13 teams are trying to reach GHSA basketball state finals for first time
Half of last year’s state-winning basketball teams are still standing, but there’s still time for underdogs and history-makers in the state tournament with 32 semifinal games scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
Six teams are in final fours for the first time, and seven are breaking droughts of more than 30 years. Thirteen teams can advance to championship games for the first time.
“This has been pure joy for us because we’ve never experienced anything like this before,” said Cambridge boys coach David Akin, whose team is making its first semifinal appearance since the school opened in north Fulton County in 2012. “We don’t have the experience of it like Pace Academy (Cambridge’s opponent Friday in Athens) and other teams. And there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s a breath of fresh air for some people, not seeing the same people in the final four.”
The other first-time semifinal teams are Creekview’s girls, Heritage-Ringgold’s girls, Metter’s girls, KIPP Atlanta College’s boys and Rabun County’s boys. KIPP in Class 2A and Rabun in Class A Division I are ranked No. 1.
Seven schools are making their first semifinal appearances in more than 30 years. They are Harlem’s girls (first since 1969), Washington-Wilkes’ boys (1977), Fitzgerald’s boys (1988), Coffee’s boys and Bowdon’s boys (1993), Darlington’s boys and Walker’s boys (1994).
Thirteen of the 64 surviving teams are one victory from their first state championship games. In addition to the six first-time semifinal teams, they are girls teams from Campbell, Milton and East Laurens and boys teams from Chattahoochee County, Washington-Wilkes, Darlington and Walker.
Seven others can reach championship games for the first time in more than 40 years. They are Portal’s boys (1957), Jones County’s girls (1960), Cartersville’s girls (1962), Harlem’s boys (1969), Pickens’ girls (1974), Bowdon’s girls (1978) and Coffee’s girls (1980).
The surviving defending champions are River Ridge’s girls (5A), Hardaway’s girls (2A), Wilcox County’s girls (A Division II), Holy Innocents’ girls and boys (Private), Wheeler’s boys (6A), Tri-Cities’ boys (5A) and Butler’s boys (2A).
The semifinals will be played Friday and Saturday at Georgia State (6A, 5A), Akins Ford Arena in Athens (4A, Private), Legacy Arena in Douglasville (3A, 2A) and Fort Valley State (A divisions I and II).
Below are the 64 semifinal playoff teams and their most recent semifinal appearance, finals appearance and state championship, according to data from the Georgia High School Basketball Project and the Georgia High School Association.
Girls
Class 6A
- Hillgrove 2012 / 2012 / 2012
- Grayson 2025 / 2025 / 2024
- Campbell 2022 / Never / Never
- North Paulding 2024 / 2024 / Never
Class 5A
- Coffee 1993 / 1980 / 1980
- Milton 2025 / Never / Never
- River Ridge 2025 / 2025 / 2025
- Creekview First / Never / Never
Class 4A
- Jones County 2006 / 1960 / 1960
- Kell 2023 / 2023 / 2023
- Cartersville 2024 / 1962 / 1962
- Marist 2025 / 2024 / 2024
Class 3A
- Monroe 2024 / 1998 / Never
- Sandy Creek 2017 / 2013 / Never
- Pickens 2022 / 1974 / 1974
- Heritage-Ringgold First / Never / Never
Class 2A
- Josey 2025 / 2024 / 2021
- Hardaway 2025 / 2025 / 2025
- Columbia 2019 / 2013 / 2013
- Murray County 2025 / 2025 / 1965
Class A Division I
- Putnam County 2016 / 1999 / 1998
- Elbert County 2023 / 2022 / 2022
- East Laurens 2025 / Never / Never
- Thomasville 2013 / 1998 / 1998
Class A Division II
- Wilcox County 2025 / 2025 / 2025
- Bowdon 1993 / 1978 / 1978
- Metter First / Never / Never
- Washington-Wilkes 2025 / 2025 / Never
Class 3A-A Private
- Hebron Christian 2025 / 2025 / 2024
- St. Francis 2025 / 2024 / 2024
- Holy Innocents’ 2025 / 2025 / 2025
- Greater Atlanta Christian 2022 / 2022 / 2022
Boys
Class 6A
- Hillgrove 2013 / 2013 / 2013
- Pebblebrook 2025 / 2025 / Never
- McEachern 2024 / 2024 / 2019
- Wheeler 2025 / 2025 / 2025
Class 5A
- Woodward Academy 2025 / 2025 / 2020
- Gainesville 2018 / 2018 / 2018
- Tri-Cities 2025 / 2025 / 2025
- Alexander 2024 / 2024 / 2023
Class 4A
- Pace Academy 2025 / 2025 / 2023
- Cambridge First / Never / Never
- Jonesboro 2024 / 2016 / 2015
- St. Pius 2020 / 2018 / Never
Class 3A
- Harlem 1969 / 1969 / 1969
- Douglass 2023 / 1991 / 1984
- East Hall 2007 / 2007 / 2005
- Cross Creek 2023 / 2022 / 2022
Class 2A
- Therrell 2020 / 2020 / 2019
- Morgan County 2019 / 2019 / 2019
- KIPP Atlanta Collegiate First / Never / Never
- Butler 2025 / 2025 / 2025
Class A Division I
- Vidalia 2019 / 2019 / Never
- Southwest 2025 / 2025 / 1989
- Fitzgerald 1988 / 1988 / Never
- Rabun County First / Never / Never
Class A Division II
- Clinch County 2017 / 1989 / 1989
- Chattahoochee County 2021 / Never / Never
- Portal 2013 / 1957 / Never
- Washington-Wilkes 1977 / Never / Never
Class 3A-A Private
- Darlington 1994 / Never / Never
- Mount Vernon 2024 / 2024 / 2024
- Walker 1997 / Never / Never
- Holy Innocents’ 2025 / 2025 / 2025
About the Author
Todd Holcomb covers high school sports across the state. He rejoined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2025 and has worked with the AJC in varying capacities since 1985. He is a co-founder and editor of Georgia High School Football Daily.
