Boys basketball rankings: 4 top-ranked teams lose; Columbia moves to No. 1

ajc.com

Columbia moved to the top of Class 2A in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s boys high school basketball rankings. Three No. 1 teams on metro Atlanta’s southern crescent – Eagle’s Landing, McDonough and Sandy Creek – lost games but kept their top spots.

Columbia of Decatur is now No. 1 in 2A ahead of Westside-Augusta, which lost a region game Friday to Putnam County 66-58. Columbia has lost once, a one-point decision in a non-region game against Southwest DeKalb on Dec. 10. Westside, the defending 2A champion, has lost six times against a tougher schedule.

Eagle’s Landing of 5A lost Saturday for the first time this season, beaten by No. 4 Dutchtown 54-52 on a tip-in in the final seconds. Eagle’s Landing won the first meeting between the Henry County schools 51-42 on Jan. 14. They are tied in Region 2 with 9-1 records.

Eagle’s Landing’s loss leaves Dalton’s Christian Heritage, the No. 2 team in Class A Division II, as the state’s only undefeated boys basketball team.

McDonough, the No. 1 team in 4A, lost Saturday to No. 2 Pace 59-50. McDonough defeated Pace 71-60 on Jan. 20. Both are 9-1 in Region 5.

Sandy Creek of 3A was the other No. 1 team to fall. The Patriots lost to Gray Collegiate, the No. 1 team in South Carolina’s Division 2 rankings, 59-58.

Two weeks remain in the regular season. Region tournaments will follow. The state playoffs begin Feb. 21.

Class 7A

1. Wheeler (13-6)

2. McEachern (16-6)

3. Grayson (15-5)

4. Norcross (19-3)

5. Newton (13-7)

6. Pebblebrook (15-7)

7. Archer (16-4)

8. Buford (15-6)

9. Cherokee (17-4)

10. South Gwinnett (14-7)

Class 6A

1. Alexander (17-4)

2. Marist (16-5)

3. St. Pius (16-5)

4. Jonesboro (17-3)

5. Etowah (14-7)

6. Lanier (17-4)

7. Grovetown (12-8)

8. Hughes (15-7)

9. Woodward Academy (18-4)

10. Brunswick (18-3)

Class 5A

1. Eagle’s Landing (21-1)

2. Kell (18-2)

3. Hiram (18-2)

4. Dutchtown (17-6)

5. Mays (15-5)

6. Tri-Cities (12-8)

7. Tucker (15-5)

8. Chapel Hill (13-7)

9. Warner Robins (14-6)

10. Maynard Jackson (12-7)

Class 4A

1. McDonough (18-3)

2. Pace Academy (15-6)

3. Southwest DeKalb (17-2)

4. Madison County (20-2)

5. Fayette County (17-5)

6. Bainbridge (21-1)

7. Lovett (12-8)

8. North Oconee (18-5)

9. Westover (14-6)

10. LaGrange (17-4)

Class 3A

1. Sandy Creek (16-5)

2. Johnson-Savannah (17-4)

3. Monroe Area (18-3)

4. Beach (17-2)

5. Cedar Grove (14-6)

6. Monroe (16-5)

7. Cross Creek (12-10)

8. Wesleyan (15-6)

9. Hart County (12-9)

10. Dougherty (10-10)

Class 2A

1. Columbia (21-1)

2. Westside-Augusta (15-6)

3. Thomson (12-5)

4. Providence Christian (19-3)

5. Drew Charter (17-5)

6. Putnam County (17-4)

7. Windsor Forest (16-5)

8. North Cobb Christian (17-4)

9. Butler (11-8)

10. Spencer (17-4)

Class A Division I

1. Mount Bethel Christian (17-5)

2. Mount Pisgah Christian (16-7)

3. Mount Vernon (15-8)

4. King’s Ridge Christian (15-7)

5. Darlington (19-3)

6. Paideia (8-12)

7. Social Circle (11-9)

8. St. Francis (9-13)

9. Dublin (16-4)

10. Savannah (14-6)

Class A Division II

1. Greenforest Christian (13-7)

2. Christian Heritage (18-0)

3. Portal (19-1)

4. Mitchell County (20-2)

5. Calhoun County (19-3)

6. Charlton County (19-1)

7. Macon County (21-2)

8. Wilkinson County (16-6)

9. Manchester (15-4)

10. Chattahoochee County (16-4)