In review: Norcross girls now living up to preseason billing

Then on Tuesday, and more importantly, Norcross (15-4, 8-1) defeated Region 8 rival Collins Hill 55-45. Collins Hill (15-1, 8-1) had been the last unbeaten team in the highest class and defeated Norcross last month on a late 3-point shot.

Norcross, ranked No. 5 in AAAAAA and likely to rise next week, has won eight straight.

Taylor Mason, a 5-8 junior guard, scored 19 points against Collins Hill and 16 against Brentwood. Norcross won both games without key guard Tylia Gillespie, out with a knee injury.

Those two, plus Florida Atlantic signee Vashnie Perry and 6-1 sophomore Janee Knorr, were key parts of last year’s team. All are Division I recruits. Knorr, who started last season as a freshman, was out seven months with a knee injury but played her first game of the season on Jan. 5.

Norcross also picked up key contributors Vanessa Blagman from Woodland-Stockbridge and Devyn Wilson from Whitefield Academy. PoInt guard Zamiya Passmore is one of the state’s top freshmen.

Other games of note from this week in Class AAAAAA …

Staiti scores 46 in loss: West Forsyth's Jenna Staiti the 6-5 center rated by many as Georgia's top women's college prospect, scored 46 points on 18-of-21 shooting in a game that West lost last week to fourth-ranked South Forsyth 65-62. South's Sarah Myers – Staiti's friend and future Maryland teammate – scored 24 points and broke a 58-58 tie in the final minute with a 3-pointer. Maryland assistant coach Shay Robinson attended the game that decided first place in Region 6. South is 16-4, 13-0. West is 15-4, 12-1.

Upset of the week: Central Gwinnett (10-8, 5-5) scored the AAAAAA boys upset of the week with a 61-58 victory over No. 4 Shiloh (14-4, 8-2) in a Region 8 game. Central trailed by nine but out-scored the Generals 20-8 in the final period. Central had lost to Shiloh 75-47 on Dec. 8. Central barely missed an upset in its previous game, losing 74-70 in overtime to No. 10 Berkmar. Jalen Hillary, a 6-5 junior wing, scored 18 in that game and 19 against Shiloh.

Hot hand for Walker: Campbell's boys team (13-5, 4-4) got a nice victory last week over Douglas County, winning 72-61 at home. Campbell senior Lazarus Walker scored 27 points and was 5-for-7 on 3-pointers. Walker, a 6-1 guard, averages 18.9 points and 6.4 rebounds. He out-played the region's best player, North Carolina-signee Brandon Robinson, who was held to 14 points.