Columbia has won eight state championships in basketball (five boys, three girls) since 2006, but the St. Pius girls and boys teams will bring the better rankings and higher spots in the region standings when they meet tonight at St. Pius in a Region 6-AAAA doubleheader.
The St. Pius girls team (17-1, 12-0), which won the past two state championships in Class AAA and five titles since 2004, is ranked No. 1 in AAAA and leads Region 6. The Golden Lions’ Asia Durr, a Louisville signee, averages 30 points per game and is a leading candidate for state player of the year. Unranked Columbia is in fifth place in the region at 6-5 (10-6 overall), which is sub-par by recent school standards, but the Eagles played St Pius close the first time this season, losing 48-42 on Dec. 6.
Both schools’ boys teams are ranked. No. 4 St. Pius (15-3, 10-2) is in second place in Region 6, while No. 6 Columbia (13-5, 8-3) is close behind. Both teams are chasing third-ranked Lithonia (16-1, 12-0) for the regular-season region title. Columbia beat the Golden Lions 46-37 earlier this season.
Here are some of the other top games tonight in Georgia high school basketball:
Greater Atlanta Christian at Pace Academy (boys): Three of the top five teams in this week's Class AA rankings are members of Region 6. Pace Academy (13-2, 6-0) is the No. 1-ranked team and leads the region standings. Fifth-ranked GAC (11-6, 6-2), the defending state champion, is tied for second place in the region with No. 3 Holy Innocents' (16-3, 6-2).
M.L. King at Miller Grove (boys): Top-ranked Miller Grove's drive for a seventh consecutive state title will begin in earnest when the state tournament gets under way in less than a month, but the first order of business will be locking down a top seed for the 6-AAAAA tournament. The Wolverines (18-3, 10-0) can take a big step toward that goal when they host No. 3 M.L. King (16-3, 8-1), which lost to Miller Grove 63-44 on Dec. 9.
Mays at Stephenson (girls): Stephenson (16-3, 9-1) lost its No. 1 ranking in Class AAAAA and fell into a first-place tie with No. 10 Southwest DeKalb (15-6, 9-1) in Region 6 Division A after losing to the Panthers 62-58 on Friday. The Jaguars, currently ranked No. 2, will get their first chance to bounce back when they host No. 9 Mays (15-2, 6-0), the first-place team from the other subregion.
Norcross at Collins Hill (boys): Seventh-ranked Collins Hill (16-3, 6-2) fell out of a tie for first place in Region 7-AAAAAA with a loss Friday against Mill Creek, but the Eagles can get back to the top with a victory against No. 5 Norcross (15-3, 7-1). Collins Hill handed the Blue Devils their only region loss, winning 70-68 at Norcross on Dec. 9.
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