AJC > Sports > Highschools > Blog > Archives > 2007 > March > 05 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USWhich No. 1 team is most vulnerable?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Which No. 1 team has the best chance of getting knocked off: Greater Atlanta Christian girls, Collins Hill girls or Norcross boys?
Norcross has cruised into the semifinals with little resistance. Seeing Peachtree Ridge, the last team to beat the top-ranked Blue Devils, fall in the quarterfinals has to be somewhat of a relief for the defending champs. If Eddie Martin’s well-assembled team gets past Tift County, they’ll face the winner of unranked M.L. King and No. 7 Centennial, which was impressive in its quarterfinal victory over No. 4 Peachtree Ridge.
Greater Atlanta Christian, which starts five seniors, is 30-1 and has won 19 straight, thanks to a suffocating defense and solid bench play. A finals showdown with three-time defending champion Wesleyan might be tougher than their three previous meetings this season, all GAC victories.
Collins Hill has the toughest road, with Thursday’s game with No. 2 Stephenson, followed by a possible title-game rematch with No. 3 South Gwinnett. Stephenson is responsible for the only playoff loss of Maya Moore’s illustrious career.
Permalink | Comments (14) | Post your comment | Categories: David Purdum
Comments
By Devil Lover
March 5, 2007 4:57 PM | Link to this
Norcross had the hardest road to the final four. They had to play no 8 Wheeler, no 2 Meadowcreek and no 7 Marietta. Now they have to play unranked Tift Co who has beaten three good teams and then the winner of the ML King and no 7 Centennial game. Centennial has won 20 straight games and probably the hotest 5-AAAAA team still standing.
Last year Wheeler had the hardest road to the final four and were upset by Beach in the semi final game.
It is very hard to stay focused through a championship run. There are lots of distractions along the way.
If Norcross can finish their business by winning the last two games they should be placed in a special category of winning programs like Wheeler.
By Derrick Mahone
March 5, 2007 5:29 PM | Link to this
The Collins Hill-Stephenson game looks like it could be a classic. For Norcross boys, the key now is staying focus after big wins over quality teams like Wheeler, Meadowcreek and Marietta.
By Wildcat Fan
March 5, 2007 6:29 PM | Link to this
You are already putting GAC in the title game with Wesleyan. Neither one of those teams might make it if Randolph-Clay and Laney has something to say about that.
By David P.
March 5, 2007 11:54 PM | Link to this
Wildcat Fan … Valid point, but I’ll take GAC and Wesleyan. And don’t count out Wesleyan in the finals. It’s awfully hard to be a team four times in one season.
As far as Norcross, they very well may be the best Georgia team in recent memory, if not ever. Though, their losses in the national tournaments say otherwise.
I liked what the Marietta coach said, “Pretty well-assembled team.”
By Blue Devil Block
March 6, 2007 9:35 AM | Link to this
Hey David, I know we are in the heat of high school basketball finals and you guys are giving it a lot of coverage, rightly so. But does anyone at the AJC know that high school baseball is underway? Where is the love for high school baseball?
By azcat225
March 6, 2007 10:43 AM | Link to this
Norcross had their title match in the first round. Every game since then has been less and less of a challenge. As long as they show up on time for the last two games, they will be state champions again. AAAAA basketball outside of the metro area is a joke this year.
By David P.
March 6, 2007 12:34 PM | Link to this
Blue Devil Block … Early-season baseball is tough, especially with the state hoops tourney. The same thing happens to early basketball when the football playoffs are going on.
Baseball will get its due soon enough …
By Wildcat Fan
March 6, 2007 1:48 PM | Link to this
Hey David… We shall see about all of that Thursday… I hope you are wrong… Most folks know about GAC (#1 ranked most of season and last years runner up) and Wesleyan (3 str8 state titles) because they have gotten more publicity but I know Laney (who has returned just about everyone including a Hephzibah transfer) from last year’s Elite Eight team that lost to Wesleyan) has a team that’s capable of pulling off the upset though in my mind it wouldn’t be an upset. I’m sure the Randolph-Clay team who is undefeated and fans feel the same way concerning Wesleyan.
