Boys basketball rankings: Swainsboro No. 1 in AA entering region tournaments

Swainsboro was upset in its region tournament last year and didn’t make the state playoffs. This season, the Tigers will enter their region tournament ranked No. 1 in Class AA as they chase after their first state title since 1996.

Swainsboro (23-2) moved to the top of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution rankings this week after previous No. 1, defending champion Therrell, was upset against Hapeville Charter last week.

Swainsboro has lost only to Statesboro, a AAAAA team, and Jeff Davis, a region rival that Swainsboro later defeated. Two years ago, Swainsboro made a run to the state finals but hasn’t won a state-playoff game since. The 2018 team lost in the first round, and the 2019 team, seeded No. 3 in its tournament, did not make it through.

The rankings remained relatively unchanged this week. Grayson, Lithonia, Pace Academy, St. Francis and Treutlen have been No. 1 since at least Christmas.

This week’s 56 region tournaments will seed the state tournament, which begins Feb. 14.

Class AAAAAAA

1. Grayson (24-1)
2. Norcross (23-2)
3. Shiloh (22-3)
4. Milton (21-4)
5. McEachern (18-5)
6. Wheeler (17-7)
7. Archer (17-8)
8. Newton (17-8)
9. East Coweta (17-8)
10. Cherokee (21-4)

Class AAAAAA

1. Tucker (21-3)
2. South Cobb (23-2)
3. Sequoyah (21-4)
4. Tri-Cities (20-5)
5. Hughes (18-7)
6. Lanier (20-5)
7. Chattahoochee (18-7)
8. Valdosta (21-3)
9. Grovetown (21-3)
10. Brunswick (17-8)

Class AAAAA

1. Lithonia (24-1)
2. Dutchtown (22-3)
3. Eagle's Landing (21-3)
4. Cedar Shoals (23-2)
5. Kell (21-4)
6. Veterans (23-2)
7. Buford (18-6)
8. Statesboro (20-5)
9. Warner Robins (19-4)
10. Miller Grove (17-9)

Class AAAA

1. Americus-Sumter (25-0)
2. Woodward Academy (22-2)
3. Sandy Creek (21-4)
4. Chapel Hill (18-7)
5. Denmark (20-5)
6. Cross Creek (19-6)
7. LaFayette (21-2)
8. Carver-Columbus (16-8)
9. Baldwin (13-8)
10. St. Pius (18-7)

Class AAA

1. Pace Academy (21-4)
2. Windsor Forest (21-4)
3. Johnson-Savannah (19-6)
4. Dawson County (23-2)
5. Hart County (22-3)
6. Monroe (19-6)
7. Lovett (18-6)
8. Westminster (16-8)
9. Greater Atlanta Christian (18-7)
10. North Murray (20-5)

Class AA

1. Swainsboro (23-2)
2. Glenn Hills (18-7)
3. Therrell (18-7)
4. Douglass (15-10)
5. Butler (17-5)
6. Jeff Davis (18-7)
7. Spencer (19-3)
8. Laney (18-7)
9. Washington County (16-6)
10. Banks County (21-4)

Class A-Private

1. St. Francis (22-3)
2. Greenforest Christian (14-9)
3. Mount Pisgah Christian (18-6)
4. Walker (18-6)
5. Trinity Christian (15-9)
6. Wesleyan (16-6)
7. North Cobb Christian (17-8)
8. Christian Heritage (20-3)
9. Providence Christian (24-1)
10. Pinecrest Academy (13-11)