As we method the brand new 12 months, I needed to take a minute to go over the county-area basketball groups and the place they sit as the majority area play slowly approaches.
Alcovy Tigers (Boys Crew: 9-4, Ladies Crew: 6-7)
Much like final 12 months, a key harm within the beginning lineup has set the Girl Tigers again early within the 12 months.
Senior Kendall Banks, who’s a beginning guard for Alcovy that’s recognized for her perimeter taking pictures, will miss the whole lot of her closing season.
However, senior Janae Hutcherson has continued to do her factor as the important thing participant within the Girl Tigers lineup.
The Girl Tigers sit at 6-7 on the 12 months however have begun area play good at 3-0. Moreover, Alcovy has received 5 of its previous seven video games — with each losses by six or much less factors.
Hutcherson’s 13.2 factors per recreation lead the Girl Tigers by a large margin, however senior Shamariah Gibbs has performed simply as large of a job within the crew, too.
Gibbs supplies physicality on the within for the Girl Tigers and it reveals with 10.4 rebounds per recreation to go together with 8.9 factors per recreation.
The Girl Tigers are one in every of three groups in Area 8-AAAAA which have but to lose a area recreation — together with Jackson County and Loganville.
For the boys crew, it has been one other sturdy begin to the 12 months regardless of a current two-game skid.
Taylor Jackson’s Tigers maintain a 9-4 report and have confronted a number of ranked or previously ranked groups to this point this season — groups corresponding to Newton, Jasper County, and Winder Barrow.
As soon as once more, it’s Nick Durham that has led the best way.
Durham has been virtually assured to attain practically 30 factors a recreation this season as he has proven he can do all of it towards quite a lot of defenders.
Much like the Girl Tigers, the boys crew wraps up a non-region slate in December earlier than taking over the majority of area play at first of the brand new 12 months.
Regardless of the 9-4 report, Alcovy is 1-2 in area play which has them sitting in fifth place. Regardless of this, there are approach too many video games left on the schedule to depend any crew out in a area as aggressive as this.
Eastside Eagles (Boys Crew: 8-5, Ladies Crew: 7-5)
It’s one more 12 months that the Gladys King-led Girl Eagles are above .500.
The Girl Eagles sit at 7-5 on the season with a 2-2 report in Area 8-AAAA — adequate for fourth place.
Regardless of back-to-back losses in area play, this isn’t the crew to take flippantly and it reveals with a six recreation win streak previous to the losses.
Senior Jailyn Williams leads the crew with 14.5 factors per recreation, however King remains to be getting sturdy contributions from others corresponding to Morgan Sandema, Ari Carter and Kylee Lawrence — who all are averaging above 8 factors per recreation.
The Girl Eagles are usually not within the best area alongside groups corresponding to North Oconee (11-0, 4-0), East Forsyth (5-8, 4-1) and Walnut Grove (7-4, 3-1), however that is nothing new for an Eastside crew that has had powerful areas previously.
Eastside will wrap up 2024 with powerful back-to-back assessments towards Oconee County and Wheeler at Social Circle’s Winter Basic Showcase.
After that, the Girl Eagles will battle by way of the remainder of area play looking for one other area event look on the finish of the common season.
It was a sluggish begin for the Eastside boys crew, however they’ve actually picked it up as of late.
Eastside started the 12 months 3-4 with losses to native rivals corresponding to Alocvy and Social Circle.
Nevertheless, the month of December appears to be a turning level for head coach Dorrian Randolph and the Eagles.
Eastside has received 5 of its final six video games, together with wins over powerful opponents corresponding to Jasper County (2-4, 0-0), Greenbrier (7-4, 0-0), East Forsyth (9-3, 2-3) and Archer (9-4, 1-2).
Much like years previous, the Eastside boys crew will wrap up 2024 with a visit to Florida — one thing that has turn into an annual incidence with Randolph on the helm.
Randolplh has spoken about how these journeys have led to his crew’s changing into nearer and I feel they’re doing this on the good time with the current success on the courtroom.
In Florida, Eastside will tackle some powerful competitors towards Mountain Financial institution (11-3), Somerset Academy (7-2) and Indian Hill (2-3).
The two-2 report has Eastside at fourth place in Area 8-AAAA.
North Oconee is the powerhouse within the area, and beat the Eagles of their final recreation out 70-42.
Behind the Titans are Cedar Shoals (8-5, 3-1) and Madison County (9-1, 3-1).
Newton Rams (Boys Crew: 7-4, Ladies Crew: 9-0)
The resurgence of the Girl Rams basketball program has been a website to see the previous two seasons.
After solely profitable three video games in 2022, head coach Jawan Bailey led Newton to a 19-12 season final 12 months and a visit to the Candy 16.
This 12 months, the Girl Rams have been good with a 9-0 begin.
Regardless of dropping their prime scorer from a 12 months in the past in Sanaa Tripp, the younger core that started to make noise final 12 months has taken one other step up this 12 months.
