With the first two rounds of the state playoffs in the books, the majority of the favorites in both the private and public divisions have made it through to the state quarterfinals.
On the girls’ side, six of the top eight seeds in the public division and seven of the top eight in the private division will play in next week’s third round. However on the boys’ side, while three-quarters (12 of 16) of the top eight seeds advanced, the private division saw half of its top eight fall in Round 2.
Three of the four top seeds – St. Francis boys and girls, and the Central-Talbotton girls – are through to the quarterfinals as well. Treutlen, the undefeated (27-0), No. 1 public boys seed will face No. 17 Warren County tonight in the second round. The game was pushed back a day due to inclement weather.
Here’s a recap:
BOYS PRIVATE
The Skinny: Holy Innocents' was the last team into the playoff field with a record of 10-16. But the Bears have throttled their first two opponents in games that hardly appeared to be upsets.
First, they jumped out to a 23-11 first quarter lead and never looked back en route to a 79-58 win over No. 9 Hebron Christian in the first round. Then in the second round Thursday night, Holy Innocents’ took advantage of a cold shooting night by a No. 8 Savannah Christian and went on to cruise into the quarterfinals with a 64-45 win.
The usually sharp shooting Hornets, who received a bye in the first round, made just three three-pointers in the contest after averaging more than 10 per game during the regular season. Holy Innocents’ had three players in double figures – Landon Kardian, who had 10 points in the second quarter, and Garrison Powell scored 16 apiece, while Justin Wilson added 15.
The Bears will face top-seeded and defending champion St. Francis, which throttled No. 17 First Presbyterian, 96-57, in the second round. Jusaun Holt led four players in double figures for the Knights with a game-high 19 points, including hitting five of the eight three pointers.
The best game of the quarterfinals may in the lower right bracket, where No. 14 North Cobb Christian will travel south to Sharpsburg to take on No. 11 Trinity Christian. NCC (19-9) is a dangerous team to be seeded so low, after playing a brutal schedule, including 14 games in Region 6 – perhaps the toughest league in the classification. Meanwhile, Trinity (19-10) was a 2018 semifinal team in the largest classification (Class AAA) of the Georgia Independent Schools Association (GISA), before making the field of 24 in the Lions’ first season in the GHSA.
Upper Left Bracket
Round 1
No. 24 Holy Innocents' 79, No. 9 Hebron Christian 58
No. 8 Savannah Country Day (Bye)
No. 17 First Presbyterian 64, No. 16 Calvary Day 55
No. 1 St. Francis (Bye)
Round 2
No. 24 Holy Innocents' 64, No. 8 Savannah Country Day 45
No. 1 St. Francis 96, No. 17 First Presbyterian 57
Quarterfinals (February 25-26)
No. 1 St. Francis vs. No. 24 Holy Innocents’
Lower Left Bracket
Round 1
No. 21 W.D. Mohammed 61, No. 12 Wesleyan 46
No. 5 Mt. Pisgah
No. 13 Mt. Paran 60, No. 20 Mt. Bethel 46
No. 4 Walker (Bye)
Round 2
No. 5. Mt. Pisgah 65, No. 21 W.D. Mohammed 47
No. 4 Walker 43, No. 13 Mt. Paran 41
Quarterfinals (February 25-26)
No. 4 Walker vs. No. 5 Mt. Pisgah
Upper Right Bracket
Round 1
No. 10 Pinecrest Academy 61, No. 23 Tallulah Falls 58
No. 7 Providence Christian
No. 15 Galloway 51, No. 18 Whitefield Academy 44
No. 2 Greenforest (Bye)
Round 2
No. 10 Pinecrest 64, No. 7 Providence 53
No. 2 Greenforest 59, No. 15 Galloway 49
Quarterfinals (February 25-26)
No. 2 Greenforest vs. No. 10 Pinecrest
Lower Right Bracket
Round 1
No. 11 Trinity Christian 65, No. 22 Athens Christian 43
No 6 Christian Heritage (Bye)
No. 14 North Cobb Christian 71, No. 19 St. Anne-Pacelli 13
No. 3 Riverside Military (Bye)
Round 2
No. 11 Trinity Christian 52, No. 6 Christian Heritage 42
No. 14 North Cobb Christian 84, No. 3 Riverside Military 44
Quarterfinals (February 25-26)
No. 11 Trinity Christian vs. No. 14. North Cobb Christian
PUBLIC BOYS
The Skinny: As stated previously, all of the top eight seeds are primed to advance to the quarterfinals next week. No. 1 Treutlen will try to punch its ticket tonight against No. 17 Warren County, after rescheduling the game due to inclement weather. No. 14 Drew Charter School, the only metro Atlanta public school in the field, fell short of advancing to the quarterfinals for the third consecutive season. The Eagles (18-9) won their first ever home playoff game, an 88-62 throttling of No. 20 Clinch County, before falling on the road to No. 4 Terrell County, 60-51.
