The Buford girls and boys are both back in the Elite Eight. That should come as no surprise, since the two programs are among the state’s elite. The girls are shooting for their fourth straight championship, the boys their second straight and third in the last four years.
The road has been different for each. The girls entered the season with expectations of contending for another title. The boys had a more difficult path, with only one starter returning from last year’s team. Both remain three wins from another championship in their final season in Class AAAAA.
The Buford girls (28-1) suffered its only loss on Jan. 25 against Class A Private rival Wesleyan, a two-point setback that ended a 34-game game winning streak. The Wolves have won six straight since then by an average of 28.5 points. The loss was beneficial, Buford coach Gene Durden said.
“I know it sounds crazy, but one of my goals as a coach is never to be undefeated,” Durden said. “If I’m sitting here and we haven’t lost a game, I don’t know where our weaknesses are. We play a great schedule and we’re looking for the experience of playing those tough games. I think that has prepared us for those tough games.”
Durden said the experience of playing against an all-state player like Wesleyan’s A.C. Carter helped the team prepare for Wayne County’s dynamic Terren Ward.
“That’s a key because we’ve already seen that type of player,” Durden said. “It really helps.”
Although Buford lost numerous key players from last year, the Wolves bring more of a plug-and-play approach into the system. Tate Walters, the Region 8 Player of the Year, was among the returning players. But the Wolves pride themselves on a deep bench and there is very little dropoff between the two waves Durden uses.
“I though their second group was as good as the first,” said Wayne County coach Kala Hires Hobbs.
The boys had plenty of holes to fill, with Caleb Williams the only returner. It helped that the Wolves got a pair of senior move-ins, one of whom Sebastian Augusteve made the all-region team. The other was 6-foot-11 James Munlyn Jr.
“It’s been a blend of two new seniors and a bunch of young kids trying to blend them together,” coach Eddie Martin said. “It took some time to blend them, but I think they’ve gotten to the point now where they can understand how each other plays.”
The Wolves began to become a cohesive until around the time they went to Panama City for a Christmas Tournament, which they won. They returned home and played poorly in a couple of games before responding with a close loss at Cedar Shoals.
“In some ways that was the turning point, because our kids felt like, ‘hey, we can play with these folks.’ And from that point right there, I think the kids have come together.”
The Buford girls will host Carrollton in the third round on Tuesday at 6 p.m. The Trojans are led by junior De’Mauri Flournoy, the Region 7 Player of the Year. Flournoy is a 5-foot-8 guard has offers from Purdue, Georgia State, Belmont and Mercer, among others.
The Buford boys will host Kell in the quarterfinals on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The Longhorns have an explosive offensive team that scored 92 in the opening round to beat Miller Grove. Sophomore point guard Scoota Henderson is one of the state’s most electric young players; he scored 49 in the Miller Grove game and already has offers from Georgia Tech, Georgia and most of the Division I programs in the Southeast. Henderson was named the Region 7 Player of the Year.
In other quarterfinal boys games:
Clarke Central at Southwest DeKalb, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.: Both teams have been seemingly overshadowed within their own regions for most of the year, but are playing their best basketball when it counts the most. Clarke's Jaiquez Smith came up big with 23 points in the second-round upset of No. 1 Eagle's Landing. The Gladiators will be tested by the Southwest DeKalb offense led by Ohio State signee Eugene Brown III and all-region choice Kusamae Draper.
Lithonia at Cedar Shoals, Wednesday, 7 p.m.: Should be a monster game, with Lithonia and Cedar Shoals spending many weeks this season ranked No. 1 and No. 1. Lithonia has already eliminated No. 9 Hiram and No. 7 Veterans and will try to make it three straight road wins against No. 3 Cedar Shoals. Eric Gaines, the Region 5 Player of the Year, leads a veteran Lithonia team. Quincy Canty, the Region 8 Player of the Year, and Tyler Johnson are one of the best one-two punches in the state.
Columbia at Dutchtown, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.: Dutchtown is back in the Elite Eight for the third straight year. The No. 2-ranked Bulldogs are led by Region 4 Player of the Year Jamaine Mann, who averages 17.4 points, Cameron Bryant (15.1 points) and Kameron Hobbs (12.5). Dutchtown rallied late to survive a second-round scare from Riverwood. Columbia will be on the road for the first time. The Eagles are led by All-Region 5 choice Devin Longstreet, who had 23 points and 17 against Bainbridge in the second round, and playmaking guard Kawasiki Ricks.
In other quarterfinal girls games:
Veterans at Eagle's Landing, Tuesday, 6 p.m.: No. 7 Veterans has survived threats from Griffin and Rome before posting comeback wins in the first two rounds. Kennesaw State signee Stacie Jones, Tamia Luckey, Zykeria Jekins and Keliyah Johnson are the leaders for the Warhawks. No. 9 Eagle's Landing, playing its aggressive brand of defense, won its first two games with ease. Jaleah Storr is the co-player of the year in Region 4 and Jasmine Akins and Mariyah Fletcher were also first-team choices. Kayla Stafford scored 23 in the win over Riverwood.
Jones County at Kell, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.: No. 1 Kell (30-0) is the only unbeaten team remaining in the playoffs. The Longhorns have yet to be tested in the playoffs, winning by 32 and 26 points. Crystal Henderson and Kya Williams are the top players on the team, along with Jada Green and Amaya Moss. Jones County has won close games against No. 3 Statesboro and surging Lithia Springs to reach the quarterfinal round. The Greyhounds are led by Lu Wolfolk, the co-player of the year in Region 4, Jada Morgan and Courtnee Wimberly.
Arabia Mountain at Woodland, Tuesday, 6 p.m.: Two excellent defensive squads will oppose each other in this game. Arabia Mountain has slowed down Villa Rica and No. 5 Starr's Mill in the first two rounds, winning its last game in overtime. Myori Pruitt, the team's freshman point guard, and Sydney Bunkley lead the Rams. Woodland limited New Hampstead to 11 points in the first round and outlasted Maynard Jackson in the second round. Woodland is led by Sambresha Everett and Mya Geddis, a pair of all-region players, along with Nia Lawrence and Rayevan Freeman.
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