to his teammates. In the fourth quarter, we were able to run a couple of quick-hitters with him coming off of screens, and he caught them in rhythm and was able to knock them down.”
Head Coach: Benjie Wood No. Name Pos. 0 1 2 3 4 5 10 11 12 13 20 21 22 23 30
Robert Reisman Jarred Rosser Jarrel Rosser Kajuan Hale Brent Kelly KJ Buffen Griffin Neville Jashad Dabney Austin Long Xavier Bledson Rassie Littlejohn Bailey Minor Maurice Hector Rafael Rubel Eli Pitts
G F F G G F G G G F G F G G G
Gr. 9 12 12 12 11 12 10 9 12 12 11 12 11 10 9
Head Coach: Rory Welsh No. Name
Pos.
Gr.
1
Tyrel Morgan
SG
11
2
Patrick Carter Jr.
PG
10
3
Papa Samba
C
11
10
Armani Bolston
PG
11
11
Ahmaude Jones
SG
12
13
Marcus Samuel
PG
9
15
Christian Matthews
PG
11
21
Landers Nolley
SG
12
23
Tyler Smith
SF
12
31
Dadrian Spann
F
9
32
Josh Butts
PF
10
WWW.GHSA.NET | 15
GHSA 2018 STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
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11-804 GHSA Sports Ad_4.963x6.253.indd
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11/21/11
5:24 PM
GEORGIA TECH | MARCH 9 - 10, 2018
THE
N ATION ’S
LE A DER
IN
LIVE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS Visit www.NFHSnetwork.com To Watch
NFHS_GSA-10.15x10.25.indd 1
10/16/17 4:40 WWW.GHSA.NET | PM 17
GHSA 2018 STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS Heritage, Cat.
Region 6 - Team 3
LaGrange
Region 5 - Team 2
St. Pius
Region 8 - Team 4
LaGrange
47 Marist
N. Oconee
26
37
51 H
N. Oconee
22
33 Marist
36
Perry
32
Region 2 - Team 3
48
53
59
Marist
Region 7 - Team 1
2017-2018 GHSA Class AAAA Girls State Basketball Tournament
50
59
45
H
Americus-Sumter 38
51
Sandy Creek 45
Carver, Col.
N. Clayton
Region 4 - Team 4
Burke Co.
Region 3 - Team 1
Americus-Sumter 39
65
Region 5 - Team 3
Americus-Sumter 42 Burke Co.
Westover
Region 1 - Team 3
Upson-Lee
Region 2 - Team 2
Thomson
Region 3 - Team 4
Henry Co.
Region 4 - Team 1
Ft. Valley St. 2:00 pm
84
Henry Co.
Carver, Col. 57 H
H
Feb. 21-22
Feb. 27-28
March 2
March 7-10
March 2
Feb. 27-28
Feb. 21-22
41
Sandy Creek
Region 5 - Team 1
40
Spalding H Jefferson
59
Ft. Valley St. 6:00 pm
53
50
Madison Co. 50 H
Madison Co.
25
Jefferson
46
62
NW Whitfield
43
42
H
Henry Co.
62 Upson-Lee
51
58
Spalding
48
61
56
67
Luella 74 H
®
H
Henry Co.
58
31
55
Spalding
40
Champion Henry Co.
82
69 H
63
Spalding 79 H
Runner-Up
Baldwin
Region 3 - Team 2
W. Laurens
Region 2 - Team 4
Carver, Col.
Region 1 - Team 1
Feb. 16-17 32
Pickens Co.
38
Region 8 - Team 1
25
57
Chestatee
Jefferson
H
Carver, Col.
42
65
Region 7 - Team 4
68
44
Pickens Co.
Region 6 - Team 2
Gilmer Co.
Region 6 - Team 4
Region 4 - Team 3
Baldwin 68
H
Feb. 16-17 Troup
White Co.
Region 7 - Team 2
59 Woodward Acad.
Americus-Sumter 54
Region 1 - Team 2
N. Oconee
Region 8 - Team 3
West Hall
Region 7 - Team 3
Madison Co.
