No. 1 Wheeler of Class 7A reaffirmed that it’s the team to beat in its classification with victories over two top-10 teams last week while Alexander of 6A lost in overtime to Hughes, a reminder of the tumult that awaits in region tournaments this week.
Wheeler, of Marietta, defeated No. 4 Newton 79-60 in a non-region game Monday and No. 7 Cherokee 73-60 in a Region 5 game Friday. The Region 4 tournament, with Wheeler as the host site, begins Tuesday. Wheeler is 19-6 overall but undefeated against Georgia opponents.
Alexander, of Douglasville, stayed No. 1 in 6A despite Hughes’ 56-52 victory over the Cougars on Tuesday. Their Region 5 tournament began Saturday, and an Alexander-Hughes rematch could occur Saturday.
Region tournaments, which began in some regions last week, determine qualifiers and seeds for the state tournament, which begins Feb. 21.
One former top-10 team is already out, and two more are guaranteed not to make it.
Warner Robins, ranked No. 8 last week in Class 5A, lost to Jones County 66-61 in the Region 2 quarterfinals Tuesday. Only the semifinalists advance to state. Region 2 is a tough league that also includes No. 1 Eagle’s Landing, No. 4 Dutchtown and No. 10 Union Grove, all southside metro Atlanta teams.
In Class A Division I, six of the top-eight teams are in Region 6, but no more than four can make state. On Tuesday, No. 4 King’s Ridge Christian will play at No. 6 St. Francis while No. 8 Paideia will play at No. 3 Mount Pisgah Christian in the other. The season is over for the losers out of a region of metro Atlanta private schools that includes No. 1 Mount Vernon and No. 2 Mount Bethel Christian.
Class 7A
1. Wheeler (19-6)
2. Grayson (19-5)
3. McEachern (19-6)
4. Newton (16-9)
5. Norcross (21-4)
6. Pebblebrook (17-8)
7. Cherokee (20-5)
8. Buford (18-6)
9. South Gwinnett (17-8)
10. Milton (19-7)
Class 6A
1. Alexander (20-5)
2. St. Pius (20-5)
3. Jonesboro (20-3)
4. Grovetown (16-8)
5. Marist (18-7)
6. Lanier (21-4)
7. Etowah (17-8)
8. Hughes (18-7)
9. Woodward Academy (20-4)
10. Brunswick (20-5)
Class 5A
1. Eagle’s Landing (25-1)
2. Kell (21-2)
3. Hiram (22-2)
4. Dutchtown (19-8)
5. Mays (18-7)
6. Tri-Cities (16-9)
7. Tucker (18-6)
8. Chapel Hill (17-8)
9. Maynard Jackson (16-7)
10. Union Grove (17-11)
Class 4A
1. McDonough (22-3)
2. Pace Academy (19-6)
3. Southwest DeKalb (22-2)
4. Fayette County (20-5)
5. Madison County (23-2)
6. Bainbridge (24-1)
7. Lovett (16-9)
8. North Oconee (20-5)
9. Westover (17-7)
10. Westside-Macon (19-6)
Class 3A
1. Sandy Creek (19-6)
2. Johnson-Savannah (21-4)
3. Cross Creek (15-10)
4. Monroe Area (21-4)
5. Monroe (19-6)
6. Cedar Grove (15-8)
7. Beach (21-4)
8. Dougherty (13-11)
9. Wesleyan (19-6)
10. Hart County (14-11)
Class 2A
1. Columbia (24-1)
2. Westside-Augusta (18-7)
3. Drew Charter (20-5)
4. Butler (15-8)
5. Spencer (21-4)
6. Putnam County (20-5)
7. Thomson (15-6)
8. Providence Christian (21-4)
9. North Cobb Christian (19-5)
10. Windsor Forest (19-6)
Class A Division I
1. Mount Vernon (17-8)
2. Mount Bethel Christian (17-6)
3. Mount Pisgah Christian (17-7)
4. King’s Ridge Christian (17-8)
5. Darlington (21-3)
6. St. Francis (11-13)
7. Social Circle (15-10)
8. Paideia (9-13)
9. Dublin (18-5)
10. Savannah (19-6)
Class A Division II
1. Greenforest Christian (15-7)
2. Christian Heritage (22-1)
3. Portal (24-1)
4. Macon County (23-2)
5. Wilkinson County (19-6)
6. Calhoun County (21-4)
7. Mitchell County (22-3)
8. Charlton County (23-2)
9. Manchester (18-4)
10. Chattahoochee County (20-5)
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