Class 3A basketball blog: Lumpkin County girls on track to challenge for repeat title

The Lumpkin County girls program features two players averaging nearly 20 points per game, and that has helped the No. 4-ranked Indians to a 13-3 overall record.

Despite losing its last two games to out-of-state teams, the defending-champion Indians have been strong against in-state competition.

Two of its three losses were to Tennessee programs Upperman (60-45) and Elizabethon (64-46) in the Andrew Johnson Bank Ladies Classic in Tennessee on Dec. 29 and 30. The other loss came against No. 2-ranked Wesleyan (74-68) on Dec. 6 in a Region 7 game.

The team opened with a 63-38 victory against East Jackson and beat Cherokee (65-53), Woodstock (69-23), Sequoyah (47-36) and Chestatee (71-39) before the Wesleyan loss. The Indians got back on track with a 94-4 victory against West Hall on Dec. 9. (That is not a typo.)

The Indians then defeated Northview (81-27) on Dec. 10, Gilmer (66-28), No. 7 Pickens (59-56), Milton (71-20), Central Gwinnett (77-49), Collins Hill (69-56) and Webb (Tenn.) (56-36) before the holiday tournament losses.

Averie Jones, Lexi Pierce and Mary Mullinax are team leaders. Jones, a 5-foot-6 junior point guard, averages 18 points. Mullinax, a 5-10 senior shooting guard, also averages 18. Pierce, a senior guard, has scored 1,106 career points with 301 career assists and 162 career 3-pointers for Lumpkin.

Lumpkin County will return to region play at home Tuesday against Dawson County (9-6) before traveling to White County on Jan. 17. The Indians will face a rematch with No. 2 Wesleyan on Jan. 20.

Class 3A Boys Top-10

1. Sandy Creek (11-3)

2. Johnson-Savannah (11-3)

3. Cedar Grove (10-3)

4. Monroe (10-4)

5. Beach (11-2)

6. Monroe Area (10-2)

7. Oconee County (11-4)

8. Wesleyan (8-5)

9. Calvary Day (10-3)

10. Cross Creek (6-10)

Class 3A Girls Top-10

1. Hebron Christian (13-0)

2. Wesleyan (11-2)

3. White County (13-3)

4. Lumpkin County (13-3)

5. Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe (14-0)

6. Monroe (11-3)

7. Pickens (13-2)

8. Cross Creek (11-4)