Region 8 - Team 2
Central, Carroll
Region 5 - Team 4
NW Whitfield
Region 6 - Team 1
Cross Creek
Region 3 - Team 3
Luella
Region 4 - Team 2
Shaw
Region 1 - Team 4
Spalding
Region 2 - Team 1
FIRST, SECOND & THIRD ROUND INFORMATION: Higher-seeded team will host. If both teams are the same seed, a “universal― GHSA coin flip will determine the host school. Minimum seating capacity: 7A, 6A & 5A - 1,200; 4A - 1,000; 3A & 2A - 700; A - 500 (with bleachers on both sides & 50% of seating offered to visiting team’s spectators). FINALS: The (H) printed in the bracket indicates the designated host school if playing at neutral site.
HENRY CO. SPALDING 18 | WWW.GHSA.NET
CLASS AAAA GIRLS SATURDAY
2:00 PM
3.10.18
GEORGIA TECH | MARCH 9 - 10, 2018
DID YOU KNOW?
HENRY COUNTY H
HENRY COUNTY WON ITS FIRST AND ONLY STATE TITLE IN 1960.
WARHAWKS • 29-1 • REGION 4
Head Coach: Greg Shook
enry County used a 16-5 run in the final 4:37 of its 51-38 semifinal win over Americus-Sumter to close out the Panthers. The Warhawks led the entire game as the Panthers desperately tried to take control, and No. 2 Henry County led just 19-18 at the half. Americus-Sumter brought the score within 35-33 late in the final frame before Henry County sparked its massive 16-5 run. It was a landmark victory for the Warhawks’ program as they now play for their first state title since 1960. It was also an emotional win after an emotional week for head coach Greg Shook, whose mother passed away earlier in the week. “It’s always good to make it one more round, which means we’re playing in the last game you can play in for high school,” Shook said to the Henry Herald following the game. “It’s important to us, important to our kids and important to our school. It’s a great thing and I’m glad that we’re here.” For Henry County, Auburn signee Brooke Moore and Janiya Jones can offer an incredible one-two punch, but the scoring comes from up and down the talented roster. Moore led the Warhawks in the quarterfinals, a 59-50 win over Jefferson, with her 22 points, and Jones netted a game-high 24 points in their 82-61 win over Upson-Lee in the second round. Amaiya Jackson was Henry County’s top scorer in the semifinals with 19 points, and she also added 12 rebounds and four steals. Moore finished with 11 points, Jones finished with nine points and Janaya Wadsworth turned in nine points, five rebounds and three assists. Moore will attract a ton of defensive pressure from Spalding, as will Jones, but the more involvement from the Warhawks role players, the more dangerous Henry County can be.
SPALDING S
JAGUARS
•
27-3
•
REGION
2
palding arrives at the finals in the midst of the most successful season in its program’s history. When head coach Tykira Gilbert arrived in 2016, she became the fourth different head coach to lead the Jaguars in a five-year span. After falling in the first round of the 2016 playoffs, Spalding reached the Elite Eight last year, and her team has taken a stellar 27-3 record all the way to this year’s championship. The Jags have a healthy blend of experienced upperclassmen and rising stars and have a prolific scorer in the making with sophomore Corriana Evans. She opened the playoffs with a 22-point performance and then dropped 26 points in Spalding’s 63-56 win over Luella in the second round. Evans was limited to just 10 points in the quarterfinals, but senior Kiana Banks led the way with 24 points, including the game-winning three-pointer that lifted No. 3 Spalding past Madison County 55-53 and saved their season. Spalding took down the classification’s top-ranked team, Carver-Columbus, last Friday in the semifinals 58-51. Evans was sidelined with foul trouble for much of the game but scored six of her eight points in the final quarter to help clinch the victory. Aniaya Jester finished with 15 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks for an incredible stat line, while Banks contributed 13 points, nine rebounds, two assists, three steals and three blocks. Jester’s quickness and crafty ball-handling skills overwhelmed Carver-Columbus and will be something for Henry County to watch for as Evans works the post down low and Banks finds her rhythm on offense. Freshman Kierstyn Milner (10 points) and junior Kayla Milner (15 points) combined for 25 points in the 79-40 first-round win over Shaw and have also performed well this postseason.
No. Name
Pos.
Gr.
