Boys basketball rankings: Eagle’s Landing enters state tournament No. 1

ajc.com

Eagle’s Landing and Dutchtown have played three times, twice in games that went to overtime, then a rubber match last week for the Region 4-AAAAA championship. Eagle’s Landing won 54-52 after freshman David Thomas made two free throws in the final seconds.

Starting Friday, there won’t be any rematches for teams that lose. The state tournament begins, and everybody is facing a must-win situation.

But for now, Eagle’s Landing (24-3) is ranked No. 1 in Class AAAAA, and Dutchtown is No. 2. The Henry County rivals are on opposite sides of the draw, perhaps headed for a fourth showdown.

Lithonia, the No. 1 team in AAAAA since Christmas, dropped to No. 6 after surprisingly losing twice during its region tournament last week. Lithonia, relegated to the fourth seed from Region 5, now must travel to No. 9 Hiram in the first round.

The other No. 1 teams – Grayson, Tucker, Americus-Sumter, Pace Academy, Swainsboro, St. Francis and Treutlen – won the region championships and will open at home this weekend. Grayson, Americus-Sumter and Treutlen have never won state titles in boys basketball.

These are the final rankings until after the state finals, which will be held March 4-7 in Macon.

Class AAAAAAA

  1. Grayson (26-1)
  2. Shiloh (23-3)
  3. Milton (23-4)
  4. Norcross (24-3)
  5. McEachern (20-5)
  6. Wheeler (19-7)
  7. Cherokee (21-4)
  8. Berkmar (16-9)
  9. Newton (19-9)
  10. Archer (18-10)

Class AAAAAA

  1. Tucker (24-3)
  2. South Cobb (25-2)
  3. Tri-Cities (23-5)
  4. Lanier (22-5)
  5. Valdosta (23-3)
  6. Sequoyah (22-5)
  7. Hughes (19-8)
  8. Chattahoochee (20-7)
  9. Richmond Hill (23-4)
  10. Evans (20-6)

Class AAAAA

  1. Eagle's Landing (24-3)
  2. Dutchtown (23-4)
  3. Cedar Shoals (24-3)
  4. Buford (20-6)
  5. Warner Robins (21-4)
  6. Lithonia (24-3)
  7. Veterans (24-3)
  8. Kell (23-5)
  9. Hiram (22-6)
  10. Southwest DeKalb (16-12)

Class AAAA

  1. Americus-Sumter (27-0)
  2. Woodward Academy (25-2)
  3. Sandy Creek (23-4)
  4. Denmark (23-5)
  5. Cross Creek (21-6)
  6. Chapel Hill (19-8)
  7. LaFayette (23-2)
  8. St. Pius (20-7)
  9. Upson-Lee (19-7)
  10. Blessed Trinity (17-9)

Class AAA

  1. Pace Academy (23-4)
  2. Windsor Forest (23-4)
  3. Dawson County (25-2)
  4. Jefferson (18-7)
  5. Monroe (19-6)
  6. Johnson-Savannah (20-7)
  7. Westminster (18-9)
  8. Lovett (20-7)
  9. Greater Atlanta Christian (20-8)
  10. Long County (23-4)

Class AA

  1. Swainsboro (25-2)
  2. Glenn Hills (20-7)
  3. Therrell (21-7)
  4. Douglass (19-8)
  5. Spencer (21-3)
  6. Washington County (18-6)
  7. Butler (18-6)
  8. Laney (20-8)
  9. Banks County (23-4)
  10. Thomasville (21-4)

Class A-Private

  1. St. Francis (25-3)
  2. Greenforest Christian (17-9)
  3. Mount Pisgah Christian (20-7)
  4. Walker (20-7)
  5. Trinity Christian (17-10)
  6. Wesleyan (16-7)
  7. Pinecrest Academy (15-12)
  8. Galloway (22-6)
  9. Providence Christian (24-2)
  10. Riverside Military (16-11)

Class A-Public

  1. Treutlen (27-0)
  2. Wilcox County (25-0)
  3. Terrell County (23-2)
  4. Calhoun County (23-3)
  5. Hancock Central (24-3)
  6. Wilkinson County (19-9)
  7. Drew Charter (17-8)
  8. Lanier County (21-5)
  9. Dooly County (20-6)
  10. Mitchell County (18-5)