Brookwood and Archer, two Gwinnett County schools in search of their first state championship in girls basketball, sit at the top of the Class 7A rankings after the first week of play in 2023.
No. 1 Brookwood, a quarterfinalist in 2022, improved to 14-1 with a 58-55 overtime victory against Grayson last week. Second-ranked Archer, a semifinalist last year, is 12-2 after defeating Parkview 69-33 Friday night.
The Region 4-7A rivals will face each other twice in the final three weeks of the regular season, on Jan. 20 at Brookwood and Feb. 7 at Archer.
Brookwood and Archer lead the five Gwinnett schools at the top of Class 7A. They are followed by No. 3 Buford (13-0), No. 4 Norcross (13-1) and No. 5 Peachtree Ridge (12-3).
Two reigning state champions are ranked No. 1 in other classifications. Mount Paran Christian, which won the Class A Private championship last season, is No. 1 in Class 2A. Lake Oconee Academy, the 2022 champion in Class A Public, is No. 1 in Class A Division II.
Four of the eight No. 1-ranked teams held their spots despite losses last week. Most notable is Class 6A’s River Ridge, which lost 50-48 Saturday night against Hazel Green, the No. 2 team in Alabama, according to MaxPreps. The Knights are 11-5 overall but undefeated against Georgia teams, including a 70-59 victory over Brookwood on Dec. 2.
The other No. 1 teams that lost were Class 5A Kell (67-59 vs. Palm Bay, Fla.), Class 4A Griffin (54-47 vs. 6A No. 9 Hughes), and Class A Division I St. Francis (80-60 vs. Buford).
Class 7A
1. Brookwood (14-1)
2. Archer (12-2)
3. Buford (13-0)
4. Norcross (13-1)
5. Peachtree Ridge (12-3)
6. Campbell (14-2)
7. North Paulding (15-1)
8. McEachern (8-3)
9. South Forsyth (13-3)
10. Hillgrove (12-4)
Class 6A
1. River Ridge (11-5)
2. Forest Park (11-3)
3. Lovejoy (12-4)
4. Woodward Academy (10-5)
5. Rockdale County (13-3)
6. Brunswick (11-3)
7. Veterans (12-2)
8. New Manchester (11-2)
9. Hughes (9-4)
10. Tift County (9-4)
Class 5A
1. Kell (11-4)
2. Warner Robins (14-1)
3. Bradwell Institute (12-2)
4. Hiram (12-2)
5. Union Grove (11-6)
6. Jackson-Atlanta (10-1)
7. Jones County (12-3)
8. Arabia Mountain (15-1)
9. Greenbrier (13-3)
10. Cambridge (12-3)
Class 4A
1. Griffin (14-2)
2. Westminster (10-4)
3. Holy Innocents’ (9-4)
4. Luella (9-4)
5. Hardaway (11-3)
6. Baldwin (7-7)
7. Westover (11-3)
8. Sonoraville (14-2)
9. Walnut Grove (11-4)
10. Chestatee (12-4)
Class 3A
1. Hebron Christian (13-0)
2. Wesleyan (11-2)
3. White County (13-3)
4. Lumpkin County (13-3)
5. Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe (14-0)
6. Monroe (11-3)
7. Pickens (13-2)
8. Cross Creek (11-4)
9. Savannah Country Day (10-1)
10. Mary Persons (15-1)
Class 2A
1. Mount Paran Christian (14-1)
2. Josey (12-1)
3. Central-Macon (13-1)
4. Banks County (15-3)
5. Columbia (10-5)
6. Fannin County (12-4)
7. Thomson (9-4)
8. Dodge County (10-1)
9. Butler (10-3)
10. KIPP Atlanta Collegiate (13-2)
Class A Division I
1. St. Francis (13-5)
2. Galloway (14-3)
3. Elbert County (12-3)
4. Rabun County (14-1)
5. Woodville-Tompkins (11-4)
6. Lamar County (13-3)
7. Pelham (7-2)
8. Trion (10-1)
9. Darlington (12-4)
10. Athens Christian (10-4)
Class A Division II
1. Lake Oconee Academy (13-1)
2. Clinch County (10-0)
3. Turner County (12-2)
4. Schley County (7-1)
5. Taylor County (12-1)
6. Montgomery County (13-1)
7. Mt. Zion-Carroll (14-3)
8. Jenkins County (11-2)
9. Macon County (9-4)
10. Early County (9-5)
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