Here are some big games this weekend:
BOYS
Friday
No. 5 North Cobb Christian (15-4, 8-1) at No. 3 Whitefield Academy (13-5, 7-1). This one could be the best game of the night in any classification. The winner will take over the top spot in perhaps the state's most competitive sub region, 6B, where three (North Cobb Christian, Whitefield Academy and St. Francis) of the league's eight teams are ranked in the top five of the AJC Top 10, while six of the eight currently are in the Top 16 of the private school power rating. Whitefield is in the midst of a six-game gauntlet that head coach Tyrone Johnson believes will define the Wolfpack heading into the post season. Going back to last Friday, Whitefield has defeated sub region rivals Fellowship Christian (53-33) and No. 4 St. Francis (71-63), along with Lanett (66-41), ranked in the top 10 in Alabama's Class AA. Saturday, Whitefield will host Class AAAAAA Langston Hughes and then visit King's Ridge for another region contest on Tuesday. North Cobb Christian won the first meeting back on Dec. 13, 76-63.
Mt. Vernon Presbyterian (16-2) at Athens Academy (9-7). Mt. Vernon will get another opportunity to prove it deserves a mention in the conversation of the top teams in Class A, when the Mustangs travel east to face Athens Academy and one of the best players in Georgia, Eric Williams. The 5-10 junior guard is a legitimate candidate for Class A Player of the Year, as he leads the Spartans in nearly every statistical category, including 27 points and 10 rebounds per game. He is also a standout receiver on the football team. Mt. Vernon is led by one of the state's best tenth graders, point guard Jared Harper, who is averaging 22 points per game.
GIRLS
Friday
Eagle's Landing Christian Academy (14-4, 4-2) at Galloway (9-7, 4-4). ELCA, sitting at No. 7 in the Georgia High School Association/MaxPreps Class A power ratings, is smarting from a 20-point loss to No. 1 Holy Innocents at home on Tuesday, a game that was supposed to serve as the Chargers' announcement that the resurgent program was ready to challenge the elite teams in the classification. Now comes a trip to face a Galloway team that needs a win desperately, in order to stay within striking distance of advancing to the state playoffs by making it into the top 16 of the power ratings. ELCA is led by junior guard Sydney Spencer, who is averaging 16 points per game.
Saturday
No. 6 Calvary Day (11-1) at McIntosh County Institute (13-6). Calvary Day is No. 4 in the Class A power rating, so this game, on the road against a very respectable team Class AA team, could give the Cavaliers a big boost toward their goal of becoming the No. 1 seed in the private school playoffs. Calvary Day is led by junior guard/forward Brittany Griffin and junior forward/center Abigail Lewis, who is averaging 17 points per game. McIntosh County Institute is paced by junior center Makhala Jackson, one of the most underrated players in Georgia, averaging a stout double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.
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