The GHSA state basketball playoffs began Tuesday and Wednesday with the first round of the state’s 100th tournament. Here are the BOYS and GIRLS brackets and HERE is the basketball scoreboard. Go here for the boys and girls schedules and scores. See the Tuesday recaps below.
7A
Boys:
Milton 89, Mill Creek 47
Nationally-ranked Milton made a strong impression in its dominant opening round win over No. 4 seed Mill Creek. Kanaan Carylye scored a game-high 33 points with five rebounds and five assists and teammate Lebbeus Thomas Overton went 11-of-11 from the field to close out his 22-point performance.
Newnan 50, Walton 48
Top-seed Walton entered the tournament following the school’s first region title since 1989 and built a 24-18 halftime lead. Newnan tied it up 48-48 and then senior Jamar Stargell made a floater on the buzzer to give the No. 4 seeded Rams the dramatic victory.
7A Girls:
Marietta 52, Pebblebrook 49
Top-ranked Marietta took a 44-39 lead into the final quarter and held off the visiting Falcons. Chloe Sterling paced the Blue Devils with 23 points and teammate Lauren Walker chipped in with 18 points.
Newton 50, Tift County 38
No. 4 seeded Newton built a 30-11 halftime lead and went into the final quarter with a 48-29 lead. Sanaa Tripp provided Newton with 11 points and five rebounds in the first half to match the top-seeded Blue Devils’ output.
Archer 53, Denmark 39
No. 1 seeded Archer took a 17-7 lead in the first quarter and went up 25-14 at the half of its victory over Denmark—which made its first-ever state tournament appearance.
Woodstock 65, North Gwinnett 48
Host Woodstock saw Casey Miller score a season-high 16 points in their home victory over No. 3 seed North Gwinnett. Junior guard Karson Martin provided Woodstock with 10 points and Bridget Utberg scored a game-high 26 points.
North Forsyth 52, Duluth 28
Host North Forsyth scored 37 points in the second half to cruise past No. 4 seed Duluth.
6A
Boys:
Brunswick 77, Grovetown 70 (OT)
Brunswick got an overtime win on the road as Xavier Bean led all scorers with 22 points. Also for Brunswick, Tyrease Jones scored 17 points, Camarion Johnson scored 14 points with eight rebounds and six assists and Izaiah Butler scored 10 points with eight rebounds and two blocks. For Grovetown, Julius Brown scored 18 points and Zach Bell and Derrion Reid each scored 17 points.
Wheeler 75, Sequoyah 59
Kaleb Washington led all scorers with 24 points for host Wheeler, and Ja’Heim Hudson added 15 points and 11 rebounds. Max Harris scored nine points for the Wildcats, and A.J. Burke and Khedric Oliver each scored six points. For Sequoyah, Ayden Watson and Fisher Mitchell each scored 17 points. Wheeler led 43-25 at halftime.
Heritage-Conyers 81, Statesboro 57
Heritage-Conyers won at Statesboro on the strength of two 30-point scorers, as R.J. Noord scored 31 points and James White scored 30 points and had nine rebounds. Courtney McBride contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds for Heritage.
6A Girls:
Rockdale County 72, Glynn Academy 31
Rockdale County advanced to the Round of 16 for the third-straight season with a home win over Glynn Academy. Rockdale led 32-18 at halftime and exploded for a 22-8 advantage in the third quarter to enter the fourth quarter ahead 54-26.
River Ridge 72, Kennesaw Mountain 39
Host River Ridge got 21 points and 11 rebounds from freshman Allie Sweet, and sophomore Mataya Gayle scored 16 points. The Knights led 47-23 heading into the fourth quarter.
Lovejoy 60, Valdosta 25
Sophomore La’Nya Foster had 13 points for host Lovejoy, and freshman Bryanna Preston scored 10 points and had five assists. Lovejoy led 37-12 at halftime.
Buford 81, Alexander 45
Ava Grace Watson led Buford with 20 points in the Wolves’ home win, and teammates Sara Viti (11 pts), Tatum Ozment (10 pts) and Ashyia Willis (10 pts) also scored in double figures. Blair Wallis scored nine points for Buford, and Kirby Wallis added eight points.
