Sixteen teams remain in the playoffs on the boys and girls side of Class A Divisions I and II as the season moves toward an end Friday at Georgia College in Milledgeville and Fort Valley State University.
Here’s the breakdown for the state semifinals:
Division I boys
-- Three of the four teams come from Region 6 -- top-ranked Mount Vernon, No. 6 Paideia and Mount Pisgah. They join No. 2-ranked Savannah.
Mount Vernon defeated Mount Pisgah 69-43 on Jan. 9. Vernon is led by K.J. Garris (19 points a game), Sha’yah Goba (14) and Xavier Shegog (13). Pisgah is paced by O’Niell Connolly (18 points a game), Cam Gaines (17), Jackson Williams (14) and Tyson Pittman (13).
Paideia will play No. 2 Savannah in the other semifinal after beating Pelham 69-54. Maki Joyner (16 points a game) and Jermaine Edwards (11 points) lead Savannah.
Division I girls
-- It’s rare that the top-four teams in the class enter the semifinals, but that’s what happened. No. 1 St. Francis will play No. 3 Athens Christian, and No. 2 Galloway will face No. 4 Rabun County.
Top-ranked St. Francis is led by Sy’Mya Wyatt (16 points a game), Giaunni Rogers (14) and Camryn Golston (12). Athens Chrisitan earned its semifinals berth with a 57-42 victory against Lamar County.
Galloway advanced after a 70-61 victory against Swainsboro and will play Rabun County, which defeated Bryan County 71-45.
Division II boys
-- Top-ranked Greenforest enters as a favorite against No. 6 Macon County, but stranger things have happened in early March. The Bulldogs are led by Frankie Raines Jr, who scores 23 points per game, and Dontavious Collier, who adds 19 points per game. Greenforest is coming off an 87-62 victor against McIntosh County Academy.
On the other side of the bracket, unranked Manchester will play No. 10 Warren County. Daryus Bryant is scoring 13 points a game to lead the Blue Devils. Warren has four players – Torossie Leslie (13 points a game), Cosa Pender (12), Ra’Quavian Jones (12) and Jamarion Darden (11) – scoring in double-figures.
Division II girls
-- Top-ranked Greenforest will face No. 3 Taylor County in what could be a state championship matchup. In the other semi, No. 6 Clinch County will face No. 2 Montgomery County in another state-title caliber game.
Greenforest defeated Wilcox County 57-42 in the quarterfinals, and Taylor County beat Seminole County 64-38.
Taylor is led by Jaydah Ford (15 points a game), Alasia Montgomery (11) and Da’Laila Lowe (10).
Clinch County defeated Chattahoochee County 65-57 and will have to find a way to silence Montgomery County senior Marley Bell, who is averaging 25 points and 16 rebounds. Amire Banks adds 16 points with seven assists a game.
Division I
Friday at Georgia College
Girls: R6 #2 No. 2 Galloway (18-10) vs. R8 #1 No. 4 Rabun County (24-6), 1 p.m.
Boys: R6 #2 No. 6 Paideia (16-12) vs. R3 #1 No. 2 Savannah (22-8), 3 p.m.
Girls: R8 #2 No. 3 Athens Christian (24-4) vs. R6 #1 No. 1 St. Francis (22-7), 5 p.m.
Boys: R6 #4 Mt. Pisgah (14-17) vs. R6 #1 No. 1 Mt. Vernon (22-9), 7 p.m.
Division II
Friday at Fort Valley State
Girls: R2 #1 No. 6 Clinch County (21-4) vs. R3 #1 No. 2 Montgomery County (29-1), 1 p.m.
Boys: R6 #2 Manchester (19-8) vs. R8 #1 No. 10 Warren County (24-5), 3 p.m.
Girls: R7 #1 No. 1 Greenforest (25-5) vs. R6 #1 No. 3 Taylor County (27-3), 5 p.m.
Boys: R7 #1 No. 1 Greenforest (25-4) vs. R6 #1 No. 6 Macon County (27-3), 7 p.m.
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