Top-ranked Morgan County is familiar with this time of the season. During the past four years, the Bulldogs have played the five extra games each season and have won two state titles after four title-game appearances.
As the top-seed from Region 8, the Bulldogs sit in the bottom-left quadrant of the bracket and face North Hall, the No. 4 seed from Region 7, in the opening round. The 10-17 Trojans closed the season with two losses – to GAC and East Hall in the 7-AAA tournament, and, to be frank, should pose little threat to Morgan County. The Bulldogs, following the first round, should have little trouble with Bremen or Towers before possibly meeting Central-Macon in the quarterfinals.
Central-Macon's path to the quarters starts with a 10-19 Beach program that took the fourth seed from Region 3. The 21-5 Chargers closed the season with eight victories. Central won the Region 4-AAA title after defeating local-rival Westside-Macon, 59-56. Central's Tymir Robinson leads scorers with 20 points per game. The senior guard also averages 5.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Kylan Hill, a 6-foot-4 senior guard, isn't far behind Robinson, averaging 18.4 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.7 steals. Beach will have its hands full with these two.
Another Savannah school opens its championship bid on Friday. Jenkins, the No. 2 seed from Region 3, will take on Jackson, the No. 3 seed from Region 4, in the first round. The Warriors, who have the caliber of team to make a championship run, lost to Morgan County in their 2015-16 title appearance. Last season, they lost in the quarterfinals to Calhoun.
This year, Jenkins is poised for an equally deep run into the playoffs. Dropping only five games on the season, including the 3-AAA championship game to Johnson, the Warriors feature three seniors scoring in double figures. Tyrone Scott, a 6-3 shooting forward, leads with 14.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 2.2 assists per game. Teammate Tre Mays, a 5-10 guard, adds 14 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. Sai Fisher, a 6-2 guard, is averaging nearly 11 points per game with 4.5 rebound and 3.8 assists.
On the girls side of the bracket, story-lines draw your eye to the top left, where Beach and Greater Atlanta Christian sit, patiently, awaiting a possible quarterfinal rematch. For background on the teams and last year's semifinal game, see the March 15, 2017 blog.
This year, the top-ranked Lady Spartans (21-4) took the No. 1 seed from Region 7 into the tournament and will face Monroe Area, the No. 4 seed from Region 8, in the first round. Beach (25-2) will face a 7-21 Pike County team in the opening round. Barring bracket-shattering upsets, GAC and Beach should move on through the first two rounds, and we should face a a highly anticipated rematch game Feb. 27 or 28.
Here are other games to watch:
Boys
-- R5#2 Pace Academy (16-11) vs. R6 #3 Sonoraville (23-4): Pace, as defending-champion, fell to Cedar Grove in the 5-AAA championship game and could (and should) have its hands full with the Phoenix.
-- R4 #2 Westside-Macon (18-10) vs. R3 #3 Islands (14-14): Westside-Macon has not lived up to the expectations, and the 18-10 record shows it. The Seminoles fell to Central in the 4-AAA championship game, and although they played a tough schedule, Westside dropped at least four more games than it should have won. Islands is provided with a chance to advance if it plays a solid game and keeps Westside's Khavon Moore in check.
Girls
-- R5 #1 Lovett (23-4) vs. R5 #4 Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe (14-13): Lovett's last loss came against Greenbrier nearly two months ago, and the Lady Lions are poised for a deep run into the bracket. The Lady Lions won a state championship in 2012 and have struggled recently in the postseason, falling in the first round the past two years.
-- R4 #1 Peach County (20-7) vs. R3 #4 Islands (11-16): The Peach County Lady Trojans are riding momentum after closing the regular season with eight consecutive victories and a region title. Islands, on the other hand, will be looking to get back on track after losing two in a row to close its regular season. Peach's Deja Holland (14.7 points per game) and Danasia Shaw (13.7 points per game) lead the Trojans in scoring.
About the Author
