Savannah High School is older than the state basketball tournament itself, which dates to 1922. Savannah’s boys teams have won 13 state championships in those 99 tournament editions.
But Savannah’s girls had never won even a state-playoff game, much less a title. Until Friday.
Previously 0-8 at state, Savannah defeated Worth County 51-48 on the road in Class AAA, setting off a celebration.
“My players were trying their best to wake me up. They wanted to pour a cooler over me,’’ Savannah coach George Johnson said. “That’s how happy they are about getting to this point. It’s almost like a championship for them. I don’t follow history. I just coach and try to win games, but now that I have time to reflect, it’s humongous for our program.”
PLAYOFF SCHEDULES/RESULTS
» BOYS: AAAAAAA | AAAAAA | AAAAA | AAAA | AAA | AA | A-Private | A-Public
» GIRLS: AAAAAAA | AAAAAA | AAAAA | AAAA | AAA | AA | A-Private | A-Public
» BRACKETS: Boys | Girls
Savannah’s girls were prominent among the history-makers last week in the first round, which saw 17 ranked teams knocked out.
East Coweta’s boys felt a weight lifted when they defeated Walton 66-59 in Class AAAAAAA. East Coweta hadn’t won a state-playoff game since 1964 when it was a Class C school playing an opponent named Attapulgus, long since closed. Friday’s victory eased the pain of 2019, when the Indians lost their way after a 24-1 regular season.
Also Friday, Heritage-Conyers’ girls won their first state-playoff game in history with a 57-49 victory over Coffee. Heritage opened in 1976.
White County’s girls won their first playoff game since 1984 in a 63-50 victory over ninth-ranked Central-Carrollton in AAAA. Other girls teams that broke significant droughts were Riverwood (first win since 1999) and East Laurens (2002).
Boys teams from North Oconee (opened 2004), Veterans (2010) and Cherokee Bluff (2019) won their first state playoff games. Cherokee Bluff’s victory was the most surprising. The Bears defeated seventh-ranked Westminster 61-51 in AAA.
Meanwhile, Sprayberry’s boys won their first state-playoff game since 2000 with a 63-48 victory over Habersham Central in AAAAAA. Pierce County’s boys won their first since 2003 with a 72-55 win over Peach County in AAA.
Among the 17 top-10 teams that lost, the highest-ranked were girls teams in AAAAA as Jones County beat Region 2 champion and third-ranked Statesboro 37-34 while Rome defeated Region 5 champion and fourth-ranked Southwest DeKalb 59-56.
Jones County, ranked most of the season until losing twice in its region tournament, held Statesboro to two points in the fourth quarter.
Rome had been 3-14 all-time in the state tournament but took down a giant as Southwest DeKalb, a semifinalist last season, is a five-time state champion.
The other 15 top-10 teams that lost were outside the top five. Those girls teams included No. 8 Lanier and No. 9 Alexander in AAAAAA, No. 10 Stephens County in AAAA, No. 8 Westminster in AAA, No. 8 Bryan County and No. 10 Rabun County in AA and No. 8 Macon County in A.
Other ousted top-10 boys teams were No. 7 Cherokee and No. 10 Archer in AAAAAAA, No. 9 Hiram in AAAAA, No. 6 Chapel Hill in AAAA, No. 8 Lovett in AAA and No. 6 Wesleyan in A.
The second round is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.
About the Author