00 3 5 10 11 12 14 15 20 22 23 33 40 44 54
PG SG PG/SG SF/PF SF PF SF C SG PG SF/PF PG PG SG C
11 12 12 11 12 11 11 11 11 12 12 9 9 9 9
Mia Culpepper Christina Hallman Brooke Moore Janiya Jones Lauryn Bailey Autumn Bush Amaiya Jackson Usoreia McWhorter Gloria Munoz Janaya Wadsworth Kyeria Byrd Heaven Greene Amaiya Jackson Sky Watters Trinity Bennett
Head Coach: Tykira Gilbert No. Name
Pos.
1 2 3 4 5 10 11 12 14 15 20 24 33
G G F G G G G G F F G F F
Aniaya Jester Kayla Milner Corriana Evans Kirah Milner Kiana Banks Kierstyn Milner Nia Duranham Jordan Davis Keyondra Leverette Maya Collier Dana Dozier De’ Erica Dewberry Elicia Threatt
Gr. 11 11 10 12 12 9 10 10 12 9 11 11 9
WWW.GHSA.NET | 19
GHSA 2018 STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
2017-2018 GHSA Class AAAA Boys State Basketball Tournament
Heritage-Catoosa 35 Region 6 - Team 3
Cartersville
Cartersville
73
Madison Co.
45
Region 5 - Team 2 Region 8 - Team 4
H
Cartersville Blessed Trinity
55
Spalding
33
Region 2 - Team 3
53 64
52
Stephens Co. 44
H
Sandy Creek
43
Blessed Trinity
Region 7 - Team 1
58
68
56
72
H
Baldwin
61
51
Sandy Creek 101
H
Sandy Creek
67 Americus-Sumter 57
73
Burke Co.
Americus-Sumter 66 Region 1 - Team 2
Druid Hills
Region 4 - Team 4
Baldwin
Region 3 - Team 1
71
H
Baldwin
Region 5 - Team 3
March 2
March 2
Upson-Lee
Feb. 27-28
Feb. 21-22
51
Ft. Valley St. 8:00 pm
H 77
40
Jefferson 62
H
LaFayette
66
53
LaFayette 75
H
St. Pius Carver, Col.
52
66
Upson-Lee
37 44
58
64
Salem 71
®
H
Carver, Col.
70
65
64 Woodward Acad. 53 H
H
Upson-Lee
34
Champion
52
Marist
Region 7 - Team 2
Ridgeland
Region 6 - Team 4
Sandy Creek
Region 5 - Team 1
Henry Co.
Region 4 - Team 3
Burke Co.
Region 3 - Team 2
Perry
Region 2 - Team 4
Westover
Region 1 - Team 1
Feb. 16-17
58
Woodward Acad. 80 Region 4 - Team 1
March 7-10
46 St. Pius
St. Pius
81
Region 3 - Team 4
Feb. 27-28
H
Carver, Col.
Hepzibah
63
48 Troup
76
Region 2 - Team 2
Westover
56
St. Pius
Mary Persons
71
St. Pius
H
Feb. 21-22
34
Region 1 - Team 3
Ft. Valley St. 4:00 pm
H
White County
Region 8 - Team 1
60
71
54
Region 7 - Team 4
H
Burke Co.
58 Baldwin
NW Whitfield
Region 6 - Team 2
44
45
Feb. 16-17 Troup
61
Stephens Co.
Region 8 - Team 3
Upson-Lee 65
Runner-Up
H
West Hall
Region 7 - Team 3
Jefferson
Region 8 - Team 2
LaGrange
Region 5 - Team 4
LaFayette
Region 6 - Team 1
Thomson
Region 3 - Team 3
Salem
Region 4 - Team 2
Northside, Col.
Region 1 - Team 4
Upson-Lee
Region 2 - Team 1
FIRST, SECOND & THIRD ROUND INFORMATION: Higher-seeded team will host. If both teams are the same seed, a “universal― GHSA coin flip will determine the host school. Minimum seating capacity: 7A, 6A & 5A - 1,200; 4A - 1,000; 3A & 2A - 700; A - 500 (with bleachers on both sides & 50% of seating offered to visiting team’s spectators). FINALS: The (H) printed in the bracket indicates the designated host school if playing at neutral site.
