The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has released the first state basketball rankings of the 2010-2011 season this week, and there are some familiar faces at the top. In Class 5A, defending state champion Milton (11-2, 3-0) is No. 1 and is ranked No. 20 in the country by Max Preps. Milton’s only losses are to Miller Grove (No. 2 nationally), and in the title game of the City Palms Classic tournament in Fort Myers, Fla on Dec. 23 to the No. 1 team in the country Elizabeth (N.J.)-St. Patrick.
The Eagles defeated Winter Park (Fla) in the 3rd annual Hoops in OverDrive Shootout at Centennial on New Year’s Eve. Cobb County powerhouse Wheeler (9-3, 2-0) comes in at No. 2 after strong showings at the Iolani Prep Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii, and the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Campbell (11-1, 3-0) is No. 3 and is coming off its first loss of the season in the championship game of the STOP-DWI Holiday Classic in Binghamton, N.Y. to Philadelphia’s Imhotep Charter. No. 4. South Gwinnett (10-3, 5-0) ended 2010 on a three-game losing streak, but has won two in a row since. Fifth-ranked North Gwinnett (9-3, 2-1) has overcome a couple of early losses and ended 2010 on a high note by winning the Annual Jared Cook Holiday Tournament, which they hosted this year. However, North Gwinnett has started 2011 with a loss on Jan. 4 to the team immediately behind it in the rankings, region foe Collins Hill. Collins Hill (11-3, 3-1) is attempting to overcome an end of the year 24-point loss to Class A opponent Whitefield Academy, and has responded with two straight wins over quality opponents. Coming in at No. 7 in the state rankings are the Peachtree Ridge Lions (7-2, 2-1) who, after a long layoff at the end of the year, have started off 2011 with a win over region foe Meadowcreek. The Lions own a 71-66 overtime victory over No. 8 Norcross in early December. Norcross (6-8, 2-2) has already lost as many games this season as it had in the past three seasons combined. However, other than an early season 14-point loss to Arlington Country Day (Fla) in the Iverify Invitational in Charlotte, N.C., the Blue Devils have not lost a contest by more than seven points. Shiloh (7-5, 3-2) comes in at No. 9 in the rankings and recently lost to fellow Region 8-AAAAA foe Brookwood 51-46. Shiloh ended the year with a strong showing in the Alabama-Holiday Tournament, losing in the final round to Birmingham (Ala)-A.H. Parker . Rounding out the list is No. 10 Savannah (9-3, 4-1) who ended 2010 with a good showing in the Savannah Holiday Championship in Savannah, Ga.
Previously mentioned Miller Grove (12-0, 5-0) begins its Class 4A title defense undefeated and No. 1 in the state. Going back to last season, the Wolverines are on a 34-game winning streak including a 102-26 drubbing of region opponent Lithonia, and won the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C. over Brooklyn (N.Y.)-Boys and Girls at the end of 2010. Fellow undefeated Sequoyah (14-0, 3-0) is second on the list and is entering a tough stretch of region games that will test the Chiefs. At No. 3 is Lovejoy (12-2, 8-0) which started the year 11-0 until losing two consecutive games to Montgomery (Ala)-Carver and Class AA opponent South Atlanta. The Wildcats have since righted the ship after beating region opponent Creekside 69-47 Jan. 4. The Fayette County Tigers (13-2, 2-0) bounced back from a season-opening loss to Campbell and have gone 13-1 since to put themselves in the No. 4 spot. Tucker (7-2, 5-0), whose previous two seasons have ended with losses to Miller Grove, has begun 2011 with a loss to Rockdale County after ending 2010 with a 58-53 overtime win over Chamblee. The No. 6 Hardaway Golden Hawks (12-1, 0-0) have started off strong for the second year in a row, though all but one of their victories has come against smaller schools. Eight of the Golden Hawks’ last nine games will be against region opponents, and they will end the season with an away-area tournament. After a magical 09-10 season in which they only lost one regular season game, yet were knocked out of the playoffs in the second round, Rockdale County (9-4, 1-0) has not started out as strong this season. The Bulldogs do own quality wins over Tucker and Collins Hill, and sit at No. 7 in the rankings. After finishing below .500 last season, Chattahoochee (9-2, 1-0) has burst out of the gate this season to claim the eighth spot in the state rankings. However a playoff bid is by no means a sure thing, as the Cougars play in the ever competitive 7-AAAA Region. Rounding out the top ten are No. 9 Jonesboro (12-2, 6-1) looking for its fifth playoff berth in a row, and Bainbridge (10-2, 0-0) at No. 10, coming off two consecutive final four appearances.
