We're coming down to the wire on the regular season, and the urgency is picking up. Though region tournaments provide a lifeline to the postseason, the importance of seeding shouldn't be underestimated. The deeper a team can get into the region tourney without having to face a top seed, the better the chances at landing at home game in the state playoffs.
Nailing down the No. 2 seed looks like it will be especially important for the girls teams in Regions 2 and 6, where the frontrunners (Pelham and Holy Innocents', respectively) are formidable.
Here's a look at some of the top games this weekend where region seedings could be decided, as well as a look back at Tuesday's results.
Girls
No. 3 Wesleyan at No. 9 Lovett
Since their loss to No. 1 Holy Innocents’ on Jan. 10, Wesleyan has won five straight by an average margin of 45.8 points; the closest game during that span was a 58-34 win over Hapeville Charter on Jan. 16. Now, with Lovett on deck Friday and a rematch with Holy Innocents’ looming on Tuesday, the degree of difficulty is about to be turned up a notch.
Led by 26 points from Nikki McDonald, Wesleyan won the first meeting with Lovett, 64-33, on Jan. 8. But Lovett showed it could hang with the best in the state, pushing Holy Innocents’ for four quarters before falling, 62-54, last week.
No. 8 Thomasville vs. No. 10 Early County
No. 8 Thomasville and No. 10 Early County aren’t likely to overtake Region 2-AA leader Pelham in the regular season, but the winner of Friday’s game will be in strong position to take the No. 2 seed entering the region tournament, which would prevent them from having to face the second-ranked Lady Hornets until the championship game.
Thomasville won the first meeting, 47-42, by slowing down Early County’s scoring pace. The Lady Bobcats averaged 66 points per game, and no other team has held them to fewer than 51 points this season. Conversely, Thomasville thrives in a lower scoring game, averaging fewer than 50 points per game, but holding opponents to just 41.6.
Boys
Coosa at No. 7 Model
With the regular season dwindling, much is left undecided in Region 7-AA, where four teams are still vying for prime position. At 7-2 in region, Coosa and No. 7 Model enter Friday’s contest tied for first place, sharing a one-game lead over Chattooga and Darlington, both 6-3. Model has won its first two meetings with Coosa, including a non-region victory in the Rome Holiday Tournament in December.
HOW THE TOP 10 FARED
Boys
1. Pace Academy (19-2)
- Tuesday: Won at No.3 Holy Innocents', 68-66. The Knights overcame a 13-point deficit deep into the third quarter and won on an Elijah Holifield jumper with 2.7 seconds. Holifield scored 14 of his game-high 29 points in the fourth quarter as the Knights mounted their comeback. The win clinched the No. 1 seed in the Region 6-AA tournament for Pace.
- Friday: at Hapeville Charter
2. Seminole County (17-3)
- Tuesday: Won vs. Pelham, 61-52. Jordan Harris scored 27 points as the Indians held off Pelham's attempted rally and stayed unbeaten in Region 1-AA.
- Friday: at Fitzgerald
- Saturday: vs. Baker County
3. Holy Innocents’ (18-4)
- Tuesday: Lost vs. No. 1 Pace Academy, 68-66
- Friday: at B.E.S.T. Academy
4. Crawford County (18-3)
- Tuesday: Won at Monticello, 70-61. The Eagles clinched the regular season title in Region 4-AA led by another big performance from William Jarrell. The 6-foot-4 junior guard finished with 32 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, four blocks and three steals.
- Friday: at Northeast-Macon
5. Thomasville (16-5)
Friday: at Early County
6. Greater Atlanta Christian (13-8)
- Tuesday: Won vs. Wesleyan, 70-68 OT. Eric Jamison hit the game-winning layup after driving the length of the court. Cam Boyd led all scorers with 21 points; Jamison had 14.
- Friday: vs. KIPP Atlanta Collegiate
7. Model (17-4)
- Tuesday: Won vs. Armuchee, 58-39. VJ Saxton led five Blue Devils in double figure with 18 points to go along with 11 rebounds and four steals.
- Friday: vs. Coosa
8. Bryan County (17-4)
- Tuesday: Lost at McIntosh County Academy, 57-55. The Redskins took their first loss in Region 2-AA play, adding extra importance to next week's rematch with Vidalia. Barring an upset between now and then, that game will decide the Region 2-AA regular season champion with no tiebreaker needed.
- Friday: at Jeff Davis
9. Vidalia (18-2)
- Tuesday: Won vs. Jeff Davis, 54-42
- Friday: at Groves
- Saturday: vs. Toombs County
10. Harlem (19-3)
- Tuesday: Won vs. Dublin, 88-61. The Bulldogs won their sixth in a row and got some revenge on the Irish, who handed them their last loss.
- Friday: vs. Metter
Girls
1. Holy Innocents’ (22-0)
- Tuesday: Won vs. Pace Academy, 78-33. Erika Cassell led the Lady Bears with 19 points.
- Saturday: at Paideia
2. Pelham (20-1)
- Tuesday: Won at Seminole County, 79-17. Quadranique Franklin led all scorers with 17 points.
- Friday: at Berrien
- Saturday: at Mitchell County
3. Wesleyan (17-5)
- Tuesday: Won at Greater Atlanta Christian, 84-33. Five Lady Wolves scored in double figures, led by Nikki McDonald, who had 17 points and 12 rebounds.
- Friday: at No. 9 Lovett
4. Model (20-2)
- Tuesday: Won vs. Armuchee, 59-48. The Lady Devils won their ninth straight and clinched the 7-AA regular season crown led by 17 points and 11 rebounds from freshman Victaria Saxton.
- Friday: vs. Coosa
5. Darlington (17-5)
- Tuesday: Won at Coosa, 66-42. Anna Claire Atha had 26 points and seven rebounds, and Keara Evans added 14 points and 14 boards for the Lady Tigers. The Lady Tigers dropped back-to-back games after losing senior forward Rachel Simon to a season-ending injury, but have rebounded with lopsided wins in their last two games.
6. Putnam County (17-4)
- Tuesday: at Lamar County (no score reported)
7. Vidalia (17-3)
- Tuesday: Won vs. Jeff Davis, 50-32. The win over the Region 2-AA leader moves the Lady Indians into a tie for first.
- Friday: at Groves
- Saturday: vs. Toombs County
8. Thomasville (15-6)
- Friday: at No. 10 Early County
9. Lovett (14-6)
- Tuesday: Won at KIPP Atlanta Collegiate, 62-16
- Friday: vs. No. 3 Wesleyan
10. Early County (16-4)
- Tuesday: Won at Berrien, 67-34. Tynicia McCoy led the way with a game-high 25 points.
- Friday: vs. No. 8 Thomasville
- Saturday: at Randolph-Clay
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