ST. PIUS
UPSON-LEE
20 | WWW.GHSA.NET
CLASS AAAA BOYS SATURDAY
4:00 PM
3.10.18
GEORGIA TECH | MARCH 9 - 10, 2018
DID YOU KNOW? UPSON-LEE CAN EXTEND ITS WINNING STREAK TO 63 GAMES AND COMPLETE BACK-TO-BACK PERFECT SEASONS WITH A VICTORY.
ST. PIUS X S
GOLDEN LIONS • 28-3 • REGION 8
Head Coach: Aaron Parr
t. Pius defeated Baldwin 66-61 at home in the semifinals to set up their rematch with the defending champs. The Golden Lions opened up a 10-0 lead on Baldwin before the Braves got going. Quick starts like this have been characteristic of St. Pius’s current playoff run; the Golden Lions opened up a 15-0 lead and led White County 38-11 before posting a 76-34 win in the first round. St. Pius defeated Troup County 66-46 in the second round and Carver-Columbus 77-65 in the third. The other trend has been lights-out shooting by Everett Lane, and he came up big in the semifinals by connecting on seven three-pointers and leading all scorers with 25 points. Troy Stephens finished with 11 points and also helped hold off the Braves in the second half. “We have guys, the moment’s not too big for them,” St. Pius head coach Aaron Parr told the AJC after the victory. “They’re just clutch kids, and they responded to Baldwin giving us everything we wanted and more.” When Lane heats up from deep, the Golden Lions are incredibly dangerous. Upson-Lee saw this last year, as his shooting was the only thing keeping St. Pius in the game after their dreadful shooting as a team in the first two quarters. St. Pius managed just 14 points in the first half of last year’s championship game, as the Golden Lions had gone 4-for-22 from the field and 2-for-10 on three-pointers when they opened the third quarter trailing 27-14. But Lane drilled a trio of three-pointers in the third quarter to spark an 11-3 run, and suddenly the Knights’ lead had shrunk to four points. UpsonLee pulled away, but Lane ended up leading all scorers with 29 points and was 7-of-15 from beyond the arc.
UPSON-LEE U
KNIGHTS
•
30-0
•
REGION
2
pson-Lee survived an intense 52-51 battle with Sandy Creek in the semifinals that extended its winning streak to 62 games and set up a finals rematch with St. Pius. The Knights took down St. Pius 53-48 a year ago at McCamish Pavilion and clinched their first-ever state title in the process. Tye Fagan was a junior last season and finished with a team-high 20 points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocks in the championship game. Fagan’s incredible 2017 campaign earned him Class AAAA Player of the Year, and he returned this season to lead a team that was only losing two senior contributors. Fagan has continued to provide the Knights with a consistent superstar throughout their two-season-long winning streak and is arguably the best guard in the state. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard lifted the Knights past Sandy Creek in the semifinals with his gamehigh 23 points, while surpassing the 2,000-point mark for his career. Travon Walker is Upson-Lee’s junior big man and a 6-foot-6 double-double machine. Walker netted 13 points in Upson-Lee’s 53-44 win over Salem in the second round and added 20 rebounds and six blocks. In addition to Fagan and Walker, Upson-Lee boasts guards Zyrice Scott and Cameron Traylor, and senior JaCorey Smith. Smith chipped in 14 points and five rebounds in the semifinals, and Scott lit up Mary Persons with 31 points in the Region 2-AAAA championship on Feb. 9, a 78-56 Knights victory. Upson-Lee defeated Northside-Columbus (65-34), Salem (52-44) and LaFayette (70-40) in the first three rounds. Head coach Darrell Lockhart knows how tough it has been to maintain this unprecedented level of success and has kept this group patient and driven on its return to the finals. Lockhart also has instilled a defensive pride in his players that is stitched into their U-L identity.
No. Name
Pos.
1 2 3 5 10 11 12 13 14 21 22 23 24 25 30 35
G G W G W W G W W P G P W P W W
Matthew Gonzalo Brian Gonzalo Everett Lane Niko Broadway Finn McCurdy Jack Taube Steven Seramur Patrick Snipes Troy Stephens Zach Ranson Shemar Etienne Kennedy Willis Christian Mattei Ben Burnett Riley Costas Phillip Okafor
Gr. 11 11 12 11 12 12 11 11 12 11 11 12 12 11 11 11
Head Coach: Darrell Lockhart No. Name
Pos.
