Georgia high school basketball rankings

Seven defending champions enter the new year with No. 1 rankings in the AJC’s first high school basketball poll of the season. The other three defending champs aren’t far behind.

Miller Grove’s boys (12-0) are the only reigning champions still undefeated. They are No. 1 in Class AAAA after winning the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C., last week.

Ranked No. 3 nationally by USA Today, Miller Grove also has beaten two other No. 1 Georgia teams in Milton (AAAAA) and Columbia (AAA), both reigning champions.

The other four 2010 champions that are ranked No. 1 are Greater Atlanta Christian (AA boys), Norcross (AAAAA girls), Buford (AA girls) and Wesleyan (A girls). All four lost games over the holidays to out-of-state teams but are unbeaten in their state classifications.

The No. 1-ranked teams that didn’t win titles last year are Whitefield Academy (A  boys), Madison County (AAAA girls) and Washington County (AAA girls).

The defending champions in those classes are No. 7 Wesleyan (A boys), No. 2 Southwest DeKalb (AAAA girls) and No. 2 Columbia (AAA girls).

BOYS

Class AAAAA

1. Milton

2. Wheeler

3. Campbell

4. South Gwinnett

5. North Gwinnett

6. Collins Hill

7. Peachtree Ridge

8. Norcross

9. Shiloh

10. Savannah

Class AAAA

1. Miller Grove

2. Sequoyah

3. Lovejoy

4. Fayette County

5. Tucker

6. Hardaway

7. Rockdale County

8. Chattahoochee

9. Jonesboro

10. Bainbridge

Class AAA

1. Columbia

2. Washington County

3. Carrollton

4. Monroe

5. Troup

6. Monroe Area

7. Gainesville

8. West Hall

9. Drew

10. Washington

Class AA

1. Greater Atlanta Christian

2. South Atlanta

3. Thomasville

4. Laney

5. East Hall

6. Dodge County

7. Buford

8. Vidalia

9. Rockmart

10. Union County

Class A

1. Whitefield Academy

2. Wilkinson County

3. Terrell County

4. Wilcox County

5. Paideia

6. Pace Academy

7. Wesleyan

8. Providence Christian

9. Lanier County

10. North Cobb Christian