The Alexander boys basketball team rolled through the regular season in 2021-22, but its state championship hopes were doomed when the Cougars were upset by third-seeded Carrollton 49-45 in the finals of the Region 5-6A tournament.
That loss, against a team Alexander had beaten twice during the regular season by an average of 23 points, dropped the Cougars to the No. 2 seed from the region and put them in the same quarter of the state playoff bracket as Grovetown. The teams faced off in the second round, and Grovetown won 78-54 on its way to the state championship. Alexander finished 24-5.
Now the Cougars are back and perhaps better than ever as they seek their first state title. Alexander is 9-2 overall (4-0 and tied for first place in Region 5) after a 79-68 victory Tuesday night against Butler in the Lemon Street Classic, and it is the consensus No. 1 team in Class 6A.
Alexander’s 61-49 loss to Western High School of Louisville, Ky., Monday ended a five-game winning streak. Its other loss came against Class 7A No. 3 Grayson, 64-60 on Dec. 3.
Braedan Lue, a 6-foot-6 junior small forward with a reported five offers from mid-major schools, has been leading the way. Lue is averaging 17.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.9 blocked shots. Jay’Quan Nelson (14.6) and Marvin McGhee (10.6) also are double-digit scorers.
The field will be wide open this season, as four of last year’s eight quarterfinalists are now playing in other classifications. That includes state runner-up Buford, as well as quarterfinalists Carrollton, Kell and Wheeler. Adding to the uncertainty is that five teams currently ranked in the top 10 were not in 6A last season.
Here’s a brief look at some of the top title contenders:
*Blessed Trinity: The Titans’ 72-59 victory over Oglethorpe County on Monday was their fifth straight win since a four-point loss to St. Pius on Dec. 3. That’s the same St. Pius that eliminated Blessed Trinity (10-3) in the first round last year, when both were in 5A. This year, the Titans are ranked No. 10. Brigham Rogers, a 6-foot-9 senior power forward, was an all-state selection last season.
*Grovetown: The Warriors have taken their lumps during a 2-6 start, which has come against what is ranked by MaxPreps as by far the toughest schedule in Class 6A, but they are still considered a top-five team. Frankquon Sherman, a 6-foot-6 senior small forward, was the 6A player of the year last season. The Warriors are playing in the Morris Bank Holiday Classic at Jones County this week.
*Hughes: The Panthers lost to Grovetown 68-63 in the semifinals last year and are likely to be Alexander’s top challenger in Region 5, where the teams are currently tied for first place. Hughes (7-3, 4-0) had a seven-game winning streak broken Saturday by 4A power Pace Academy and will be off until Jan. 3. Senior guard Randy Lathem and junior guard Brentis Schaeffer are the leading scorers.
*Jonesboro: The Cardinals, who moved up from Class 5A this season, are 6-2 overall and tied for first place in Region 3 with Woodward Academy. Those two have a two-game lead over the pack and are likely to battle for the region title. Guard Devon Rainey, committed to Miami of Ohio for football, was an all-state pick last season. Jonesboro plays in a tournament in Tennessee this week.
*St. Pius: The Golden, up from Class 5A this season, are a consensus top-six team and improved to 8-3 with a 66-60 victory over 7A Lowndes Monday at the Lemon Street Classic. Senior forward Spencer Elliott, an all-state selection last season, had 12 points. St. Pius and rival Marist have the early lead in 4-6A, and they’re likely to battle it out for the title once region play resumes in January.
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