The stage is set: High school basketball playoffs begin Tuesday

Published 5:00 am Tuesday, February 20, 2024

The quest for the Georgia High School Association high school basketball state championships starts this week.

Several local girls and boys teams begin playoff action with the goal of reaching the state championship games in Macon in early March.

Boys Class 5A playoffs first round — Region 7, No. 4 Dalton at Region 6, No. 1 Kell

After stumbling to losses in the semifinals and consolation games in the Region 7-5A tournament, Dalton has to hit the road for the first round of the playoffs to play the defending Class 5A state champion.

Kell (23-3), the defending state champion and this year’s Region 6-5A champion, hosts Dalton (13-14) in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs Wednesday night at 7:30.

Dalton put together a season turnaround to go from 4-11 to reach the playoffs, but face a tall task in round one in Marietta.

Should Dalton topple the defending champs, they’d travel to play either Chapel Hill or Eastside in the second round.

Class 3A playoffs first round — Region 6, No. 3 Coahulla Creek at Region 7, No. 2 Pickens

Coahulla Creek is back in the Class 3A state playoffs for the first time since 2019. The return for the Colts (19-8) will come against Pickens (20-8), the second-seeded team from Region 7-3A, Wednesday night at 7:30 in Jasper. The Colts will play right after the Lady Colts, who also play at Pickens Wednesday.

Pickens was a Class 3A playoff team a year ago and finished second in Region 7-3A in the regular season. A loss to Gilmer in the region title game left the Dragons seeded second in the region for the playoffs.

With a win, Coahulla Creek would either host Carver or travel to play Hart County in the second round.

Class 2A playoffs first round — Region 7, No. 4 North Murray at Region 6, No. 1 North Cobb Christian

Despite winning 19 games and losing just six, North Murray (19-6) finished as the fourth seed in a tough Region 7-2A and will have to hit the road to face a region champion to start the playoffs.

North Murray plays Kennesaw’s North Cobb Christian (19-6), the Region 6-2A champion, tonight at 6:30 in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs.

North Cobb Christian was a Sweet 16 team in last year’s Class 2A playoffs, just like North Murray. North Cobb was the second-seeded team in Region 6 after the regular season, but beat fourth-seeded South Atlanta in the region title game after South Atlanta upended top-seeded Walker.

With a win, North Murray would travel to play either Columbia or Providence Christian in the second round.

Class A DII playoffs first round — Region 7, No. 2 Christian Heritage vs. Region 6, No. 3 Taylor County

Christian Heritage (20-5) opens up the Class A Division II playoffs Wednesday at 6 p.m. against Taylor County (15-13), the third-seeded team from Region 6-A DII.

Christian Heritage is ranked No. 6 in Class A DII, but Greenforest, the top-ranked team in the class, handed the Lions a 64-60 loss in the region title game to take the top seed for the playoffs, moving the Lions to No. 2.

Taylor County, which missed the playoffs a year ago as Christian Heritage reached the Sweet 16, was seeded fourth before the Region 6-A DII tournament before defeating Chattahoochee County in the third-place game.

With a win, Christian Heritage would move on to face either Wilkinson County at home or Warren County on the road. Warren County is ranked eighth in the classification.

Girls Class 5A playoffs first round — Region 7, No. 1 Dalton vs. Region 6, No. 4 Northview

After having to travel in the first round of their last two playoff appearances, Dalton won the Region 7-5A championship and the right to host the first two rounds at home.

But Dalton (18-9) will have to get past Northview (19-9), the fourth seed from Region 6-5A, in order to advance to that second home game. Dalton hosts Northview tonight at 6.

Northview is a deceptive fourth seed. The team finished the regular season at No. 2 in the region, but losses in the region tournament pushed them down to the four line.

Should Dalton get past Northview, the Lady Cats would host either Eastside or Creekside in the second round.

Class 4A playoffs first round — Region 7, No. 3 Northwest Whitfield at Region 6, No. 2 Southwest DeKalb

The Northwest Whitfield Lady Bruins (15-11) are coming off of back-to-back runs to the Class 4A Elite 8, but Northwest will have to win on the road in the first round this year to make another deep run.

Northwest plays in Decatur against Southwest DeKalb (21-7), the second-seeded team from Region 6-4A, tonight at 6:30. Southwest DeKalb fell in the first round of last year’s Class 4A playoffs.

Southwest DeKalb was the second-seeded team in Region 6-4A after the regular season and reached the region championship game before falling to Holy Innocents 69-37.

With a win, Northwest would travel to Stockbridge or host Cherokee Bluff in the second round.

Class 3A playoffs first round — Region 6, No. 3 Coahulla Creek at Region 7, No. 2 Pickens

Coahulla Creek (18-8) hits the road for the opening round of the Class 3A state playoffs, playing Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Jasper against Pickens (24-4), the second-seeded team in Region 7-3A.

Pickens is the second seed in a region that includes four of the top-10 ranked teams in Class 3A. Pickens fell to Wesleyan, the second-ranked team in the state, in the Region 7-3A title game.

The Wednesday game is part of a girls/boys playoff doubleheader. The Coahulla boys also play at Pickens at 7:30 in the first round of the playoffs.

A win for Coahulla Creek would see the Lady Colts advance to either host Cedar Grove or travel to play Hebron Christian, the top-ranked team in 3A with a 25-2 record.

Class 2A playoffs first round — Region 7, No. 1 Murray County vs. Region 6, No. 4 Booker T. Washington

Murray County (21-9) won the Region 7-2A tournament for the right to host a first-round playoff game in the Class 2A playoffs. The Lady Indians will do that tonight at 6:30 against Booker T. Washington, the fourth-seeded team from Region 6-2A.

Washington was a first-round exit in the Class 2A playoffs last season, while Murray made a run to the state Elite 8. Washington was the third-seeded team in Region 6 after the regular season. Washington fell in the region semifinals, then was defeated in the third-place game by fourth-seeded Therrell.

With a win, Murray would host a second-round game against either Landmark Christian or Union County.

Class A DII playoffs first round — Region 7, No. 2 Christian Heritage vs. Region 6, No. 3 Macon County

Christian Heritage (16-11) which finished second in Region 7-A DII, is set to host Macon County (18-9), which finished third in Region 6-A DII, tonight at 6 p.m in the first round of the Class A DII playoffs.

Macon County reached the Sweet 16 in Class A DII a year ago, while Christian Heritage was defeated in the state tournament’s first round. Macon County was the second-seeded team in Region 6-A DII during the regular season, but slipped down to the three seed after falling in the region semifinals.

The winner of tonight’s game will play either Twiggs County or Lake Oconee Academy in the second round. Christian Heritage would host Twiggs but have to travel to play Lake Oconee.