1 2 3 4 11 12 14 15 20 21 22 23 24 32 33
PG/SG/SF PG/SG PG/SG SG/PG PF/SF/C SG/SF PF/SF PF C/PF SG/PG PF/SF/SG C/PF SG/SF SG/SF SF
Jarrett Adderton Cameron Traylor Zyrice Scott Traquavius Johnson Alejandro Lockhart Basil Climons Antavious Scott Ziquan Brown Caleb Henry Javeon Walker JaCorey Smith Travon Walker Tavias Fagan Derrius Hayes Rodney Raines
Gr. 11 12 11 12 12 12 11 12 11 11 12 11 12 10 12
WWW.GHSA.NET | 21
GHSA 2018 STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
N. Gwinnett
Region 6 - Team 3
2017-2018 GHSA Class AAAAAAA Girls State Basketball Tournament
47 S. Forsyth
S. Forsyth
50
Archer
65
Region 5 - Team 2 Region 8 - Team 4
Norcross
Region 7 - Team 1
Pebblebrook
Region 2 - Team 3
H
Region 5 - Team 3
Mill Creek
Region 6 - Team 2
50
H
56 McEachern
44
57
N. Forsyth 51
H
N. Forsyth
43
38 Tift Co.
53
H
65 McEachern
67
63
Hillgrove 63
H
Hillgrove
51 McEachern
81
Buford City Arena 2:00 pm
71
60
Newton
Campbell 49
H
H
Feb. 16-17 Lambert
Grayson
N. Forsyth
74
H
18
Region 3 - Team 1
68
62
75
Etowah
McEachern
Norcross Norcross
50
Region 4 - Team 4
40
25
Tift Co.
Region 1 - Team 2
54
57
Feb. 21-22
Feb. 27-28
March 3
March 7-10
March 3
Feb. 27-28
Feb. 21-22
60 Westlake
40 H
50
H
Newton
46
Buford City Arena 6:00 pm
56 34
70
South Gwinnett H
Collins Hill
Central, Gwinnett 47
29
Region 7 - Team 4
Newton
Newton
77
Colquitt Co.
56
Region 8 - Team 1 Region 1 - Team 3
Wheeler
Region 2 - Team 2
N. Cobb
Region 3 - Team 4
Cherokee
Region 4 - Team 1
75
46
Collins Hill 97
H
Newton Colquitt Co.
52
65
H
Westlake
79
42
49
44
Marietta 45
®
H
Cherokee
68
46
59
H
Westlake
64
48
H
Mtn. View
Region 6 - Team 4
N. Forsyth
Region 5 - Team 1
Roswell
Region 4 - Team 3
Hillgrove
Region 3 - Team 2
Campbell
Region 2 - Team 4
Lowndes
Region 1 - Team 1
Parkview
Region 7 - Team 3
South Gwinnett
Region 8 - Team 2
W. Forsyth
Region 5 - Team 4
Collins Hill
Region 6 - Team 1
Marietta
Region 3 - Team 3
Woodstock
Region 4 - Team 2
43
Champion Cherokee
Brookwood
Region 7 - Team 2
Feb. 16-17 46
Lambert
Grayson
Region 8 - Team 3
72
Camden
At Large
Westlake 68
Runner-Up
H
Westlake
Region 2 - Team 1
FIRST, SECOND & THIRD ROUND INFORMATION: Higher-seeded team will host. If both teams are the same seed, a “universal― GHSA coin flip will determine the host school. Minimum seating capacity: 7A, 6A & 5A - 1,200; 4A - 1,000; 3A & 2A - 700; A - 500 (with bleachers on both sides & 50% of seating offered to visiting team’s spectators). FINALS: The (H) printed in the bracket indicates the designated host school if playing at neutral site.
NEWTON
WESTLAKE
22 | WWW.GHSA.NET
CLASS AAAAAAA GIRLS SATURDAY
6:00 PM
3.10.18
GEORGIA TECH | MARCH 9 - 10, 2018
MCEACHERN HAD WON 23 STRAIGHT POSTSEASON GAMES BEFORE NEWTON’S 66-57 WIN OVER THE INDIANS IN LAST WEEK’S SEMIS.
