The state basketball tournaments is in the second round this weekend, and there’s probably no better matchup in any class than 7A’s boys game that has No. 4 McEachern at No. 2 Grayson on Saturday at 6 p.m.
It’s a rematch of a 2020 semifinal that Grayson won 82-76. McEachern, the 2019 champion and 2020 semifinalist, is trying to make the quarterfinals for the sixth straight time.
Two other boys games pit top-10 teams. Those are No. 9 Norcross at No. 7 North Gwinnett and No. 8 Cherokee at No. 5 Berkmar. Cherokee’s boys are trying to make the quarters for the first time since 1982.
The best girls game in the highest class has No. 7 Norcross at No. 3 Cherokee, a semifinalist the past two seasons. Norcross has made the quarters or better the past four seasons and missed only twice in the past 11 seasons.
Three ranked teams didn’t get through the first round this week.
In the boys draw, No. 6 South Forsyth and No. 10 Etowah are out, beaten by Discovery and Collins Hill, respectively. That puts Discovery against Collins Hill in the round of 16. Discovery was in the quarters in 2019, but Collins Hill last made an elite eight in 1998.
The only ranked girls team that went down this week was No. 10 West Forsyth, beaten by No. 7 Norcross.
Below are the second-round matchups in the order that they appear on the draw. Note that next week’s quarterfinals will mark the first time that region champions and same-seeded teams can play each other. The home team, decided by a GHSA universal coin toss, will be the lower team on the bracket. That means No. 1 Collins Hill could be on the road at No. 2 McEachern (girls), but that’s still days. away.
Girls
Parkview at No. 5 Marietta
No. 7 Norcross at No. 3 Cherokee
South Forsyth at No. 1 Collins Hill
Grayson at No. 2 McEachern
No. 9 Woodstock at Archer
Newton at No. 8 North Paulding
No. 4 Campbell at Brookwood
Roswell at No. 6 North Forsyth
Boys
Newnan at Parkview
Archer at No. 1 Milton
No. 9 Norcross at No. 7 North Gwinnett
Newton at No. 3 Pebblebrook
No. 8 Cherokee at No. 5 Berkmar
North Paulding at Tift County
No. 4 McEachern at No. 2 Grayson
Discovery at Collins Hill
