McEachern’s boys and Norcross’s girls are the state’s hottest basketball teams, and they will start ranked No. 1 in Class AAAAAAA in the first Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll of 2017.
McEachern (12-0) last week won the Tournament of Champions Holiday Classic at Wheeler High in Marietta, winning four games in four days.
In the semifinals, the Indians defeated previously unbeaten Scotlandville Magnet of Baton Rouge, La., 52-51. Scotlandville is ranked No. 15 nationally in MaxPreps’ Xcellent 25.
McEachern also defeated Oak Ridge, the No. 2 team in Florida’s Class 9A, in the second round and host Wheeler in the final. Wheeler also has held national rankings this season.
In another division of the Wheeler tournament, Pebblebrook defeated Norcross 77-69 in the championship game. Norcross entered ranked No. 19 nationally by MaxPreps. Pebblebrook is now No. 3 in AAAAAAA. Norcross is No. 4.
The No. 2 team is Newton (13-0), which won the Farm Bureau Classic in South Carolina. Newton defeated Spartanburg Day, the No. 3 team overall in South Carolina per MaxPreps, 73-64.
The top girls team in any classification so far has been Norcross, which is ranked No. 8 nationally by MaxPreps. Norcross (14-1) has lost only to another top-10 nationally ranked team, Monacan of Richmond, Va., 58-57 before Christmas.
BOYS
Class AAAAAAA
1. McEachern (12-0)
2. Newton (13-0)
3. Pebblebrook (8-4)
4. Norcross (13-3)
5. Westlake (8-5)
6. Wheeler (10-4)
7. Tift County (13-1)
8. Berkmar (10-5)
9. Collins Hill (13-3)
10. Colquitt County (12-2)
Class AAAAAA
1. Gainesville (13-0)
2. Jonesboro (10-4)
3. South Paulding (12-1)
4. Hughes (9-4)
5. Heritage-Conyers (9-3)
6. South Cobb (12-2)
7. Brunswick (11-2)
8. Alpharetta (15-1)
9. Alexander (10-4)
10. Dacula (8-4)
Class AAAAA
1. Buford (11-2)
2. Miller Grove (9-6)
3. Cedar Shoals (12-2)
4. Eagle's Landing (10-2)
5. Fayette County (11-3)
6. Warner Robins (11-3)
7. Southwest DeKalb (10-6)
8. New Hampstead (10-4)
9. Columbia (9-5)
10. Union Grove (11-3)
Class AAAA
1. Sandy Creek (8-3)
2. Upson-Lee (15-0)
3. Henry County (12-5)
4. LaGrange (11-2)
5. Richmond Academy (12-3)
6. Eastside (9-4)
7. Perry (11-3)
8. Americus-Sumter (10-3)
9. Carver-Columbus (11-3)
10. Cartersville (8-2)
Class AAA
1. Morgan County (8-3)
2. Central-Macon (9-1)
3. Greater Atlanta Christian (10-3)
4. Liberty County (8-5)
5. Westside (9-3)
6. Islands (10-3)
7. Jenkins (9-6)
8. Cedar Grove (5-4)
9. Johnson-Savannah (8-5)
10. Pace Academy (4-7)
Class AA
1. South Atlanta (12-1)
2. Josey (12-2)
3. Butler (6-5)
4. Early County (8-2)
5. Laney (8-3)
6. Glenn Hills (9-5)
7. Therrell (9-5)
8. Dublin (8-4)
9. Thomasville (6-5)
10. Putnam County (10-3)
Class A (Private)
1. Greenforest Christian (10-2)
2. Southwest Atlanta Christian (7-5)
3. St. Francis (11-3)
4. North Cobb Christian (9-3)
5. Whitefield Academy (8-5)
6. Aquinas (9-1)
7. Lakeview Academy (8-4)
8. Holy Innocents' (6-4)
9. Tallulah Falls (13-0)
10. Darlington (8-3)
Class A (Public)
1. Calhoun County (9-0)
2. Treutlen (11-0)
3. Taylor County (7-2)
4. Wilkinson County (8-3)
5. Quitman County (11-1)
6. Crawford County (8-4)
7. Clinch County (10-1)
8. Twiggs County (7-5)
9. Wilcox County (10-2)
10. Central-Talbotton (8-3)
GIRLS
Class AAAAAAA
1. Norcross (14-1)
2. Collins Hill (13-1)
3. McEachern (9-5)
4. Mill Creek (14-1)
5. Archer (11-3)
6. Lambert (12-2)
7. Marietta (12-3)
8. Westlake (10-5)
9. Hillgrove (9-5)
10. Brookwood (11-4)
Class AAAAAA
1. Harrison (11-2)
2. Douglas County (13-2)
3. Winder-Barrow (8-4)
4. Northview (12-3)
5. Sequoyah (11-2)
6. Lovejoy (12-2)
7. Grovetown (10-5)
8. Stephenson (10-5)
9. Lanier (10-2)
10. Habersham Central (12-3)
Class AAAAA
1. Buford (11-0)
2. Warner Robins (13-0)
3. Flowery Branch (12-2)
4. Southwest DeKalb (12-4)
5. Griffin (13-0)
6. Jackson-Atlanta (10-1)
7. Carrollton (11-1)
8. Villa Rica (12-1)
9. Harris County (10-2)
10. Arabia Mountain (9-1)
Class AAAA
1. North Oconee (12-2)
2. Carver-Columbus (13-1)
3. Sandy Creek (7-2)
4. Cross Creek (11-4)
5. Perry (11-3)
6. Columbus (9-3)
7. West Hall (11-4)
8. Heritage-Ringgold (14-2)
9. Chestatee (14-3)
10. Northwest Whitfield (9-4)
Class AAA
1. Johnson-Savannah (12-1)
2. Beach (11-1)
3. Greater Atlanta Christian (10-4)
4. Hart County (12-2)
5. Ringgold (11-4)
6. Franklin County (10-4)
7. Calhoun (12-3)
8. Monroe (9-3)
9. Redan (10-2)
10. Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe (12-4)
Class AA
1. Laney (11-1)
2. Dodge County (10-1)
3. Model (10-4)
4. Fitzgerald (7-0)
5. Rabun County (13-1)
6. Vidalia (9-3)
7. Dade County (10-4)
8. Heard County (10-3)
9. Dublin (8-3)
10. Bryan County (9-2)
Class A (Private)
1. Wesleyan (10-2)
2. St. Francis (8-4)
3. Holy Innocents' (12-1)
4. Lakeview Academy (11-4)
5. Pinecrest Academy (8-2)
6. Calvary Day (9-2)
7. First Presbyterian (7-3)
8. Landmark Christian (9-4)
9. Stratford Academy (8-3)
10. Paideia (6-5)
Class A (Public)
1. Pelham (10-0)
2. Telfair County (10-1)
3. Wheeler County (12-2)
4. Greenville (10-1)
5. Macon County (6-2)
6. Treutlen (8-3)
7. Woodville-Tompkins (11-3)
8. Taylor County (8-3)
9. Terrell County (6-2)
10. Wilcox County (8-4)
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