Upper Left Bracket
Round 1
No. 9 Lanier County 67, No. 24 Wheeler
No. 8 Lincoln County (Bye)
No. 17 Warren County 71, No. 16 Taylor County 64
No. 1 Treutlen (Bye)
Round 2
No. 8 Lincoln County 56, No. 9 Lanier County 51
No. 1 Treutlen vs. No. 17 Warren County (Friday)
Quarterfinals (February 25-26)
No. 8 Lincoln County vs. No. 1 Treutlen-No. 17 Warren County winner
Lower Left Bracket
Round 1
No. 21 GMC 77, No. 12 Towns County 57
No. 5 Dooly County (Bye)
No. 13 Drew Charter 88, No. 20 Clinch County 62
No. 4 Terrell County (Bye)
Round 2
No. 5 Dooly County 69, No. 21 GMC 65
No. 4 Terrell County 60, No. 13 Drew Charter 51
Quarterfinals (February 25-26)
No. 4 Terrell County vs. No. 5 Dooly County
Upper Right Bracket
Round 1
No. 10 Manchester 69, No. 23 Jenkins County 55
No. 7 Wilkinson County (Bye)
No. 15 Macon County 51, No. 18 Schley County 45
No. 2 Wilcox County (Bye)
Round 2
No. 7 Wilkinson County 74, No. 10 Manchester 63
No. 2 Wilcox County 80, No. 15 Macon County 63
Quarterfinals (February 25-26)
No. 2 Wilcox County vs. No. 7 Wilkinson County
Lower Right Bracket
Round 1
No. 11 Mitchell County 49, No. 22 Miller County 45
No. 6 Calhoun County (Bye)
No. 14 Turner County 59, No. 19 Marion County 48
No. 3 Hancock County (Bye)
Round 2
No. 6 Calhoun County 70, No. 11 Mitchell County 59
No. 3 Hancock County 87, No. 14 Turner County 50
Quarterfinals (February 25-26)
No. 3 Hancock County vs. No. 6 Calhoun County
PRIVATE GIRLS
The Skinny: All but one of the top eight seeds will be in the quarterfinals. The unlucky squad was No. 7 Calvary Day. The Cavaliers fell at home to No. 10 Eagle's Landing Christian, 60-48. The Chargers (18-7) led from wire to wire, sprinting to a 14-5 lead after the first quarter, and never looked back. Though they are led by senior Clemson signee Weronkia Hipp, the majority of the damage was done by junior Jalisa Dunlap, who led all scorers with 26 points. Hipp finished with 13, while Calvary Day junior Mahkayla Premo led the Cavs with 16 points.
