The busy holiday basketball schedule is keeping teams active through December and into the New Year, and a few programs are putting undefeated records on the line.
On the boys side of Class 3A are No. 5 Hebron Christian (10-0) and unranked Carver-Columbus (10-0). On the girls side, No. 3 Pickens (12-0) and unranked Calvary Day (7-0) have yet to be beaten.
Let’s take a look at the AJC’s top-10s to see what each program has done through the last week:
Class 3A boys top-10
1. Sandy Creek (8-1): Defeated White Hall 66-50 in the King Cotton Holiday Classic in Pine Bluff (Ark.) on Wednesday.
2. Douglass (9-6): Coming off losses to Marshall County (Ky.) (65-56) and Columbia Academy (Tenn.) (69-54) in the FNB Bank Holiday Classic at Marshall County.
3. Cross Creek (7-6): Defeated Meadowcreek 59-58 Wednesday to stop a two-game losing streak. The Razorbacks will play South Florence (S.C.) on New Year’s Day in the Battle of the Borders event.
4. Cedar Grove (7-4): Beat Valdosta 56-39 on Dec. 22 and will play Hillgrove at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Tournament of Champions at Wheeler.
5. Hebron Christian (10-0): Beat Union Grove 62-51 on Dec. 16 and will face St. Francis at home on Jan. 3.
6. Long County (9-1): Defeated Valdosta 52-39 on Dec. 21 and will play Sequoyah Thursday in the Adairsville Christmas Clash.
7. Richmond Academy (11-1): Defeated Windsor Forest 81-55 on Dec. 20, lost to Butler 68-46 on Dec. 21 and beat Keenan 57-55 on Dec. 22 all in the Richmond County Round Ball Classic at Paine College in Augusta. Will face Fox Creek (S.C.) on New Year’s Day in the Battle of the Borders event.
8. Monroe Area (7-1): Beat ELCA 65-52 on Dec. 16 and plays Heritage-Conyers on Thursday at 4 p.m. in the Jaxco Holiday Hoopfest at Legacy Knoll Middle.
9. Dougherty (9-2): Plays St. Anne-Pacelli Wednesday and awaits its next opponent in the Lee County Roundball Classic.
10. Monroe (6-2): Beat Savannah Country Day 64-42 Dec. 19 and will play Thomasville on Jan. 5 at 8 p.m.
Class 3A girls top-10
1. Hebron Christian (10-2): Lost to Long Island Lutheran 61-54 and Montverde Academy 63-52 before rebounding against Xavier College Prep 66-50 in the Nike Tournament of Championship in Phoenix (Az.). Plays against Newton on Saturday at home.
2. Wesleyan (9-1): Plays Jan. 5 against West Hall at home. Defeated Class A Division I No. 1 St. Francis 73-66 on Dec. 12.
3. Pickens (12-0): Beat North Cobb Christian 43-34 and North Cobb 47-34 on Dec. 21 and 22, respectively. The Dragons face Stone Memorial (Tenn.) on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.
4. Carver-Columbus (6-2): Lost to Hardaway 60-50 on Dec. 21 in the MCSD Christmas Tournament championship game. Plays Hazel Green on Thursday in the BallN Prep Holiday Invitational.
5. White County (12-1): Plays Walker Valley (Tenn.) on Wednesday, Morristown-Hamblen East on Thursday and Lawrence County on Friday in the Pensacola Beach holiday event.
6. Dawson County (8-4): Lost to Perry County Central (Tenn.) on Wednesday in the Smoky Mountain Winter Classic in Gatlinburg, Tenn., and awaits results from the event to determine Thursday and Friday’s opponents.
7. Hart County (7-3): Plays at home against Pendleton (1-11) in the 16th Annual McDonald’s Shootout on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and awaits results from the event to determine Thursday and Friday’s opponents.
8. Cross Creek (8-4): Beat Laney 70-57 on Dec. 22 and will face Indian Land at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in the Carolina Girls Hoops N.C. Battle of the East.
9. Dougherty (7-5): Faces Beach (6-3) in the BallHer Showcase in Savannah on Friday at 2 p.m. The Trojans are trying to stop the slide after losing to Veterans 79-44 on Dec. 21 and Macon County 52-50 on Dec. 22.
10. Monroe (6-6): Lost to Fayette County (6-2) 45-33 on Dec. 23 and will play Thomasville on the road at 6 p.m. Jan. 5.
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