DID YOU KNOW?
NEWTON T
RAMS
•
28-3
•
REGION
8
he Newton girls are making their first trip to the state finals since 1963 and are looking for their firstever state title. But not only did the Lady Rams reach their first championship game in 55 years, they did it in style, coming back from a huge second-half deficit to take down four-time defending champion McEachern, which had won 23 straight state-playoff games. Newton trailed by 18 points at home, 43-25, after McEachern scored on its first possession of the third quarter. But the Lady Rams held McEachern scoreless until 2:36 remaining in the period and finally took the lead with 5:38 remaining in the game on a Lexii Chatman three-pointer. Chatman led Newton with 20 points, helped by 15 points from Jurnee Smith and eight points from Erianna Card. “We’ve been talking about everybody knows Norcross, everybody knows McEachern, everybody knows Westlake,” Newton head coach Tiffani Johnson told the AJC’s Stan Awtrey after her team’s semifinal win. “We’ve been putting in work for a long time. It’s nice to put our name up there so everybody knows who we are.” Despite a 24-3 record after the region tournament (the team beat South Gwinnett 60-44 for the Region 8 title), Newton entered the playoffs as just the No. 7 team in the state with a stacked field. The Lady Rams took down Central Gwinnett (77-47) and Lambert (46-40) in the first two rounds before facing adversity in their home quarterfinals game against No. 4 Cherokee. Newton trailed 53-48 heading into the fourth quarter, but Card’s late two-point jumper gave her team a 68-66 lead it would not relinquish. Jurnee Smith went 7-of-8 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter, and Je-nya Smith was 6-of-8 from the stripe to help Newton hang on for the 66-57 victory.
WESTLAKE W
LIONS
•
29-1
•
REGION
2
estlake is looking to cap off a dominant season in which it has spent all year at No. 1 and gone undefeated against Georgia competition, only losing once overall (to Kentucky power Mercer County). The Lady Lions are in uncharted territory for the program with this trip to the finals; previously, the team was 0-4 all-time in the semifinals, all under head coach Hilda Hankerson, who has led Westlake since 1998. The team has made the state playoffs 19 times in Hankerson’s 21 seasons and has made the quarterfinals the past three. Westlake started the playoffs in top form in the first two rounds, defeating Camden County (68-43) and Marietta (7249) to set up a much-anticipated quarterfinals matchup with No. 2 Collins Hill. Despite having to travel to Gwinnett County after losing a coin flip, the Lady Lions proceeded to rout Collins Hill 59-34 behind 23 points from senior guard Anastasia Warren. After going down 17-14 with 5:25 left in the first half, Westlake controlled the game from there, allowing just 21 points over the last three quarters. Last Saturday, the Lady Lions punched their ticket to the final with a 52-44 win over No. 5 North Forsyth. Westlake got a much tougher test against a scrappy Lady Raiders squad, which led 36-34 midway through the fourth quarter using a slow-down game plan. But then Westlake exploded to take the lead, going on an 11-0 run in the final period. Warren again led the team with 13 points. Freshman sensation Raven Johnson, a guard, scored 11 points, as did senior swing player Taylor Hosendove. The trio leads an unusually balanced scoring attack, as both Warren and Hosendove average 11.4 points per game while Johnson averages 10.6 per game, the only three Westlake players in doublefigures. The Lady Lions have another three players averaging better than six points per game.
Head Coach: Tiffani Johnson No. Name Pos. 0 1 2 3 4 5 15 21 24 23 22 32 12 10 11
Takiya Cotton Diamond Swift Tamaya Freeman Alexcia Chatman Jada Franklin Efia Edwards Erianna Card Je-nya Smith Rayvaen Lewis Jurnee Smith AR’onne Hickson Rachel Hilliard Tijuanna Freeman Ashanti Wright MaKayla Cushion
PG PG/SG G SG F G F G/F P PG/G P P G G/F G
Gr. 12 11 12 12 11 12 12 10 10 12 11 11 10 10 10
Head Coach: Hilda Hankerson No. Name
Pos.
