No. 4 Westlake (9-2, 4-0) and No. 6 Pebblebrook (12-6, 7-0) are the highest-ranked pair of Class AAAAAA boys teams from the same region. The two will meet for the first time Tuesday night at Pebblebrook to decide the lead in 3-AAAAAA.
Westlake has the best pair of inside men – 6-foot-8 Chuma Okeke (20 ppg, 7 rebounds, 3 steals) and 6-10 Michael Durr (7 points, 4 blocks), both juniors and major Division I recruits. Also pretty stout are 6-5 junior guard Danny Lewis (17 points, 3 assists), 6-3 sophomore guard Jamie Liews (13 points, 7 assists) and senior forward Ronald Bell (9 points, 7 rebounds).
Pebblebrook counters with the state’s most prolific scoring backcourt – junior Collin Sexton (29 points per game)
Credit: Todd Holcomb
Credit: Todd Holcomb
and senior Auburn signee Jared Harper (27). Sexton scored 48 while Harper scored 36 in a 111-107 overtime victory last week against Douglas County.
‘’They’re Batman and Robin,’’ Pebblebrook coach George Washington said. ‘’If one of them is making shots, the other one is going to run the point. They go back and forth constantly.’’
Sexton and Harper are both about 6 feet and play the point well, but their scoring styles are different.
‘’A lot of Jared’s stuff is off catch and shoot or one dribble and pull up while Collin is more attack mode; he sees a gap, he’s going to take it [Sexton was 17-of-19 on free throws vs. Douglas County],’’ Washington said. ‘’If one of them is making shots, the other one is going to run the point. They go back and forth constantly.’’
Pebblebrook averages almost 80 points per game, so there are still enough shots for J.J. Smith (12 points) and Dwight Murray (8.5 points) to join in. The fifth starter, Tyler Morman, averages 9.3 rebounds.
‘’We try to push it as much as possible,’’ Washington said. ‘’I give guys a lot of freedom to make shots. In transition, they’ll pull up, throw the lob. They’re enjoying playing together.’’
Two other big games Tuesday in Class AAAAAA:
-The second-ranked Shiloh’s boys (12-6, 6-0) can run away from Region 8 with victories at No. 10 Berkmar (9-5, 5-1) on Tuesday and Dacula (11-4, 4-2) on Saturday. Shiloh, ran led by Georgia Tech signee Josh Okogie, has won nine straight after losing to nationally ranked Montverde Academy in early December. Berkmar entered the rankings at No. 10 this week after an overtime victory over previous No. 9 Dacula. Berkmar trailed by five in the final minute of regulation and again in overtime. Zach Cooks and Jay Estime each scored 20 points.
-McEachern, the defending AAAAAA girls champion, is only 9-7, but the team is 6-0 in Region 4 and unbeaten in Georgia since an opening loss to Southwest DeKalb. McEachern’s home game against No. 3 Harrison (14-2, 5-0) on Tuesday will decide first place.
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