Girls basketball in Georgia used to be a game of six-on-six, with three players restricted to each half court. It was under those rules in 1957 that Adairsville’s girls had won their most recent state playoff game.
The Lady Tigers modernized their history book this week, beating Region 5-3A champion Sandy Creek 41-36 in a first-round road upset that exemplified the spirit and jubilation that define the early stages of the state tournament.
“When they realized that they had made Adairsville High School Lady Tigers basketball history the other night, it was an amazing sight to see,’’ coach Melissa Winters said. “They were so excited and proud of each other. They immediately looked at the coaching staff and told us that we needed to start preparing for Friday night.”
The state tournament resumes Friday and Saturday with 128 boys and girls second-round games.
Adairsville’s girls, now 14-14, will play at Dawson County in what might be called the Cinderella bowl, a game between the only Class 3A girls teams that won first-round road games. Dawson County is 15-14.
Adairsville also is celebrating its boys team, which got its first state playoff win since 1999 this week, beating Carver-Atlanta, and will play at home Saturday against Hart County.
Union Grove, a Henry County school, had a similar dual drought-breaking experience this week, as each of its teams won for the first time. Union Grove school opened in 2000.
Girls teams at North Cobb Christian, Chattahoochee County and Athens Christian also won their first state playoff games, as did Sonoraville’s boys team.
Now, it’s do-or-die again to reach the quarterfinals, and this round guarantees more tumult than the first, when top-five teams were 80-0, and top-10 teams were 132-10 when not facing each other.
This time, there will be 30 games matching ranked teams – 15 boys and 15 girls.
In the marquee boys game, No. 8 Pebblebrook plays at No. 5 Newton. Each was in the Class 7A semifinals last season, and they have eight semifinals appearances between them over the past 10 seasons.
Two No. 1 boys teams must get through top-10 opponents, as No. 9 Wesleyan travels to Sandy Creek in Class 3A, and No. 8 Manchester goes to Greenforest Christian in Class A Division II.
Also in A Division II, No. 3 Mount Pisgah Christian plays at No. 5 Darlington, and No. 2 Christian Heritage goes to No. 4 Macon County.
In 4A, No. 2 Pace Academy plays at Region 8 champion Walnut Grove.
The most intriguing girls game has defending Class 6A champion Lovejoy traveling to No. 8 Veterans, a region champion with a 24-4 record. Lovejoy had to win on the road in the first round and did, beating Riverwood.
Two other 2022 girls champions are on the road against top-10 teams, as No. 4 Woodward Academy, which won 5A last year, takes on No. 5 Brunswick in 6A, and No. 4 Lumpkin County plays Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe in 3A.
Meanwhile, No. 1 Kell’s girls of 5A are home against No. 9 Hiram. Both are 22-5.
In 7A, No. 8 Peachtree Ridge plays at No. 4 South Forsyth, and No. 7 North Paulding is at No. 8.
Winners advance to the quarterfinals, which are Tuesday and Wednesday. The 16 state finals will be played March 9-11 at the Macon Coliseum.
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