There are eight teams and four games left in the Class 3A basketball season, and the beginning of the end will take place Saturday at Georgia College and State University in the semifinals.
The Windsor Forest boys will play Thomson at 4 p.m., and Cross Creek will play Beach at 8. Lumpkin County’s girls will play Westminster at 2 p.m., and Greater Atlanta Christian will face Pierce County at 6.
On the boys side of the bracket, you have two programs looking for their second overall titles – Cross Creek is the defending champion -- and one game between two teams trying to win their first.
Cross Creek’s Razorbacks earned the semifinal berth with victories against Upson-Lee (75-45), LaFayette (50-47) and Groves (55-46). The Razorbacks are led by senior Jaquez Ellison (12.3 points per game), Jayden Pack (12) and Antoine Lorick (12). Ellison adds 7.6 rebounds per game; Pack added 2.8 assists per game, and Lorick has eight rebounds per game.
Beach stands in the way.
The program hasn’t won a state championship since 1967. After entering the bracket as the No. 4 seed from Region 3, that would make for a sweet and unexpected second title. The Bulldogs are led by sophomore Larry Johnson, who is scoring 16.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Junior Shamarrie Hugie adds 16 points with 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.8 steals. The Bulldogs beat Long County (64-58), White County (57-52) and Burke County (56-52) to reach the semis.
Across the bracket, Windsor Forest, led by D’Ante Bass, will play Thomson. Bass, is scoring 14 points with 6.4 rebounds per game.
The Knights defeated Pierce County (69-39), Sandy Creek (47-37) and Sumter County (47-41) during its playoff run. Thomson is back in the semifinals for the first time since 1992 after defeating Crisp County (75-51), Hart County (69-44) and Johnson-Savannah (79-66).
On the girls side, one team has a bunch of titles and the other three want one.
Greater Atlanta Christian has nine state titles and joins the semifinals with three other hopeful programs. GAC won state titles as recently as 2020 and as far back as 1972 with back-to-back titles in 1974-75, 1982-83 and 2001-02. The Spartans defeated White County (61-42), Johnson-Savannah (67-44) and Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe (67-60) to set up the semifinal matchup against Pierce County.
GAC seniors Kaleigh Addie (23.3 points, five rebounds) and Jaci Bolden (16 points, 4.2 rebounds) lead the team.
Pierce County advanced by defeating Savannah (57-23), East Forsyth (68-51) and Central-Macon (56-34).
In the other semifinal matchup, top-ranked Lumpkin County will face Westminster after advancing with victories against Redan (84-51), Tattnall County (90-30) and defending-champion Cross Creek (49-39).
Averie Jones scored 26 points to lead the Indians against Cross Creek. Lumpkin also features Mary Mullinax, Lexi Pierce and Kate Jackson, and each can score. Against Tattnall County, Mullinax scored 31 points and Pierce tallied 24.
Westminster is in the semis after beating Dawson County (52-31), Liberty County (72-33) and Sumter County (49-36). Junior Courtney Ogden leads the scoring with 18 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and two steals per game. Sophomore Stella Chartrand adds 14.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game.
Class 3A semifinals
At Georgia College
Saturday games
2 p.m. – Class 3A girls: Westminster vs. Lumpkin County
4 p.m. – Class 3A boys: Windsor Forest vs. Thomson
6 p.m. – Class 3A girls: Greater Atlanta Christian vs. Pierce County
8 p.m. – Class 3A boys: Cross Creek vs. Beach
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