Wheeler, Redan among favorites as state tourney resumes

The state basketball tournament is down to the final 40.

The 10 Final Fours will be played Wednesday through Saturday at the Gwinnett Arena (Classes AAAAA and AAAA) and the Macon Centreplex (AAA, AA and A).

Here are some things you might like to know:

The favorites

• Wheeler (Class AAAAA), Miller Grove (AAAA) and South Atlanta (AAA) are largely regarded as Georgia’s best boys teams. All are stocked with Division 1 talent. Too bad they’re in different classifications and can’t play each other.

• Redan (AAAAA), Fayette County (AAAA) and Model (AA) have not lost a girls game. The only undefeated girls state champion among the past 15 was Maya Moore’s Collins Hill team in 2007. Wesleyan (A), in pursuit of its sixth title in eight years, has won its three state playoff games by an average of 82-29.

The players

• South Atlanta center Derrick Favors, who plans to sign with Georgia Tech in April, has been rated the No. 1 college prospect in the nation by Scout.com.

Four other members of the Rivals150 are in the boys semis. They are Favors’ South Atlanta teammate Andre Malone (Auburn), Wheeler’s Richard Howell (North Carolina State) and Ari Stewart (Wake Forest) and Miller Grove’s Mfon Udofia (Georgia Tech).

• Five girls committed or signed to major Division 1 schools are playing. They are Southwest Atlanta Christian’s Mariah Chandler (Baylor), Wesleyan’s Anne Marie Armstrong (Georgia), Buford’s Blanche Alverson (Auburn), Marietta’s Telia McCall (Virginia) and Beach’s Monique Willis (South Carolina).

The coaches

• Wesleyan’s Jan Azar can become the third girls coach to win six state titles, joining N.P. Malcolm (Seminole County) and Norman Carter (Taylor County).

• Milton’s David Boyd and Wheeler’s Doug Lipscomb can become the 10th boys coaches to win five.

• GAC’s Eddie Martin can become the first to win titles at two schools in two seasons. He won with the Norcross boys in 2008.

The Cinderellas

• Five teams are in the semis for the first time. They are Blessed Trinity’s boys (AA), Athens Christian’s boys (A), Jonesboro’s girls (AAAA), Rutland’s girls (AAA) and Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe’s girls (AAA). It has been 51 years for Milton’s boys (AAAAA), 52 years for Richmond Academy’s boys (AAAA) and 54 years for Newnan’s boys (AAAA).

The trivia

• Bainbridge (AAAA) qualified for the boys and girls semifinals. Eight schools, including Wesleyan last season, have won both in the same year.

• The boys’ state tournament began in 1922, the girls’ in 1945. The semifinals have been played at more than 30 venues, including Georgia Tech’s Alexander Coliseum and Georgia’s Woodruff Hall.

• The Macon Centreplex, formerly called the Coliseum, is the most common semifinal venue. The first semifinals were played there 40 years ago. The Gwinnett Arena became the site for the AAAAA and AAAA semifinals in 2004.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

GIRLS

Class AAAAA

Semifinals

Thursday (at Gwinnett Arena)

Redan vs. Parkview, 4 p.m.

Beach vs. Marietta, 7 p.m.

Championship

Friday (at Gwinnett Arena)

Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.

Class AAAA

Semifinals

Wednesday (at Gwinnett Arena)

Bainbridge vs. Southwest DeKalb, 4 p.m.

Jonesboro vs. Fayette Co., 7 p.m.

Championship

Friday (at Gwinnett Arena)

Semifinal winners, 3 p.m.

Class AAA

Semifinals

Friday (at Macon Centreplex)

Rutland vs. Carrollton, 4 p.m.

Baldwin vs. Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe, 7 p.m.

Championship

Saturday (at Macon Centreplex)

Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.

Class AA

Semifinals

Thursday (at Macon Centreplex)

Henry Co. vs. Model, 4 p.m.

Laney vs. Buford, 7 p.m.

Championship

Saturday (at Macon Centreplex)

Semifinal winners, 3 p.m.

Class A

Semifinals

Today (at Macon Centreplex)

Randolph-Clay vs. Wesleyan, 4 p.m.

Savannah Country Day vs. SACA, 7 p.m.

Championship

Saturday (at Macon Centreplex)

Semifinal winners, 11 a.m.

BOYS

Class AAAAA

Semifinals

Thursday (at Gwinnett Arena)

Newnan vs. Milton, 5:30 p.m.

Westlake vs. Wheeler, 8:30 p.m.

Championship

Friday (at Gwinnett Arena)

Semifinal winners, 8:45 p.m.

Class AAAA

Semifinals

Today (at Gwinnett Arena)

Bainbridge vs. Tucker, 5:30 p.m.

Richmond Acad. vs. Miller Grove, 8:30 p.m.

Championship

Friday (at Gwinnett Arena)

Semifinal winners, 4:45 p.m.

Class AAA

Semifinals

Friday (at Macon Centreplex)

Westover vs. Gainesville, 5:30 p.m.

South Atlanta vs. Columbia, 8:30 p.m.

Championship

Saturday (at Macon Centreplex)

Semifinal winners, 8:45 p.m.

Class AA

Semifinals

Thursday (at Macon Centreplex)

>Greene Co. vs. Blessed Trinity, 5:30 p.m.

Dublin vs. Greater Atlanta Christ., 8:30 p.m.

Championship

Saturday (at Macon Centreplex)

Semifinal winners, 4:45 p.m.

Class A

Semifinals

Today (at Macon Centreplex)

Turner Co. vs. Athens Christian, 5:30 p.m.

Wilcox Co. vs. Whitefield Academy, 8:30 p.m.

Championship

Saturday (at Macon Centreplex)

Semifinal winners, 12:45 p.m.