5A
Boys:
Blessed Trinity 78, Lithia Springs 55
The Titans advanced past Lithia Springs into the second round where they will be matched up against the winner of the Walnut Grove/St. Pius game. Senior point guard Jax Bouknight fueled the Titans’ offense, scoring a team high 33 points. Senior Ben Hamacher was right behind him with 16 points, while sophomores Brigham Rogers and Cole Weaver put up 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Eagle’s Landing 53, Wayne County 36
In their second meeting this season, the Eagle’s Landing Eagles defeated the Wayne County Yellow Jackets to advance into the sweet sixteen where they’ll face off against the winner of the Forest Park/Whitewater game. On offense, Junior AJ Barnes scored 16 points while Sophomore David Thomas scored nine. Defensively, the Eagles were all on-guard during the first half, shutting down the Wayne County offense by holding them to just eight points.
Locust Grove 59, Warner Robins 57
Locust Grove defeated Warner Robins in a tight game to advance into the sweet sixteen, where the Wildcats will take on the winner of the Northside-Columbus/Tri-Cities game.
5A Girls:
Eagle’s Landing 37, Wayne County 23
Eagle’s Landing advanced to the quarterfinals last season and took one step closer to returning with a victory over Wayne County in the first round. The Eagles will be paired against Griffin in the sweet sixteen.
Warner Robins 49, Jones County 34
The Lady Demons were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round of last season’s playoffs but would not be sent home tonight following a victory over Jones County. Warner Robins now awaits a second-round matchup against Forest Park.
Loganville 47, Decatur 23
After losing by just one point to Lithia Springs in last season’s first-round matchup, the Loganville Red Devils broke through to the second round where they will go up against Jackson-Atlanta.
New Manchester 63, Cartersville 31
New Manchester’s sound victory over Cartersville was fueled by strong offensive performances from multiple players. Junior Kharyssa Richardson scored 12 points and snagged a team high 14 rebounds. Seniors Hannah Wright and Azaria Robertson also scored 12 points each, with Wright also showing her skills on defense by swiping 3 steals. Kamryn Bates racked up 11 points and 5 rebounds while Taniya James and Naya Herrera scored 6 and 4 points, respectively. The Lady Jaguars now advance into the second round where they will be matched up against Greenbrier.
Griffin 59, Jonesboro 39
The Griffin Lady Bears walked away from their first-round matchup against Jonesboro victorious, and will go up against Eagle’s Landing in the sweet sixteen.
St. Pius 52, Clarke Central 24
In their 11th consecutive trip to the playoffs, the Lady Golden Lions took one more step towards a sixth state title, scoring more than double the points of their first-round opponent Clarke Central. Kate McBride was the team’s most productive offensive outlet with 16 points. Other top performances came from Kelly Stephenson and Lindsey Broadway, who had 12 and 8 points, respectively.
Dutchtown 70, Ware County 43
Dutchtown earned a spot in the sweet sixteen where they’ll be matched up against McIntosh. The Lady Bulldogs were fueled by a strong offensive performance by Paige Lyons. The Senior point guard led the team with 23 points, 5 assists and a block. Senior center Ade’jah James racked up 12 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks, while Junior Jade Anderson scored 10.
Coffee 57, Union Grove 53
The Coffee Trojans narrowly bested Union Grove in the first round to advance into the sweet sixteen. There, they will be matched up against Woodward Academy following a sound win over Harris County.
Greenbrier 81, MLK 41
The Lady Wolfpack soundly defeated M.L.K. to advance into the second-round. There, they’ll be paired against New Manchester.
Woodward Academy 75, Harris County 30
The Lady War Eagles walked away with a sound first-round victory over Harris County to advance into the sweet sixteen. Along with strong offensive performances from Sara Lewis and Kai Lanier, the Woodward defense played tough, holding Harris County to just 2 points in the first quarter. Lewis led the team with 20 points, 7 rebounds, 5 steals and 2 blocks, while Lanier racked up 15 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. The Lady War Eagles had two other double-digit scorers in Kennedie Mosley (10 points) and Sydney Bowles (14 points).
McIntosh 43, Mundy’s Mill 25
The Lady Chiefs’ defense showed up strong, holding Mundy’s Mill to 10 points at the half on their way to a first-round victory. Up 29-17 after the third, a 14-point fourth-quarter outing sealed the deal as McIntosh advanced to the second round where the Lady Chiefs will face off against Dutchtown.
