Boys basketball rankings: 3 teams seeking first state titles stand No. 1

Wheeler is Georgia’s most talented boys basketball team, and the Wildcats are playing like it, ranked No. 1 in Class 6A.

St. Pius, Commerce and Chattahoochee County, schools seeking their first state championships, also are No. 1 in the AJC Varsity first rankings of the year, six weeks ahead of the state tournament.

The other No. 1 teams are Gainesville, Westover, Carver of Columbus and Mount Vernon.

Wheeler is in the top 25 of multiple national polls with a 13-3 record, its only losses against out-of-state opponents.

Forward Colben Landrew, a UConn signee, is the highest-rated senior prospect on a GHSA team this season.

Jaron Saulsberry, a 6-foot-6 forward signed with Ole Miss, and Amare James, a wing/forward signed with Clemson, also are Wheeler seniors. Guard Kevin Savage is a consensus top-50 national junior prospect.

Gainesville (17-0) is No. 1 in Class 5A. The Red Elephants have defeated fellow 5A top-10 teams Woodward Academy, Dutchtown and Milton. They play at No. 8 Johns Creek on Tuesday. Gainesville most recently won a state title in 1983.

St. Pius, of Class 4A, is 17-0 with victories over top-10 teams Walton, Southwest DeKalb, Calvary Day and Darlington. St. Pius’ best-known player is Harris Reynolds, a four-star guard prospect who has signed with Clemson.

The No. 2 team in Class 4A, Westminster, is undefeated at 15-0. The Wildcats most recently won a state title in 1967. Two-time defending champion North Oconee (14-2) is ranked No. 3.

Three-time defending champion Sandy Creek (9-2) is No. 1 in 3A. Its losses are against Cherokee and Sprayberry, winning teams in higher classes.

Carver of Columbus leads Class 2A ahead of No. 2 KIPP Atlanta and defending champion Butler.

Commerce and Chattahoochee County, with no state-title pedigree, head up Division I and Division II of Class A, respectively. Both made the round of 16 last season.

Commerce (14-3) has wins over No. 4 Rabun County and No. 5 Putnam County from its own class. Defending champion B.E.S.T. Academy (7-7) is No. 8.

Chattahoochee County (13-1) is ahead of undefeated Seminole County (14-0). Defending champion Savannah (10-6) is No. 9.

Mount Vernon (14-1) is No. 1 in Class 3A-A Private. Mount Vernon defeated No. 2 Walker 63-60 in overtime on Friday night and has no in-state losses. Defending champion Holy Innocents’ (12-2) is ranked No. 4.

Class 6A

1. Wheeler (13-3)
2. Grayson (15-1)
3. McEachern (11-3)
4. Hillgrove (11-5)
5. Pebblebrook (10-4)
6. Walton (15-2)
7. Cherokee (11-5)
8. Westlake (12-5)
9. Dacula (15-1)
10. Berkmar (11-5)

Class 5A

1. Gainesville (17-0)
2. Alexander (14-2)
3. Decatur (15-2)
4. Hughes (7-4)
5. Woodstock (15-1)
6. Woodward Academy (11-6)
7. Dutchtown (11-4)
8. Johns Creek (15-2)
9. Milton (10-4)
10. Newnan (13-0)

Class 4A

1. St. Pius (17-0)
2. Westminster (15-0)
3. North Oconee (14-2)
4. Griffin (15-1)
5. Mays (12-3)
6. Pace Academy (7-7)
7. Southwest DeKalb (13-3)
8. Jonesboro (10-4)
9. Eastside (11-5)
10. Locust Grove (15-2)

Class 3A

1. Sandy Creek (9-2)
2. Westover (12-1)
3. Baldwin (13-2)
4. Cross Creek (12-5)
5. Douglass (11-3)
6. Cedar Grove (8-6)
7. Monroe (13-3)
8. Cherokee Bluff (10-5)
9. Calhoun (10-1)
10. Long County (12-3)

Class 2A

1. Carver-Columbus (10-2)
2. KIPP Atlanta (12-3)
3. Butler (11-4)
4. Columbia (12-4)
5. South Atlanta (11-4)
6. Salem (11-6)
7. Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe (12-3)
8. Murray County (13-2)
9. Therrell (7-9)
10. Redan (13-2)

Class A Division I

1. Commerce (14-3)
2. Model (12-1)
3. Vidalia (12-1)
4. Rabun County (12-2)
5. Putnam County (12-5)
6. Southwest (11-6)
7. Fannin County (16-1)
8. B.E.S.T. Academy (7-7)
9. Fitzgerald (8-3)
10. Washington County (10-2)

Class A Division II

1. Chattahoochee County (13-1)
2. Seminole County (14-0)
3. Clinch County (10-1)
4. Portal (10-2)
5. Screven County (10-4)
6. Turner County (12-2)
7. Bowdon (8-3)
8. Hancock Central (7-6)
9. Savannah (10-6)
10. Taylor County (9-3)