Sandy Creek already had enjoyed a good athletics year after coming off a victory against Cedar Grove in the Class 3A state championship football game in December. The Patriots entered the basketball season ranked at the top of the 3A standings and figured they’d keep things rolling.
They did.
After the victory last week against Cedar Grove in the 3A title game, the Patriots became only the eighth school to win the football and basketball championships in the same season and first since Pace Academy accomplished the feat in 2015-16.
After running the table in Region 5 and winning the No. 1 seed, Sandy Creek (26-6) began the playoffs as the favorite and had few, if any, issues through the championship run. The Patriots defeated Ringgold 100-57, Wesleyan 68-22, No. 2 Johnson-Savannah 56-50 and Cross Creek 54-35 in the semifinals to earn a rematch with Region 5 rival Cedar Grove in the title game.
Sandy Creek’s 66-38 victory marked the fourth time this season the Patriots defeated the Saints – 91-56, 71-48, 76-52. Cedar Grove was making the school’s first championship appearance.
Sandy Creek finished atop the class in the final poll, with Johnson-Savannah (25-5), a team that lost to Sandy Creek in the quarterfinals, finishing at No. 2. The state runner-up Saints (20-10) finished at No. 3 ahead of Cross Creek (20-11) and Monroe Area (24-5).
[Coming Thursday: Girls basketball season review]
Class 3A boys final rankings
1. Sandy Creek (26-6)
2. Johnson-Savannah (25-5)
3. Cedar Grove (20-10)
4. Cross Creek (20-11)
5. Monroe Area (24-5)
6. Douglass (16-14)
7. Dougherty (17-12)
8. Monroe (21-8)
9. Beach (22-6)
10. Hart County (17-13)
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