Kell took advantage of the first loss of the season by three-time defending state champion Buford and moved to No. 1 in Class AAAAA in this week’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution girls basketball rankings.
Kell, ranked No. 2 last week, improved to 24-0 with victories against its three closest pursuers in Region 7-AAAAA – Villa Rica, Carrollton and Rome – by an average of 19 points. The only close game was a 54-52 victory Friday night against Carrollton.
Buford handily beat Region 8 rivals Johnson-Gainesville and Cedar Shoals earlier in the week to improve to 22-0 before losing to Class A Private No. 4 Wesleyan 45-43 Saturday night. Buford fell to No. 2.
Kell is one of four remaining unbeaten teams in the state but the only one ranked No. 1. The others are Collins Hill (23-0, No. 2 in Class AAAAAAA), Troup (19-0, No. 4 in AAAA) and Hebron Christian (24-0, No. 2 in Class A Private).
In Class AAAAAA, Lovejoy held on to the No. 1 ranking despite losing two out of three games last week against out-of-state opponents. The Wildcats lost to Hoover, ranked No. 1 overall in Alabama by MaxPreps, 47-41 on Monday and went 1-1 in the Mecca High School Tournament in New York over the weekend, losing to National Christian Academy (No. 11 in Maryland) 46-44 before beating Saint Laurent of Canada 50-44. Lovejoy is 20-3, its only loss to a Georgia team coming against Class AAAAAAA No. 1 Westlake 55-52 on Dec. 14. Lovejoy won the state title in 2018 and was the runner-up last season.
It was a tumultuous week in Class AAAAAAA, where four ranked teams lost a combined six games and three of those teams fell out of the top 10. New to the rankings in the highest class this week are No. 6 Colquitt County, No. 9 Pebblebrook and No. 10 Grayson. They replaced West Forsyth, Rockdale County and North Cobb.
Five new teams moved into the top 10 in other classifications. Carrollton replaced Arabia Mountain in Class AAAAA; Westminster replaced Dawson County in AAA; Vidalia replaced Union County in AA; Trinity Christian replaced Stratford Academy in A Private; and Georgia Military replaced Lake Oconee Academy in A Public.
Class AAAAAAA
1. Westlake (21-2)
2. Collins Hill (23-0)
3. Cherokee (22-2)
4. North Forsyth (21-2)
5. Campbell (18-5)
6. Woodstock (21-3)
7. Colquitt County (18-4)
8. Tift County (17-5)
9. Pebblebrook (17-6)
10. Grayson (15-8)
Class AAAAAA
1. Lovejoy (20-3)
2. Valdosta (21-2)
3. Forest Park (18-5)
4. Dacula (20-3)
5. Glynn Academy (18-4)
6. Harrison (18-4)
7. Alexander (20-3)
8. Hughes (16-5)
9. Stephenson (17-6)
10. Bradwell Institute (16-6)
Class AAAAA
1. Kell (24-0)
2. Buford (22-1)
3. Veterans (20-2)
4. Wayne County (20-1)
5. Jones County (21-3)
6. Villa Rica (19-4)
7. Statesboro (19-5)
8. Southwest DeKalb (16-6)
9. Starr's Mill (18-3)
10. Carrollton (14-9)
Class AAAA
1. Carver-Columbus (19-4)
2. Americus-Sumter (20-1)
3. Spalding (17-4)
4. Troup (19-0)
5. Woodward Academy (21-2)
6. Luella (18-5)
7. Marist (21-1)
8. Stephens County (18-5)
9. Central-Carrollton (19-4)
10. Baldwin (18-6)
Class AAA
1. Johnson-Savannah (18-1)
2. Jefferson (19-4)
3. Beach (17-7)
4. Pierce County (17-7)
5. Cedar Grove (14-4)
6. Greater Atlanta Christian (12-11)
7. North Hall (16-7)
8. Ringgold (15-7)
9. Sonoraville (17-6)
10. Westminster (17-6)
Class AA
1. Laney (21-2)
2. Early County (18-4)
3. Rabun County (21-1)
4. Putnam County (20-2)
5. Southwest-Macon (18-2)
6. Douglass (16-5)
7. Vidalia (18-4)
8. Josey (17-4)
9. Washington County (17-4)
10. Bryan County (19-4)
Class A (Private)
1. St. Francis (19-2)
2. Hebron Christian (24-0)
3. Holy Innocents' (17-5)
4. Wesleyan (17-4)
5. Mount Paran Christian (17-3)
6. Greenforest (15-6)
7. Darlington (19-3)
8. Calvary Day (18-5)
9. Trinity Christian (15-5)
10. Galloway (15-6)
Class A (Public)
1. Central-Talbotton (19-1)
2. Wheeler County (21-1)
3. Calhoun County (17-4)
4. Clinch County (17-2)
5. Greenville (16-6)
6. Bowdon (19-5)
7. Pelham (17-2)
8. Macon County (14-5)
9. Turner County (15-7)
10. Georgia Military (16-3)
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