Southwest DeKalb 77, Walnut Grove 3
The Southwest DeKalb Lady Panthers showed up on both ends of the court to claim victory over Walnut Grove in the first round and claim the largest blowout victory in the girls state tournament’s history. Southwest DeKalb now awaits a second-round matchup against Cass.
Cass 83, Grady 57
The Lady Colonels improved to 25-1 on the season with a sound first-round victory over Grady. Senior Londaisha Smith led the team with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Junior Claire Davis scored 15 points, while the duo of Mikaela Jackson and Gracie Elkins each scored 10. Other offensive contributions came from Ariana Hames (9), Justice Bennett (7), Haley Johnson (6), Tatianna Christian (4) and Makyera Baldwin and Raziyah Ware each scored 2 points. The Lady Colonels now advance into the sweet sixteen where they’ll play against Southwest DeKalb.
4A
Boys:
Fayette County 73, Madison County 45
Fayette County’s Kaleb Banks dominated with a 36-point performance. The 6-foot-8 junior also added 13 rebounds and three assists. The Tigers also got a double-double from Cardell bailey (10 points, 15 rebounds).
McDonough 54, Jefferson 53 2OT
No. 3 seed Jefferson fell short to McDonough in double overtime. Romaine Harriott led the Dragons with 15 points and Delen Gales chipped in with 12 points. Ne’Kyle Williams led McDonough with 16 points, including the game-winning shot. Also, Demauriye Gasque chipped in with 11 points to lead McDonough.
Baldwin 64, Bainbridge 50
Top-seeded Baldwin (13-0, 10-0) kept its flawless record intact at home against No. 4 seeded Bainbridge. Jermyus Simmons led the Braves with 22 points, teammates Jacobi Nixon and Will Freeman chipped in with 12 points each and Rudolph Satcher finished with 10 points in the winning effort.
4A Girls:
Jefferson 82, North Clayton 20
Top-ranked Jefferson had four players end up in double-figures. Deshona Gaither led the way with 23 points, teammate Allianna Clark chipped in with 13, Ellie Kinslaw scored 11 and Livi Blackstock finished with 10.
Arabia Mountain 71, Heritage-Catoosa 36
Arabia Mountain built an 18-6 first-quarter lead and denied the Patriots their first playoff victory in school history. Sydney Bunkley led the Rams with 18 points and seven rebouns. Teammates Sierra Burns (14) and Malaya Jones (13) also scored in double digits.
Bainbridge 40, Baldwin 34
Visiting Bainbridge served the Lady Braves their first loss of the season. Top-seeded Baldwin entered the matchup with a flawless 14-0 record. Bainbridge was able to build a 22-15 halftime lead before closing out the upset.
3A
Boys:
Dawson County 56, North Murray 35
Max Tierney led the Tigers past North Murray scoring 19 points with 14 rebounds and three blocks. Teammates Jake Craft scored 14 points and Jaden Gibson added 11 points.
Peach County 88, Southeast Bulloch 43
Edric Bailey scored 19 points to lead the Trojans past Southeast Bulloch. Jacory Brooks helped with 18 points, Dorrian Smith scored 16 points and Temarius Mathis scored 13 points for Peach.
Windsor Forest 58, Upson-Lee 52
Windsor Forest survived a 21-9 run by Upson-Lee in the third quarter to advance to the second round. Leading 15-8 after the first quarter, Windsor Forest pushed the lead to 31-16 at the half. Upson-Lee cut into the lead with its flurry of scores in the third quarter and
In other 3A boys games:
3A Girls:
Lumpkin County 58, Rockmart 49
Three players scored in double figures to lead the Indians into the second round. Isabel Davenport led with 18 points and MacKenzie Caldwell and Averie Jones each scored 13 points. Mary Mullinax added nine points for Lumpkin County.
Sonoraville 69, North Hall 48
Alexa Geary scored 26 points to lead Sonoraville past North Hall and became the Phoenix’ all-time leading scorer in the process. Geary, who made four 3-pointers on the night, was aided by teammates Abby Chambers (12 points), Diana Smith (eight points) and Matty Parker (seven points).
Coahulla Creek 64, White County 60
Three players scored in double figures to push Coahulla Creek past White County. Ema Turner led with 28 points for the Colts. Kate Brinkley scored 12 points and Katelyn Richards scored 10 points.