4 5 10 11 15 20 21 25 30 31 33 41 53 55
P/SG F G G/F F G F P/G G SG F/SG G C/F C
Anastasia Warren LaBreshia Raven Kennedy Hansberry Taylor Hosendove Simone Lett Carlyse Hooks Kailyn Jackson Raven Johnson Ryann Woodley Shekinah Howard Brianna Turnage Olympia Chaney Paris Mullins Lydia Freeman
Gr. 12 11 12 12 12 10 12 9 10 12 9 9 11 10
WWW.GHSA.NET | 23
GHSA 2018 STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS Duluth
Region 6 - Team 3
W. Forsyth
Region 5 - Team 2
Archer
Region 8 - Team 4
Duluth H
57
Walton
47
McEachern
Region 5 - Team 3
87
Buford City Arena 4:00 pm
Feb. 27-28
67 H
Campbell 79
Norcross
Campbell 64 H
March 3
March 7-10
March 3
Feb. 27-28
Feb. 21-22
Meadowcreek
81 H Newton
66
Newton Wheeler
N. Cobb
30
62 H
Grayson
85
H
67
73
87
Grayson
38
Newton
Wheeler
75
Buford City Arena 8:00 pm
66
55
PT Ridge 53 H
Grayson
49
60
44
Roswell
®
H
Wheeler
81
66
Pebblebrook
Champion Etowah
57
48 H
64
S. Gwinnett
Region 8 - Team 3
Meadowcreek
Region 7 - Team 2
Mill Creek
Region 6 - Team 4
Lambert
Region 5 - Team 1
Woodstock
Region 4 - Team 3
Kennesaw Mtn.
Region 3 - Team 2
Campbell
Region 2 - Team 4
Tift Co.
Region 1 - Team 1
Feb. 16-17 48
H
56
Etowah
57
72
Mountain View
Lowndes
Region 4 - Team 1
55
Woodstock
43
92
Region 3 - Team 4
85 H
Meadowcreek
71 McEachern
Feb. 21-22
Newton
Region 2 - Team 2
57
Lambert
H
63
Region 1 - Team 3
86
49
71
Central, Gwinett
Region 8 - Team 1
47
73
McEachern
78
Region 7 - Team 4
43 H
Meadowcreek
88
H
Mountain View
Region 6 - Team 2
67
Norcross
Feb. 16-17 Milton
Meadowcreek
61
Westlake 51
Region 3 - Team 1
75
H
Colquitt Co.
Region 4 - Team 4
Norcross Norcross
Westlake
Region 1 - Team 2
56
62
77
Region 2 - Team 3
63
34
55
Norcross
Region 7 - Team 1
2017-2018 GHSA Class AAAAAAA Boys State Basketball Tournament
80
Berkmar
Region 7 - Team 3
Grayson
Region 8 - Team 2
S. Forsyth
Region 5 - Team 4
PT Ridge
Region 6 - Team 1
Hillgrove
Region 3 - Team 3
Roswell
62 H
Region 4 - Team 2
56
Collins Hill
79 H
Region 2 - Team 1
At Large
Pebblebrook
Runner-Up
Pebblebrook
FIRST, SECOND & THIRD ROUND INFORMATION: Higher-seeded team will host. If both teams are the same seed, a “universal― GHSA coin flip will determine the host school. Minimum seating capacity: 7A, 6A & 5A - 1,200; 4A - 1,000; 3A & 2A - 700; A - 500 (with bleachers on both sides & 50% of seating offered to visiting team’s spectators). FINALS: The (H) printed in the bracket indicates the designated host school if playing at neutral site.
NORCROSS
MEADOWCREEK
24 | WWW.GHSA.NET
CLASS AAAAAAA BOYS SATURDAY
8:00 PM
3.10.18
GEORGIA TECH | MARCH 9 - 10, 2018
DID YOU KNOW?
NORCROSS J
NO. 2 RANKED NORCROSS DEFEATED NO. 1 MCEACHERN (75-55) IN THE QUARTERFINALS AND NO. 3 NEWTON (86-66) IN THE SEMIFINALS.
