Every Sunday, the AJC releases its top 10 polls for both the boys and girls. Here's a rundown of Class AA's ranked teams and where they stand at this point in the season.
Boys
1. Therrell (16-5)
Region record: 10-0 in Region 6 (first place)
Notes: The Panthers celebrated Martin Luther King Day with a 72-64 win over Lanier (Montgomery, Ala.) in the J4 Sports MLK Classic for their fifth win in a row. Last week, they beat B.E.S.T. 53-45 and KIPP 68-54. They have two more games this week, both in league play against Washington (9-11, 5-5) at home on Tuesday and at second-place, No. 8 Douglass (17-4, 8-2) on Friday. The Panthers beat Douglass 50-42 on Dec. 10 at home.
2. Swainsboro (20-2)
Region record: 9-1 in Region 2 (tied for first place)
Notes: The Tigers went 3-0 last week with wins over Woodville-Tompkins (64-53), Bacon County (70-65) and Wilkinson County (74-59). This week they play at Bryan County (0-9, 0-20) on Tuesday. On Friday, with first place on the line, they play No. 4 Jeff Davis (16-5, 9-1). A day later, they're on the road against Jefferson County (11-7) in a non-region contest. The Yellow Jackets beat Swainsboro 71-68 on Dec. 13.
3. Jeff Davis (16-5)
Region record: 16-5 in Region 2 (tied for place)
Notes: The Yellow Jackets picked up region wins over Toombs County (58-57), Metter (79-53) and Bryan County (80-25). They play at home against Vidalia on Tuesday, and against No. 2 Swainsboro on Friday with first place on the line. Vidalia represents Jeff Davis' lone region loss, as the home team Indians beat them 51-46 on Dec. 10. The Yellow Jackets beat Swainsboro 71-68 on Dec. 13.
4. Glenn Hills (15-7)
Region record: 11-2 in Region 4 (first place)
Notes: The Spartans went 1-1 last week with a win over Jefferson County (55-46) and a 71-68 loss to Westside. It was the second time this season Westside has upset them, also beating them 68-63 on Dec. 10. They play just once this week, at home against Josey (4-16, 1-10) on Friday.
5. Butler (13-5)
Region record: 9-3 in Region 4 (second place)
Notes: The Bulldogs went 3-0 last week with wins over Harlem (68-54), Screven County (73-46) and Josey (66-54). Their only game this week is Friday at Jefferson County (11-7, 7-4), a team they beat 64-60 in overtime on Dec. 13.
6. Spencer (14-3)
Region record: 7-0 in Region 5 (first place)
Notes: The Green Wave Owls beat Temple 69-40 in their only game last week. They play three region games this week at Callaway (9-4, 6-2) on Tuesday, at Bremen (1-17, 1-6) on Friday and at home against Jordan (9-10, 3-4) on Saturday. On Jan. 4, they edged Callaway 68-67. They have blowout wins over Jordan (68-27 on Jan. 7) and Bremen (105-29 on Jan. 10).
7. Laney (15-6)
Region record: 8-4 in Region 4 (tied for third place)
Notes: The Wildcats started the week with a 75-71 win over Cross Creek in the Evans MLK Bash on Monday. They play two region home games this week against Jefferson County (11-7, 7-4) on Tuesday and Westside (11-7, 8-4) on Friday. They've already beaten both teams earlier this season.
8. Douglass (17-4)
Region record: 8-2 in Region 6 (second place)
Notes: The Astros went 3-0 last week with wins over KIPP (58-44), Washington (66-46) and Mays (75-66). They play two more region games this week: on the road against Hapeville Charter (8-12, 4-7) on Tuesday and at No. 1 Therrell (16-5, 1-0) on Friday. They beat Hapeville Charter 71-57 on Dec. 6 and lost 50-42 to Therrell on Dec. 10.
9. Thomasville (16-3)
Region record: 4-0 in Region 1 (first place)
Notes: Last week, the Bulldogs beat Pelham (70-66) and Fitzgerald (67-59). Their game against Thomas County Central, scheduled for Jan. 18, was cancelled. This week they play at home against Early County (2-15, 1-3) on Friday, and on the road against Berrien (5-13, 0-4) the next day. They have blowout wins over both teams this season.
10. Dublin (17-2)
Region record: 9-0 in Region 3 (first place)
Notes: The Fighting Irish enter the rankings having won nine in a row, including last week's victories over Bleckley County (61-36), Dodge County (84-45) and Twiggs County (69-52). They play three games this week, starting Tuesday at Southwest (4-13, 4-4) before home games against Northeast (8-11, 7-2) on Friday and A-Public's No. 5 Wilkinson County (13-7) on Saturday. They've beaten all three teams earlier this season, but barely edged Wilkinson County 56-55 on Dec. 23.
