Five of Georgia’s No. 1-ranked basketball teams lost last week, and only one – Columbia’s boys in Class AAAA – stayed in the top spot in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s high school rankings.
The new No. 1 teams are Allatoona’s boys (AAAAA), Washington County’s boys and girls (AAA) and Whitefield Academy’s boys (A).
Losing their top rankings were Miller Grove’s boys (AAAAA), Savannah’s boys (AAA), Aquinas’ boys (A) and Buford’s girls (AAA).
Wheeler, the No. 1-ranked boys team in AAAAAA, almost became the sixth top team to lose but defeated Wenonah of Birmingham 83-82 on Saturday with a buzzer-beating shot by guard Avery Patterson in a showcase event at Norcross. Wenonah is Alabama’s reigning Class 5A champion.
None of the former No. 1 teams suffered what could be called a bad loss.
In AAAAA, Miller Grove (17-5) was beaten by Roselle Catholic, New Jersey’s all-classification champion in 2013. But Allatoona, the new No. 1, is the only unbeaten remaining in the classification. Miller Grove, the defending champ, has one loss in Georgia, to Columbia.
Savannah’s boys lost to defending AAA champ and city rival Johnson. Buford’s girls were beaten soundly by Wesleyan, the No. 1 team in AA. Savannah and Buford were replaced at the top by Washington County, the only school in any classification with both teams in the top position.
And now that Aquinas and Savannah have been bumped. Washington County also is the only school outside of metro Atlanta with a No. 1 team
In A, Aquinas lost to Augusta rival Laney, the No. 3 team in AA, 64-63 on Monday. Whitefield Academy became the new No. 1 after defeating No. 4 St. Francis and No. 5 North Cobb Christian last week.
Columbia lost to Region 6-AAAA rival South Atlanta but held its ranking. The Eagles have only two losses, one to Tucker, the No. 3 team from AAAAA.
BOYS
Class AAAAAA
1. Wheeler (17-4)
2. Westlake (21-1)
3. Tift County (19-2)
4. North Gwinnett (19-3)
5. Norcross (15-5)
6. Hillgrove (18-4)
7. Walton (17-3)
8. Milton (12-6)
9. Pebblebrook (16-4)
10. Douglas County (15-4)
Class AAAAA
1. Allatoona (21-0)
2. Miller Grove (17-5)
3. Tucker (16-3)
4. Jenkins (18-2)
5. Clarke Central (19-1)
6. Stephenson (14-6)
7. Warner Robins (16-2)
8. Sprayberry (18-4)
9. Villa Rica (18-4)
10. M.L. King (13-8)
Class AAAA
1. Columbia (16-2)
2. Eagle’s Landing (15-4)
3. Alexander (16-3)
4. Fayette County (14-5)
5. South Atlanta (15-5)
6. Rutland (17-3)
7. Glenn Hills (16-4)
8. Eastside (17-2)
9. Liberty County (15-6)
10. Sandy Creek (15-4)
Class AAA
1. Washington County (17-1)
2. Morgan County (17-4)
3. Cartersville (18-2)
4. Johnson-Savannah (15-4)
5. Savannah (15-3)
6. Buford (15-5)
7. Elbert County (17-3)
8. Cedar Grove (13-5)
9. Thomson (14-1)
10. Blessed Trinity (17-4)
Class AA
1. Greater Atlanta Christian (22-0)
2. Vidalia (21-0)
3. Laney (18-4)
4. Model (18-2)
5. Manchester (16-3)
6. Calhoun (16-2)
7. Pelham (15-3)
8. Jefferson (15-5)
9. Crawford County (15-4)
10. McIntosh County Academy (11-8)
Class A
1. Whitefield Academy (14-5)
2. Aquinas (14-4)
3. Greenforest Christian (14-7)
4. St. Francis (13-7)
5. North Cobb Christian (15-5)
6. Athens Christian (15-4)
7. Calhoun County (18-1)
8. Seminole County (14-2)
9. Holy Innocents’ (17-2)
10. Wilkinson County (14-5)
GIRLS
Class AAAAAA
1. McEachern (16-2)
2. Archer (20-2)
3. Parkview (19-2)
4. Norcross (16-4)
5. Hillgrove (18-3)
6. Westlake (17-4)
7. North Forsyth (19-2)
8. Douglas County (16-3)
9. Hughes (18-2)
10. Brunswick (19-2)
Class AAAAA
1. Southwest DeKalb (19-2)
2. Tucker (17-3)
3. Effingham County (19-1)
4. Salem (18-2)
5. Drew (17-3)
6. Stephenson (14-5)
7. Hiram (19-3)
8. Osborne (15-6
9. Forest Park (15-7
10. Creekview (16-5)
Class AAAA
1. Redan (21-0)
2. Columbus (19-1)
3. Cross Creek (17-2)
4. Mary Persons (18-2)
5. Monroe (17-4)
6. Woodland-Stockbridge (15-3)
7. Chestatee (18-3)
8. Columbia (10-4)
9. Rutland (16-3)
10. Fayette County (13-6)
Class AAA
1. Washington County (18-0)
2. St. Pius (18-3)
3. Buford (18-2)
4. Tattnall County (17-2)
5. Beach (19-1)
6. Morgan County (16-2)
7. Dodge County (16-2)
8. Chapel Hill (18-3)
9. Peach County (17-3)
10. Southwest-Macon (15-2)
Class AA
1. Wesleyan (19-2)
2. Kendrick (17-0)
3. Laney (22-1)
4. Pelham (18-0)
5. Greater Atlanta Christian (16-5)
6. Pepperell (17-2)
7. Armuchee (15-5)
8. Putnam County (17-2)
9. Bleckley County (15-4)
10. Vidalia (15-5)
Class A
1. Holy Innocents’ (19-0)
2. SW Atlanta Christian (16-4)
3. St. Francis (16-2)
4. George Walton Academy (18-1)
5. Randolph-Clay (15-3)
6. Calvary Day (13-2)
7. Gordon Lee (16-4)
8. Claxton (17-3)
9. Darlington (13-6
10. Mount Paran Christian (15-3)