Upper Left Bracket
Round 1
No. 9 Darlington 70, No. 24 Our Lady of Mercy 27
No. 8 Mount Paran (Bye)
No. 16 Tallulah Falls 51, No. 17 Paideia 50
No. 1 St. Francis (Bye)
Round 2
No. 8 Mount Paran 47, No. 9 Darlington 27
No. 1 St. Francis 76, No. 16 Tallulah Falls 44
Quarterfinals (February 25-26)
No. 1 St. Francis vs. No. 8 Mount Paran
Lower Left Bracket
Round 1
No. 12 Trinity Christian 58, No. 21 Prince Avenue 40
No. 5 Wesleyan (Bye)
No. 13 Savannah Country Day 52, No. 20 Brookstone 44
No. 4 Stratford Academy (Bye)
Round 2
No. 5 Wesleyan 69, No. 12 Trinity 27
No. 4 Stratford Academy 44, No. 13 Savannah Country Day 24
Quarterfinals (February 25-26)
No. 4 Stratford Academy vs. No. 5 Wesleyan
Upper Right Bracket
Round 1
No. 10 Eagle's Landing Christian 70, No. 23 Aquinas 40
No. 7 Calvary Day (Bye)
No. 15 Galloway 60, No. 18 Savannah Christian 39
No. 2 Holy Innocents' (Bye)
Round 2
No. 10 Eagle's Landing Christian 60, No. 7 Calvary Day 48
No. 2 Holy Innocents' 69, No. 15 Galloway 34
Quarterfinals (February 25-26)
No. 2 Holy Innocents’ vs. No. 10 Eagle’s Landing Christian
Lower Right Bracket
Round 1
No. 11 Lakeview Academy 82, No. 22 Mount Pisgah 66
No. 6 Greenforest (Bye)
No. 14 Christian Heritage 36, No. 19 Athens Academy 32
No. 3 Hebron Christian (Bye)
Round 2
No. 6 Greenforest 69, No. 11 Lakeview Academy 57
No. 3 Hebron Christian 77, No. 14 Christian Heritage 43
Quarterfinals (February 25-26)
No. 3 Hebron Christian vs. No. 6 Greenforest
PUBLIC GIRLS
The Skinny: Two of the top eight seeds failed to make it to next week's quarterfinals, and the defending champs were knocked out as well.
The highest seed to fall was No. 6 Bowdon (21-6), the Region 6 tournament runners-up. The Red Devils were defeated by No. 11 Wilcox County (19-9), 45-39. The Patriots came into the game having won 11 of their previous 12 games, with the only loss in that stretch coming at the hands of No. 2 Clinch County (22-2) in the Region 2 tournament championship game.
No. 7 Pelham (22-4), the 2017 state champs, was stunned by No. 10 Turner County (19-9), the 2016 state champions, 60-56. The Hornets ended their season on a two-game losing streak, as they were defeated in the Region 1 tournament finals by No. 4 Calhoun County (24-4).
The only defending champion in the playoff field to get knocked out before the quarterfinals is No. 15 Marion County. The Eagles were defeated by No. 18 Telfair County, 78-73, in the first round. After going 29-1 and winning the program’s first state title last season, Marion County slipped to 14-10 this season.
Upper Left Bracket
Round 1
No. 9 Lake Oconee Academy 43, No. 24 Claxton 30
No. 8 Georgia Military Academy (Bye)
No. 16 Dooly County 66, No. 17 Quitman County 56
No. 1 Central-Talbotton (Bye)
Round 2
No. 8 Georgia Military Academy 47, No. 9 Lake Oconee 43
No. 1 Central-Talbotton 69, No. 8 Georgia Military Academy 33
Quarterfinals (February 25-26)
No. 1 Central-Talbotton vs. No. 8 Georgia Military Academy
Lower Left Bracket
Round 1
No. 21 Montgomery County 54, No. 12 Macon County 49
No. 5 Greenville (Bye)
No. 13 Emanuel County Institute, No. 20 Mitchell County 62
No. 4 Calhoun County (Bye)
Round 2
No. 5 Greenville 56, No. 21 Montgomery County 42
No. 4 Calhoun County 56, No. 13 Emanuel County Institute 37
Quarterfinals (February 25-26)
No. 4 Calhoun County vs. No. 5 Greenville
Upper Right Bracket
Round 1
No. 10 Turner County 68, No. 23 Wilkinson County 35
No. 7 Pelham (Bye)
No. 18 Telfair County 78, No. 15 Marion County 73
No. 2 Clinch County (Bye)
Round 2
No. 10 Turner County 60, No. 7 Pelham 56
No. 2 Clinch County 65, No. 18 Telfair County 42
Quarterfinals (February 25-26)
No. 2 Clinch County vs. No. 10 Turner County
Lower Right Bracket
Round 1
No. 11 Wilcox County 50, No. 22 Lanier County 47
No. 6 Bowdon (Bye)
No. 19 Elite Scholars Academy 45, No. 14 Trion 43
No. 3 Wheeler County (Bye)
Round 2
No. 11 Wilcox County 45, No. 6 Bowdon 39
No. 3 Wheeler County 58, Elite Scholars Academy 42
Quarterfinals (February 25-26)
No. 3 Wheeler County vs. No. 11 Wilcox County
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