BRUNSWICK
Region 3, 28-2
At 28-2, the Pirates are looking for a sweet ending to their best season in school history. Brunswick’s pre- vious deepest run came in 2013 as they ventured into the quarterfinals. Brunswick is led by head coach and former Central Gwinnett standout Chris Turner. Before his debut season in 2008, the Pirates had just recorded its ninth losing season in 12 years. Brunswick has now made the tournament seven seasons in a row and has emerged as one of the top programs in South Georgia. Now residing in AAAAA, Brunswick has improved upon a Sweet 16 appearance a year ago where the Pirates fell to Pebblebrook 70-54 in the Class AAAAAA playoffs. A trio of forwards power the Pirate offense. Roger Davis, Jabrill Heck, and Ky- mani Dunham all cause headaches for opponents. Davis scored 20 points in their 44-43 victory over Cedar Shoals, including 16 second half points and the game winning free throw with 3.3 seconds remaining. The 6-foot-5 senior has averaged over 20 points and 10 rebounds during the tournament while Heck has averaged in the upper teens. Dunham, only a sophomore, is the team’s third top scoring option and also does an exceptional job on the boards. Brunswick lost to Johnson to open the season by nine points before winning eight straight games to right the ship. A 53-45 loss to Savannah on Dec. 20 is the last loss the Pirates have suffered. They have now won 20 in-a-row including three double digit wins in the playoffs. Unlike most teams battling for a state championship, Turner decided to play a primarily instate schedule instead of ven- turing out to play on the national circuit. The Pirates won their lone matchup against a team outside Georgia with a 77-63 victory over Lake Wales (FL) in the Savannah Holiday Classic.
ALLATOONA
Region 5, 29-2
Founded in 2008, Coach Markus Hood has already grown Allatoona into perennial power. The Buccaneers first made state in 2011 as a part of AAA, and have been a staple in the tournament since. Now in their third season at the AAAAA level, the Bucs have compiled an 81-12 record including a perfect 47-0 in region play. Allatoona is in the last leg of its deepest playoff run in school history. They appeared in the quarterfinals in 2012 and last season before falling to Stephenson. A lopsided 63-39 win over Warner Robins this year in the semifinals now gives the Buccaneers a chance to create a dynasty of their own after Miller Grove was eliminated by Warner Robins in the quarterfinals after winning six consecutive titles. Coach Hood does not rely on imposing size down low, but instead leans on a bevy of strong guard play and crafty forwards to dispose of opponents. 6-foot-4 forwards Rodney Brown and Bradley Brevet are two focal points of the offense. Brown scored a game-high 16 in the win over Warner Robins while Brevet chipped in 11. Ephraim Tshimanga and Trey Doomes also play key roles in the guard rotation. After losing their season opener to Greater Atlanta Christian by 20, the Buccaneers quickly turned their season around before losing its only other game to previously undefeated McIntosh. Currently, Allatoona is riding an 18-game win streak. A win will not only record the winningest season in school history, but will also mark the first title in school history in just the program’s seventh season. Aside from a close call with LaGrange in the quarterfinals, Allatoona has yet to be challenged. The Bucs through its four playoff games have won by an average of 16.5 points.
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