Jackson 47, Liberty County 45
Jackson trailed 12-10 after the first quarter but rallied with a 9-4 run in the second quarter to lead 19-16 at the break. Liberty County controlled the third quarter 15-8 but Jackson put the game away with a 20-14 effort in the final frame.
Greater Atlanta Christian 40, Oconee County 36
The defending champions are still alive after outlasting Oconee County in the opening round. GAC led 11-9 after the first quarter and 20-16 at the break. The Warriors cut into the lead and trailed 29-27 after three quarters but GAC pulled away with an 11-9 effort in the fourth quarter.
Gilmer 67, Ringgold 39
Gilmer led 12-9 after the first quarter and 29-15 at the break in a romp of Ringgold. The Bobcats outscored Ringgold 38-24 in the second half to pull away.
Cross Creek 64, Appling County 21
Jordyn Dorsey scored 32 points to lead the Razorbacks to the second round of the 3A playoffs.
Morgan County 37, Brantley County 33
The Bulldogs led 17-13 at the break before outlasting Brantley in the second half.
Pierce County 64, Hephzibah 36
Pierce had little trouble with the Rebels in the first round and will host Jackson in the second round.
Westminster 59, Franklin County 45
The Wildcats led 14-6 early in the first quarter before pulling away. Westminster will face Lumpkin County in the second round.
2A
Boys:
Columbia 74, Chattooga 67
Columbia defeated Chattooga on the road led by 17 points from Kawasiki Ricks, and teammates Mason Lockhart and Jadan Baugh each added 10 points. Columbia led 38-28 at halftime, but Chattooga came back to hold a 54-51 lead late in the third quarter and the game was tied at 56-56 early in the fourth quarter before the Eagles pulled away. Damien Smith of Chattooga led all scorers with 21 points
2A Girls:
Washington County 75, Toombs County 45
Senior Miracle Parker led host Washington County with 21 points to go with six rebounds and three steals. Juniors De’Asia Canty and Ashley Gray were the other Hawks to score in double figures, as Canty had 15 points with eight rebounds and five steals and Gray had 12 points with four rebounds, four assists and two steals. Senior Nariah Gamble had 11 rebounds and two steals, and sophomore Mikaili Parker contributed eight points, four assists and four steals for Washington County.
A Public
Boys:
Drew Charter 76, Crawford County 49
In this war between the Eagles, the Drew Charter School Eagles bested the Crawford County Eagles 76-49. The Drew Charter School Eagles are coming off of winning their very first regional title in school history, winning the Region 6 title with an overall undefeated 24-0 record and 16-0 league record, and followed it up with an impressive first-round playoff win. The Drew Charter School Eagles will move on to the Sweet 16, where they will face off against either the Macon County Bulldogs or the Lincoln County Red Devils.
Lanier County 72, Metter 58
The Lanier County Bulldogs won their first-round playoff game on the road against the Metter Tigers 72-58. After scoring 26 points in the first quarter, the Bulldogs went on to score only 8 points in the second quarter but managed to go into halftime leading the Tigers 34-26. The scoring was closer in the second half, with the Bulldogs outsourcing the Tigers 38-32, but the Bulldogs still managed to win by double digits. Lanier County will face off against the winner of tomorrow’s Montgomery County-Terrell County game. The Tigers will finish their season with an overall record of 15-7.
A Public Girls:
Trion 62, Wilkinson County 21
The Trion Bulldogs bested the Wilkinson County Warrior 62-21. The Bulldogs’ overall record moves to 19-4. This was truly a team win in every sense of the word, as all 13 Bulldogs players scored. The leading scorers for the game were junior guard Jenna Mosley and senior Summer Vaughn, with each of them scoring 10 points. The Bulldogs will move on to the Sweet 16 to face the Lake Oconee Academy Titans. The Warriors will finish their season with an overall record of 7-12.
GMC 54, Bowdon 52
The Georgia Military College Bulldogs eked out a first-round playoff win over the Bowdon Red Devils 54-52. The game was truly a tale of two halves, with the Bulldogs dominating the first half 25-12. The Red Devils came roaring back in the second half, outsourcing the Bulldogs 35-22 and sending the game to overtime. In overtime, the Bulldogs managed to edge out the Red Devils. GMC advances to the Sweet 16 to play the Towns County Indians. The Red Devils will end their season at 9-12 overall.