Girls
1. Laney (19-2)
Region record: 12-0 in Region 4 (first place)
Notes: The Lady Wildcats started the week with a 78-49 win over Clarke Central in a holiday tournament at Evans. Last week, they went 3-0 last week against Screven County (89-20), Hephzibah (78-28) and at Burke County (50-41). They play two region games this week, both at home, starting with Jefferson County (9-9, 8-3) on Tuesday and Westside (3-12, 3-8) on Friday.
2. Early County (15-4)
Region record: 4-0 in Region 1 (first place)
Notes: The Lady Bobcats went 3-0 last week with wins over Terrell County (63-18), Berrien (74-26) and Seminole County (74-33). They play three more league games this week, starting at home against Brooks County (7-11, 1-4) on Tuesday. They play at Thomasville (10-10, 4-1) on Friday and at home against Fitzgerald (6-12, 3-2) the next day. They've already blown out all three teams earlier this season.
3. Rabun County (18-1)
Region record: 8-1 in Region 8 (tied for first place)
Notes: The Lady Wildcats went 2-0 last week with wins over Oglethorpe County (81-17) and Banks County (67-56). This week they on the road against Elbert County (13-7, 5-4) on Tuesday and at home against Union County (16-4, 7-2) on Friday. On Jan. 3, they edged Union County 50-46.
4. Putnam County (17-2)
Region record: 8-1 in Region 8 (tied for first place)
Notes: The Lady War Eagles racked up three region wins at home last week over Banks County (53-36), Social Circle (56-35) and Union County (61-45). The play three more region games this week: at home against Oglethorpe County (2-14, 0-9) on Tuesday, at Monticello (3-15, 2-7) on Friday and at Union County (16-4, 7-2) on Saturday.
5. Southwest-Macon (15-2)
Region record: 7-1 in Region 3 (tied for first place)
Notes: The Lady Patriots played just once last week, topping Northeast 44-37. They play three games this week against Dublin (6-11, 1-8) at home on Tuesday, then road games at No. 8 Washington County (15-3, 7-1) on Friday and Central (6-12) on Saturday. The Lady Patriots beat Washington County at home, 54-48, on Jan. 3.
6. Douglass (14-5)
Region record: 10-0 in Region 6 (first place)
Notes: The Lady Astros went 3-0 last week, annihilating KIPP 80-9 before coasting past Washington (60-31) and Hart County (57-31). They play at Hapeville Charter (15-6, 9-2) on Tuesday and at home against Therrell (10-5, 9-2) on Friday.
7. Union County (16-4)
Region record: 7-2 in Region 8 (third place)
Notes: Last week, the Lady Panthers beat Elbert County (49-45), Monticello (62-38) and lost to Putnam County (61-45). This week they host Social Circle (5-13, 2-7), play at No. 3 Rabun County (18-1, 8-1) and host No. 4 Putnam County (17-2, 8-1). Earlier, the Lady Panthers lost to both Rabun County and Putnam County.
8. Washington County (15-3)
Region record: 7-1 in Region 3 (tied for first place)
Notes: The Lady Golden Hawks went 2-1 last week, beating East Laurens (58-34) and Bleckley County (54-39) but losing to Baldwin (72-66) in a non-region contest. This week they play at Dodge County (5-14, 1-8) on Tuesday, at home against No. 5 Southwest (15-2, 7-1) on Friday and at Hancock Central (8-10) on Saturday. The Southwest game is for sole possession of first place, with Southwest winning their first matchup.
9. Josey (17-4)
Region record: 10-2 in Region 4 (second place)
Notes: The Lady Eagles went 3-0 last week with wins over Hephzibah (65-18), Harlem (61-15) and Butler (45-44). They started this week with a 49-42 win over Norcross on Monday and finish the week at Glenn Hills (0-15, 0-12) on Friday.
10. Bryan County (18-3)
Region record: 11-1 in Region 2 (first place)
Notes: The Lady Redskins went 3-0 last week with wins over Metter (47-28), Toombs County (69-27) and Jeff Davis (55-29). They play Swainsboro (11-8, 6-5) at home on Tuesday and at Vidalia (16-4, 10-2) on Friday. Vidalia beat the Lady Redskins at Bryan County, 60-49, on Dec. 13.
Etc.: Rockmart junior Keyarah Berry (with ball) poses with her fellow Lady Jackets teammates in honor of Berry reaching the 2,000-point milestone for her prep career, which she reached on Jan. 10 against Chattooga.
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