By Alex
March 6, 2007 10:18 PM | Link to this
Sorry Blue Devil Block. Just like basketball was not talked about until after football was all said and done, which for high school football in Georgia gets coverage well into January, baseball will not get coverage until basketball is all wrapped up. I know it’s a harsh reality, but I think you will manage to live.
By coach
March 9, 2007 7:18 AM | Link to this
Norcross has one more test tonight. Dont’ miss it be there…
By the hater
March 9, 2007 10:40 AM | Link to this
f—- norcross they recruit everybody the damn country.
By richard
March 9, 2007 11:15 AM | Link to this
To all you devil lovers you should be ashamed of you b-ball program. With all the illegal recruits is a wonder that anybody in the state of georgia has beaten u. Get your kids honest, from your area school district and zones. Stop hurting your local school kids who has to take a back seat to illegal recruits. Your coach should be ashamed not proud, because no one knows if he can really coach or not. Maybe the Norcross coach had left Gani Lawal alone and he had finished at Riverdale. Just maybe riverdale would have beaten columbia, who’s Ga.’s second rated high school of illegal recruiting next to Norcross. So congrat’s on your perfect assembled team and you should win tonight but I can asure you it’s a win that will not be respected by most in this state. By the way Norcross, please leave Rome’s HS, 6-10 post player alone, or has he already transfered.
By 07devil
March 10, 2007 11:34 AM | Link to this
ouch richard, that hurts. but everyone is entitled to their opinion and their opportunity to voice that opinion. glad that by the time i finish posting this blog and go on celebrating a state championship with my school your opinion wont matter anymore. norcross gets transfers…ok. its been stated and restated and restated, debated, cursed, whatever…but as long as norcross remains a dominate force in the state it will keep happening. maybe if you went to norcross or were part of the program you would understand. i hate that you down coach martin so badly, he’s such a nice man and a great coach. meet him, have a little chit chat with him and maybe your opinions will change when you have some real insight.
but anyways- congrats to the norcross boys for a second state championship! to anyone who saw the game, you know it was a challenge. gani pulled through and dominated the court, and amazed us with free throws, which is definately not his strongest quality. aminu continued to be the go-to guy. demercy dominated on D, tony was an amazing presence, taariq held his head high against his old school, and denzail just did what he always does. congrats boys and never let people’s opinions get you down.
and to any centennial fans, you truly should be ashamed. throwing drinks and ralley towels onto the court- thats a real statement of your class. good game nonetheless, you made the championship more worth it through the battle. best of luck in later seasons.
as for norcross basketball, just do what you know and do it the best. yall get ready for more al-farouq aminu, taariq muhammad, and denzail jones among other greats. keep boohooing about “recruiting”. whats this blog gonna change? if you truly think its a problem take some real action outside of an ajc blog and see how far that gets. i doubt it will go anywhere, the rules are set, and the blue devils know how to work them
GO NORCROSS
By richard
March 10, 2007 2:58 PM | Link to this
Well 07 devil your Norcross team won yet another undeserved championship. Your coach maybe a good man to many, but he truly lacks morals. Rewarding yourself, smiling, saying thank you to all the congrats. When deep inside he knows he truly didn’t deserve it. And you are right, probably nothing will happen if a complaint is filed. But many take notice spoken and unspoken.
I respect the coach that has to work a little harder. The coach that has to take a few yrs. of defeat to really apperciate his victories. I respect the coach who took his own area kids and a build a winner. I respect the coach who never chased another coach’es player which may have caused that coach to loose his job just so he can save his.
Your Norcross coach is a very self centered man. Who’s teaching his players that you don’t have to work hard when you can just work the system.