Class 3A Basketball blog: Three programs have ranked teams in girls, boys polls

Wesleyan, Cross Creek and Monroe have boys and girls teams ranked in the latest AJC Top-10 polls.

All three programs had success through the holiday tournaments while playing quality and ranked competition from in-state and out.

Monroe’s boys and girls are playing to form. The girls have been ranked most of the season, and the boys recently moved into the AJC’s top-10 at No. 4.

The boys are 10-4 overall, 1-0 in Region 1-3A. The girls are 11-3 overall, 1-0 in region play and ranked No. 6. Both programs lost early season games, then pieced together winning streaks through the holidays.

The Monroe boys are riding a seven-game winning streak and coming off a 62-59 overtime victory against Terrell County on Saturday. Monroe opened the season with a 68-60 victory against Westover in overtime, then lost to Meadowcreek 62-56, beat Terrell County 90-49 and lost to Bainbridge 44-35.

Monroe recovered to beat Lee County 48-46, but then lost to Westover (63-48) and Bainbridge (52-45). Since those losses, Monroe defeated Glynn Academy (53-40), Douglas County (63-44), Keys Gate (Fla.) (66-57), Taylor County (66-27), Central (Fla.) (72-57) and Thomasville (54-46).

Junior Justin Burns and senior Andrico Jackson are the leaders. Burns scores 16.3 points per game, with a team-leading 6.5 rebounds and two steals. Jackson adds 13 points per game with 4.2 rebounds and a team-leading three assists.

The Monroe girls are riding an eight-game winning streak since last losing on Dec. 9 to Westover 53-49. The Lady Golden Tornadoes lost to Westover 45-34 in the season-opener and 54-43 to New Manchester, before beating Terrell County (71-39), Bainbridge (48-38) and Lee County (53-45) before the Westover loss.

Monroe has since beaten Bainbridge (61-35), Southwest Georgia Academy (75-54), Deerfield-Windsor (61-58 in overtime), Brooks County (62-39), Lincoln (Fla.) (70-50), Seminole County (89-36), Thomasville (66-32) and Terrell County (65-19).

The boys and girls will play at Crisp County (6-5) on Tuesday.

The Wesleyan boys are 9-5 overall, 1-2 in Region 7 and ranked No. 8. The girls are 11-2, 2-1 in the region and ranked No. 2.

Wesleyan’s girls are riding a three-game winning streak since losing to Brookwood 68-67 on Dec. 29 in the Deep South Classic. The Lady Wolves will play Gilmer (2-12) Tuesday before hosting No. 7 Pickens on Dec. 13.

The boys lost to West Hall 38-32 on Friday before beating Chamblee 57-51 on Saturday. The Wolves will travel to Gilmer on Tuesday before hosting Pickens on Friday.

Cross Creek’s boys are 6-10, 1-0 in Region 4-3A, and ranked No. 10. The Razorbacks are looking to right the ship after losing to Dorman (S.C.) 68-55 Saturday. The team will host Richmond Academy (5-6) Tuesday.

The girls lost to Keenan (S.C.) 82-71 on Jan. 2 before beating Harlem (75-51) Friday. The Lady Razorbacks will host Richmond Academy (4-5) Tuesday.

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)