Tonight is a good night for games that some rivalry games that could shape the way the standings look.
Boys
Johnson at Jenkins, Friday: Jenkins, the reigning AAA champion, can take a big step toward sewing up the Region 1-AAA Div. B championship by beating Savannah-area rival Johnson. The Warriors (16-2, 8-0) have won 13 straight games and feature four players in double figure scoring, led by Trevion Lamar (16.8). Johnson (13-5, 7-1) is averaging 70 points, with Da'Monte Green scoring a team-high 17.8 points. This is the first meeting between the two this season.
Southwest at Westside, Friday: The two Macon schools will be battling for undisputed possession of second place in Region 2-AAA. Southwest (14-5, 10-2) brings two 20-point scorers to the game: Jordan Slocum (21.5) and Nick Hargrove (20.7). Westside (15-4, 10-2) is led by Khavon Moore (21.2 points) and averages 74 points. Southwest won the first meeting by 12 points in November.
Girls
South Atlanta at Jackson, Friday: Jackson puts its 16-game winning streak on the line. The Jaguars (18-1, 5-0) have a high scoring team led by Keimeshia Walker (20 points) and defeated the Vikings by 14 in their first meeting. South Atlanta (11-6, 4-2) could move into second place in Region 4-AAA Division A with a win.
Gainesville at East Hall, Friday: This non-region game won't affect the standings, but there's a lot of pride on the line for both teams. East Hall (18-2) has won three big region games in a row, a stretch which includes handing Dawson County its first loss of the season. Now the Vikings get to step up in weight class to meet Class AAAAA rival Gainesville (14-3). The teams have split two previous meetings.
Here's an assessment of the girls basketball races in each region:
Region 1: In Division A, Dodge County (12-3, 8-2) and Tattnall County (14-4, 6-3) are the leaders. Dodge also has the advantage based on its two victories over Tattnall, including a three-point win on Tuesday night. In Division B, Beach (17-3, 9-0) has won 10 straight and plays third-place Savannah (10-9, 6-3) on Friday night. Johnson (14-5, 8-1) suffered its only region loss to Beach and has a rematch – and a shot at a share for first place – on Tuesday.
Region 2: Kendrick (19-1, 11-0) has been one of the hottest teams in the state, rolling off 15 consecutive wins. Brittany Thompson, the team's top scorer, turned an ankle on Tuesday but is expected to return soon, maybe even Friday night. Kendrick has a two-game lead on Peach County (15-2, 10-2), with Central Macon (11-6, 9-2) a half game further back. Kendrick has beaten Peach twice and won its first meeting with Central by 17 points.
Region 3-AAA: Three good teams sit atop the standings: Laney (16-4, 7-0), Josey (15-3, 6-1) and Washington County (13-5, 5-2). Laney defeated the two others in the first meeting and will conclude the season against them. Josey beat Washington County the first time and the two meet again on Jan. 26.
Region 4-AAA: In Division A, Jackson (18-1, 5-0) has won 16 straight games for coach Michelle Powell. The Jaguars are being chased by North Clayton (9-4, 5-1) and South Atlanta (11-6, 4-2), Jackson's opponent on Friday night. In Division B, Westminster (14-5, 5-0) leads Decatur (7-11, 5-2) by two games. The two teams meet on Tuesday at Decatur.
Region 5-AAA: Haralson County (19-1, 4-0) has a two-game lead on the rest of the pack. The Rebels have a classification-best 19-game winning streak.
Region 6-AAA: Ringgold (16-2, 12-0) has put a little distance between itself and the other contenders after road wins at Sonoraville and Calhoun. The Tigers have swept both Calhoun (13-6, 9-2) and Sonoraville (14-4, 7-3), which leaves those two battling for second place. They play for the second time on Jan. 30; Calhoun won the first meeting.
Region 7-AAA: Dawson County (18-2, 6-1) and East Hall (16-4, 7-1) are at the top of the standings and have split their two games. This league is one of the deepest in the state, with Franklin County (15-6), West Hall (11-8) and Banks County (11-9) all dangerous. A pretty decent team is going to miss the state playoffs, something you can't say about most regions.
Region 8-AAA: Morgan County (17-3, 8-0) has won 14 straight and Hart County (18-3, 7-1) has won four straight. Morgaon won the first meeting in Hartwell by 11 points and the two clubs finish the season against each other in a game that could determine first place. Jefferson (14-5, 5-3) is still in the mix but can't afford another loss if it wants to be in the top two.
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