BLUE DEVILS • 28-3 • REGION 7
esse McMillan’s Norcross team won five titles in the state’s highest classification in eight years, 200613, in one of the most dominant stretches the state has ever seen. In the four seasons since, the Blue Devils have lost in the finals twice (to Tift County both times) and once each in the quarterfinals and second round. After another strong regular season, Norcross won the Region 7 tournament championship game 53-52 over Meadowcreek with a buzzer-beating three-pointer from junior Kyle Sturdivant, his second over the Mustangs in a month. The dramatic win set the playoff stage for the No. 2-ranked Blue Devils, who easily handled Walton (71-47) and Westlake (87-49) in the first two rounds of the state tourney. The Blue Devils then prepared for a quarterfinals clash against McEachern, the preseason favorite and top-ranked team heading into the postseason. The Indians were also ranked in the top 10 by several national polls and were looking to finish the season as the wire-to-wire No. 1 but had to travel to Norcross due to a third-round coin flip to determine home court for the two No. 1 seeds. Norcross controlled the game from the opening tip, leading 24-8 after the first quarter and cruising to a 75-55 win. Brandon Boston led the way with 25 points. Sturdivant, the Region 7 Player of the Year, scored 12 points, and junior post player Issa Muhammad had 14 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks. In the semifinals, No. 3 Newton and its 5-star guard Ashton Hagans stood in the Blue Devils’ way. But Norcross prevailed convincingly again, beating Newton 86-66 at Buford City Arena behind 23 points from Boston and 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists from Sturdivant. Norcross has just one loss to a Georgia team and is 3-0 against Meadowcreek, with one 15-point win and two one-point wins.
MEADOWCREEK U
MUSTANGS • 24-6 • REGION 7
nlike their crosstown rival Norcross, Meadowcreek is looking for its first-ever boys state title. The Mustangs entered the playoffs at No. 6 in the state, having lost to Norcross three times and once each to strong teams in Pebblebrook, Morgan County and Virginia powerhouse Paul VI. Curtis Gilleylen’s team recovered quickly from its last-second loss in the Region 7 tournament title game to Norcross, dispatching South Gwinnett (43-34), Lambert (56-47) and Campbell (67-57) in the first three rounds of the state tourney to reach the program’s first semifinals. But Meadowcreek had a major test in the semifinals with No. 8 Grayson. The Mustangs held a three-point lead over the Rams in the waning seconds and decided to foul Grayson’s D.J. Williams before he could get off a potential game-tying three-pointer. Williams made the first and intentionally missed the second, but Meadowcreek’s Cory Hightower grabbed the ball off the carom to seal the win and send the team to its first state final. Hightower had a huge game with 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists, and Jamir Chapman matched his scoring total with 18 points to go with seven rebounds. Amari Kelly had 10 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. Dequarius Nichols hit three of four free throws in the final 33 seconds to help preserve Meadowcreek’s historic win. “This means a bunch,” Gilleylen said to the AJC’s Stan Awtrey after the semis win. “We’ve kind of been the forgot-about program for a while, and now we’re making a statement, saying Meadowcreek athletics is a premier athletic program. And we want to win it all. We feel like we’ve got some unfinished business. We know our foe is going to be formidable, we know them very well, a very talented team, but we’ve got some talent in our locker room, as well.”
Head Coach: Jesse McMillan No. Name
Pos.
Gr.
0
Issa Muhammad
F
11
1
Alonzo Johnson
G
11
2
Jevon Lowry
G
12
3
Kyle Sturdivant
G
11
5
Joseph Toppin
SF
12
10
Louis Williams
F
11
11
Brandon Boston
G
10
12
Dalvin White
G
12
20
Reco Virgil
G
12
21
Shelton Zeon
F
12
22
Caleb Murphy
G
10
23
Jaekwon Kyles
SF
12
24
Ashton Malone
G
9
25
Kevon Eskridge
G
10
Head Coach: Curtis Gilleylen No. Name
Pos.
Gr.
3 4 5 10 12 20 22 23 24 25 34 40 42 44
PG/SG PG PG PG PF SF SG PF/C SG SG G G G SF/PF
11 12 9 11 12 11 12 12 11 11 9 9 12 11
Dawit Cridland Dequarius Nicholas Kendrick Green Jaylen Cole-Williams Cory Hightower Dah’ Shaun Witlock Samuel Johnson Amari Kelly Jamir Chaplin Emmanuel Collier Corey Bliss Tim Lawrence Cecil James Muaz Ahmed
WWW.GHSA.NET | 25
GHSA 2018 STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
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