Clinch County 70, Jenkins County 38
The Clinch County Panthers bested the Jenkins County War Eagles at home 70-38. The Panthers led the War Eagles 23-7 at the end of the first quarter. They eventually went on to have a lead of 47-12 at halftime. Zyhia Johnson led the team in scoring with 28 points. Freshman Tyana Dorsey was second on the team with 13 points. The Panthers move on to 19-1 in the season and the Sweet 16, where they will face off against the Montgomery County Eagles.
ECI 71, Charlton County 57
The Emanuel County Institute Bulldogs earned a much well-earned victory over the Charlton County Indians 71-57 in the first round of the state playoffs. The game was close throughout the first half, with the Bulldogs leading the Indians 29-27 at halftime. However, the Bulldogs managed to outscore the Indians 42-30 in the second half, which allowed them to win the game by double digits. The top performer for the Bulldogs was senior Prencis Harden, who scored 40 points on 36% shooting, scoring 56% of the team’s points. The Bulldogs will advance to the Sweet 16 and await the winner of the Wilcox County-Pelham game. The Indians finish their season with an overall record of 14-10.
A Private
Boys:
Darlington 55, King’s Ridge 47
In this battle of the Tigers, Darlington edged out the King’s Ridge Christian 55-47. Freshman D’marion Floyd and junior Patrick Shelley led their team with 13 points each. Shelley was also able to chip in nine rebounds as well. Sophomore Braden Bell and junior DJ Johnson were tied for second on the team with 11 points each. Another key player for the Tigers in this game was senior Jackson Floyd, who had eight rebounds. The Tigers will advance to the Sweet 16 and await the winner of the Athens Christian-Holy Innocents’ game.
Trinity Christian 54, Mt. de Sales 30
The Trinity Christian Lions bested the Mount de Sales Academy Cavaliers 54-30. The Cavaliers made their first playoff appearance in over 50 years after previously having not made the playoffs since 1967. The Lions dominated the entire game, leading 34-15 at halftime and further extending their lead in the second half. The Lions will advance to the Sweet 16 and face the winner of the Calvary Day-Greenforest Christian game. The Cavaliers will end their drought-breaking season with an overall record of 9-11.
A Private
Girls:
ELCA 66, Savannah Christian 46
The Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy Chargers girls basketball team defeated the Savannah Christian Raiders 66-46. Both these teams came into the playoffs with very different positions, with the Chargers coming off of a loss and the Raiders coming off of a win. The Chargers will advance to the Sweet 16 and await the winner of the First Presbyterian-Trinity Christian game. The Raiders will finish their season with an overall record of 18-11.
Hebron Christian 83, George Walton Academy 12
The Hebron Christian Academy Lions defeated the George Walton Academy Bulldogs at home 83-12. The top performer for the Lions was senior Malia Fisher, who had 21 points and 11 rebounds. Coming in second was senior Nicole Azar, who had 16 points and five assists. The Hebron Christian Academy Lions will host the Christian Heritage Lions in the Sweet 16.
Wesleyan 63, Tallulah Falls 42
Thirteen-time state champion enters this year’s tournament as a No. 3 seed and scored a massive 63-42 victory over host Tallulah Falls to advance to the second-round. At the end of the first quarter, the Wolves led 13-11 after hitting a buzzer-beat at the end of the quarter. They were soon able to extend their lead to 35-24 at halftime. Even though the Indians at one point managed to cut the lead down to just 8 points, the Wolves managed to extend their lead to as many as 22 points.
Christian Heritage 56, Mt. Pisgah 51
No. 3 seed Mt. Pisgah scored a huge road win over Christian Heritage. Monet Dance led the Patriots with 33 points to go with five steals and six rebounds.
Brookstone 69, Mount de Sales 32
Brookstone earned a historic first-ever state tournament victory after surmounting a 20-7 lead in the first quarter. Mount de Sales and the Cougars each scored 13 points in the second quarter before Brookstone closed it out with a 27-12 advantage in the second half.
Deerfield-Windsor 55, St. Anne-Pacelli 13
Top-seeded Deerfield Windsor stamped a massive victory over the visiting Vikings after claiming the first region title in school history. St. Anne Pacelli finished the season 2-14 after reaching the postseason out of the four-team Region 4.
Darlington 40, Fellowship Christian 37
Darlington held a 2-point lead with 25.2 seconds left and split a pair of free throws before closing out a 3-point victory road over No. 2 seed Fellowship Christian.
