The GHSA State Basketball Tournament is set for round 2. With the dressed rehearsal that is the regular season done, coaches around the peach state went into the first round hoping that their teams had been tested and prepared for the second season. That is why the top ranked teams spend so much time playing opponents from outside their region and outside the state. It is the hope that the variety in playing styles will present ever test possible to prepare the team for the March To Macon.
All that said, there are still no given wins in the state tournament and no team knows that better than the defending Class AAAAAA boys champion Wheeler Wildcats, who were ousted from the tournament on opening night by the Grayson Rams 59-58. It was the first time that Wheeler had game at home since 2013 and it sent a message to all the tournament teams that while home may be where the heart is, there is no real safe place at tournament time. Grayson continues on the road to Lee County next.
There were more number 4 seeds knocking out the number 1 as St Pius topped Cartersville, Fayette County won at Buford, New Hampstead ended Upson-Lee’s 17 game winning streak and in Class AA it was Crawford County beating Seminole County 95-64 in a rematch of last year’s state final.It ended the high school career of Seminole’s Jordan Harris who had 37 points. He will play at UGA next year.
Some boys second round games to look for are Norcross vs Westlake, Milton at Tift County,Carrollton vs Jonesboro and Gainesville at McIntosh.
On the girls side Class AAAAAA has a pair of match ups worthy of the state semifinals in Archer vs McEachern and Norcross vs Westlake . In Class AAA Dawson County vs Laney should be a great game and in Class AA look for Wesleyan vs Vidalia.
Get out and support the teams from your area as the March To Macon rolls on and tune for the Power Hour this weekend at 7am on Sports radio 92.9 The Game.