Sophomore London Smith, who missed nearly all of final season with an harm, is within the midst of a breakout season for the Girl Rams.
Together with Smith are gamers corresponding to Mya Perry and Alissa Sandifer, who’re two of the crew’s prime scorers as properly.
By 9 video games, dominance has been on show.
Solely two of the 9 video games have been inside 10 factors, and Newton has executed this towards 5 groups with a profitable report.
Newton could have a number of extra powerful assessments forward of the brand new 12 months with matchups towards Luella (6-2, 3-0), Greenwood (5-3, 0-1) and Galloway (5-3, 4-1).
This units up Bailey and the Rams to proceed the remainder of area play in January.
As of now, Area 4-AAAAAA appears to be like to be a three-team race between Newton, Grayson and Archer.
Newton and Grayson have been battling for area crowns for years, and it will not shock me within the least if these two groups discover themselves on the courtroom collectively (as soon as once more) within the area title recreation.
Don’t let that 7-4 report idiot you, this Newton boys crew remains to be among the finest groups within the state.
The Rams are winners of three of their final 4 — with all three wins towards Area 4-AAAAAA opponents.
The 4 losses for Newton have come towards powerful competitors within the type of Woodward Academy (7-2, 3-0), Cedar Grove (8-3, 4-0), Holy Innocents Episcopal (8-2, 4-0) and North Mecklenburg (7-1, 1-0).
Senior Ted Neal has actually taken off in his closing season, and the work he has executed to remain wholesome has proven.
Nevertheless, probably the most important gamechanger for the Rams this 12 months has been guard Marcus Smith, who joined the crew over the summer time.
Smith has taken the lead on the courtroom and has been a giant facilitator for head coach Barry Browner.
Newton has began area play 3-0 with wins over South Gwinnett (8-3, 1-2), Rockdale County (7-5, 1-2) and Heritage (5-6, 0-4).
Nevertheless, just like the Girl Eagles, this area will come all the way down to Newton and Grayson (once more).
The 2 groups are on a collision course as Newton will look to beat the Rams of Grayson, who wish to defend their state title.
When it comes time for the battle of the Rams, the matchup between Neal and Jacob Wilkins will probably be a sight to see.
Social Circle Redskins (Boys Crew: 4-4, Ladies Crew: 6-3)
Blended outcomes at first of the season for the Girl Redskins have circled as Social Circle has received its final 4 video games.
The Girl Redskins, led by head coach Norman Jones, have but to start area play however have confronted their justifiable share of comparable competitors to this point.
Senior Jada Hyman is probably taking part in her greatest season but, and that’s saying one thing.
By 9 video games, Hyman is averaging 19 factors each outing in addition to 8.6 rebounds and three.8 help per recreation, respectively.
Outdoors of Hyman, Jones is getting good contributions from underclassmen as soon as once more.
Sophomores Marissa Morrell and Brielle Worth are second and third on the crew in scoring and appeared to have taken a step up from their spectacular freshman campaigns.
Area play will probably be tough from each Redskins’ groups since their area expanded past 4 groups — which assured a playoff spot.
Social Circle now has to battle towards 9 different area foes.
In the case of the crew of their area, it begins with the 10-0 Southwest Atlanta Christian (SAC), who seem like the favorites.
Behind SAC is Lamar County and Putnam County with data of 7-2 and 8-3 respectively.
Social Circle nonetheless has a handful of non-region video games by way of the remainder of 2024 and into the primary two weeks of 2025. Out of these, back-to-back matchups towards Class AAAAAA colleges corresponding to Brookwood (7-6, 4-1) and Parkview (7-3, 3-2) will probably be good assessments forward of area play.
It has been a blended bag for the Social Circle boys crew to this point. In actual fact, the crew has alternated wins and losses all year long.
Regardless of falling on the street to a scrappy Stockbridge crew to start the 12 months, the Redskins responded immediately with a 52-50 win over Eastside.
Much like the Girl Redskins, the Social Circle boys crew nonetheless has a number of non-region video games left on the slate earlier than starting Area 4A-Division I play towards McNair on Jan. 7.
Senior Derrick White is again as the primary man for the Jones and Social Circle. White is averaging 10 factors per recreation together with 4.5 rebounds and 4 assists per recreation.
Nevertheless, it’s really sophomore Le’Son Nelson that’s having the breakout season.
Nelson leads the crew with 12.8 factors per recreation and is taking pictures virtually 50 p.c from the sector. This has led to Nelson being labeled as a captain regardless of solely being a sophomore.
The Redskins nonetheless have Ean Mulkey, who supplies dimension for the Social Circle within the paint.
Social Circle’s boys crew has but to start area play as properly, and can face a justifiable share of high quality competitors in Area 4A-Division I.
Putnam County at present sits at 12-0 forward of area play. Behind the Warfare Eagles are Greenforest and Towers, who’re 5-1 and 8-4, respectively.
