Sports
Wesleyan Showcase attracts 8 ranked Georgia girls teams
By Todd Holcomb
Jan 28, 2016The four-game Wesleyan Winter Showcase on Saturday will bring together more state powers of girls basketball for one day than any other event this season short of the state finals in Macon.
All eight participants are ranked. Six have won state titles in the past three years. Three are reigning state champs, including No. 1-ranked Wesleyan (AA), the host, and No. 2 Buford (AAAA) and Wesleyan (AA), which play each other in the 5:30 p.m. game. The long-time rivals - who have won 10 state titles between them over the past seven years - split their two meetings last season.
Defending AAAAAA champ McEachern, ranked No. 6, plays No. 9 West Forsyth at 1 p.m. West Forsyth center Jenna Staiti, a 6-foot-5 post who recently had a 46-point game against South Forsyth, is the state’s No. 1 senior recruit.
Tucker, the No. 2 team in AAAAAA, plays AA No. 3 Holy Innocents’ at 2:30 p.m. Holy Innocents’ center Erika Cassell, an N.C. State signee, averages a double-double of 14.2 points and 11.0 rebounds. Tucker, a state champion in 2013, is coming off a big win this week over Region 2 rival Newton.
The fourth game is AAAAAA No. 4 Norcross (16-4) against AAAAA No. 3 Southwest DeKalb (17-5) at 4 p.m. These programs have won a combined seven state championships since 2008. Southwest DeKalb is undefeated against Georgia teams. Norcross has won nine consecutive games.
MARCH 5, 2015 MACON Buford Wolves Chandler Hall (2), Buford Wolves Camille Anderson (0) and Buford Wolves Pamela Johnson (32) celebrate following their win. Coverage of Class AAA girls championship game between Buford Wolves and Carrollton Trojans in the Georgia High School Basketball championships at the Macon Coliseum, Thursday, March 5, 2015. Buford captured the championship with a win, 35-34. KENT D. JOHNSON/KDJOHNSON@AJC.COM Buford’s girls won their fourth title in the past seven seasons.
