Here are some predictions for the Class AAAAAAA tournaments. First, a few notes …
The boys’ draw is much deeper and more imbalanced than the girls’. For example, Campbell’s boys, which got the at-large berth as the top-rated fifth-place team, is the 17th-best team in the class, according to my friend Loren Maxwell, who used his famous computer ratings to help sort these out for me. Cherokee and Camden County, which meet in the first round, are not top-32 teams, but one will advance.
No. 3 Grayson and No. 4 Norcross are likely to meet in the second round, way too soon. A first-round meeting has No. 1 McEachern vs. No. 5 East Coweta. Berkmar and Peachtree Ridge are top-10 bubble teams, but they’ll face off in the first round.
The girls’ regions are similar, which makes for a more predictable draw. All eight region champions are expected to reach the quarterfinals. The only road team predicted here to win in the first three rounds (and that’s 28 games) is Parkview over Duluth in the first round. Even that one is a tossup.
Champions? Let’s start with McEachern’s boys. They’re ranked in the top two of almost every national poll and seeking their first state title and should get it, though they have a tough draw. McEachern could become the first undefeated boys champion in the highest class since Dunwoody in 1995. Could be the first Georgia national champion since 1979 (Southwest Macon).
And let’s say Collins Hill’s girls. Collins Hill and No. 1-ranked and defending champion Westlake are undefeated against Georgia opponents this year, though Collins Hill has an out-of-state loss. Collins Hill hasn’t won a state title in girls basketball since Maya Moore ruled the courts in 2007. But Westlake has a great shot to become the first unbeaten girls team in the high class since 2012 McEachern.
BOYS
First round
Roswell d.Lowndes
Westlake d. Marietta
Norcross d. Mountain View
Grayson d. Forsyth Central
Cherokee d. Camden County
McEachern d. East Coweta
Peachtree Ridge d. Berkmar
Milton d. Archer
Pebblebrook d. North Paulding
Campbell d. Etowah
Newton d. Lambert
Meadowcreek d. Duluth
Wheeler d. Hillgrove
Tift County d. Walton
Shiloh d. West Forsyth
Discovery d. Parkview
Second round
Westlake d. Roswell
Norcross d. Grayson
McEachern d. Cherokee
Peachtree Ridge d. Milton
Pebblebrook d. Campbell
Meadowcreek d. Newton
Wheeler d. Tift County
Shiloh d. Discovery
Quarterfinals
Norcross d. Westlake
McEachern d. Peachtree Ridge
Meadowcreek d. Pebblebrook
Wheeler d. Shiloh
Semifinals
McEachern d. Norcross
Meadowcreek d. Wheeler
Final
McEachern d. Meadowcreek
GIRLS
First round
Tift County d. Etowah
Westlake d. Marietta
Norcross d. Mountain View
Grayson d. South Forsyth
Roswell d. Lowndes
McEachern d. East Coweta
Parkview d. Duluth
North Forsyth d. Newton
North Cobb d. Pebblebrook
Cherokee d. North Gwinnett
Rockdale County d. West Forsyth
Brookwood d. Mill Creek
Campbell d. Hillgrove
Colquitt County d. Wodstock
Forsyth Central d. Archer
Collins Hill d. Central gwinnett
Second round
Westlake d. Tift County
Grayson d. Norcross
McEachern d. Roswell
North Forsyth d. Parkview
Cherokee d. North Cobb
Brookwood d. Rockdale County
Colquitt County d. Campbell
Collins Hill d. Forsyth Central
Quarterfinals
Westlake d. Grayson
McEachern d. North forsyth
Cherokee d. Brookwood
Collins Hill d. Colquitt County
Semifinals
Westlake d. McEachern
Collins Hill d. Cherokee
Final
Collins Hill d. Westlake