Defending Class 3A champions Columbia (9-1, 3-0) has started off strong yet again and sits at No. 1 in the Class 3A rankings. Other than a 64-66 loss to Miller Grove in the DeKalb Elite Classic, the Eagles have handled the early part of their schedule with ease, even beating 5A opponent Harrison in the second game of the season. Undefeated Washington County (10-0, 0-0) sits at No. two and begins region play Friday, Jan. 7 at Hephzibah . At No. 3 is Carrollton (5-1, 1-0), whose only loss came at the hands of Fayette County in the Trojans’ last game of 2010. Carrollton began 2011 with a 73-22 victory over region foe Haralson Tuesday Jan. 4. Monroe (8-2, 2-1) saw its perfect season come to an end Dec. 30 with a 52-60 loss to Lanier County in the final game of the Lakeland New Year’s Eve Invitational presented by Lanier County. The fourth-ranked Tornadoes had held their previous opponents to 129 points combined. Monroe began 2011 with a second loss, this time to Worth County. After opening the season with a loss in a tournament in Alabama, Troup (9-1, 1-0) has reeled off nine straight wins to claim the fifth spot in the state rankings, and will finish the regular season playing 11 of their last 12 against region foes. The Tigers have already surpassed their win total from last season, and are looking for their first playoff berth since the 04-05 season. At sixth in the Class 3A rankings is Monroe Area (11-1, 2-0), which has built itself into a contender since going 0-15 in the 06-07 season. The Hurricanes started off winning nine in a row, and are tied for first in their region with West Hall (11-3, 2-0) which is eighth in the rankings and coming off two straight state playoff appearances. Gainseville (8-4, 1-1) is seventh, and Drew (6-3, 5-2) and the Washington Bulldogs (8-5, 2-0) are ninth and 10th respectively.
In Class 2A, defending champs Greater Atlanta Christian (7-2, 1-0) are No. 1, and their only two losses have come against Milton and Brooklyn (N.Y.)-Boys & Girls, the latter of which by a score of 55-56. The Spartans still have plenty of tough region games ahead, as well as a trip to Springfield, Mo. for the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions. At No. 2 is former Class 3A powerhouse South Atlanta (27-3, 12-0). The Hornets moved down to 2A this year after three straight trips to the state finals, including an 81-62 over Westover in the 08-09 season. South Atlanta’s only loss has been to No. 1 Greater Atlanta Christian, and the Hornets own victories over four 5A opponents and two 4A opponents. The Thomasville Bulldogs (10-1, 1-0) are No. 3 in the state rankings and their only loss was by one point to Class 4A opponent Bainbridge on Dec. 11. The Bulldogs would avenge the loss three days later however, beating Bainbridge 70-59 on Dec. 14. The fourth-ranked Laney Wildcats (11-0, 0-0) are undefeated so far this season, with all of their victories to date coming over larger schools. They begin region play Fri., Jan. 7. The East Hall Vikings (8-4, 0-0) have likewise began the season facing only opponents in higher classes than they, but have four losses and sit at fifth in the rankings. The Dodge County Indians (8-0, 0-0) have started off the season undefeated for the second time in five years and sit at No. six, followed by Buford (6-2, 2-0) at seventh. At eighth in Class 2A is Vidalia (14-1, 7-0). The Indians lost early in the season to East Laurens in a season-opening tournament, and have reeled off 13 straight wins since including sweeping and winning the Brewton-Parker College Tournament in Mount Vernon to end 2010. With one more victory the Indians will match their win total from last season which ended in the region tournament. At ninth, the Rockmart Yellow Jackets (11-1, 4-0) are following up last year’s 23-win season with another strong year. The Yellow Jackets had not finished above .500 for several years before last season. The Union County Panther (10-0, 0-0) have shaken off last year’s 10-20 campaign and started the 10-11 season undefeated and ranked No. 10. The Panthers recently won the 17th annual Battle of the States Prep Basketball Tournament, hosted by Towns County, for the third time in school history.
No. 1-ranked Whitefield Academy (10-2, 1-0) is looking to bounce back from its Class A title game defeat at the hands of No. 7 Wesleyan (10-2, 0-0) last season. The Wolfpack have started off strong despite two early losses, including an opening season loss to Class 2A Thomasville. Meanwhile, the Wesleyan Wolves have begun their title defense with a couple of losses as well, losing to Class 5A opponent Mill Creek 57-62, and Pace Academy 58-60. Wilkinson County (10-0, 0-0) is the second-ranked school in Class A after last season’s 29-1 campaign ended in the third round of the state playoffs. The Warriors have started off strong, winning the Middle Georgia Shootout and Wilco Tip-Off Club Christmas Tournament. At No. 3 in the rankings is the team that ended Wilkinson County’s season last year, Terrell County. The Greenwaves (8-1, 1-0) only blemish thus far is a 46-60 loss at the hands of 3A foe Monroe. Terrell County can avenge the loss when the two schools meet again Feb. 5. The Wilcox County Patriots (6-1, 2-0) hold the fourth spot, and are trying to build on last year’s team which went 26-3, but could not overcome eventual state champions Wesleyan in the state semifinals. The Patriots’ only loss has come at the hands of current No. 1 Whitefield Academy. The fifth-ranked Paideia Pythons (8-2, 0-0) won the Westminster Holiday Classic at the end of 2010, handing sixth-ranked Pace Academy (7-1, 0-0) their only loss of this season in the championship game of the tournament. The Knights were also knocked out of last year’s playoffs by No. 7 Wesleyan. Rounding out the top 10 are perennial powerhouses Providence Christian (11-2, 0-0) at eighth, Lanier County (11-2, 4-0) at ninth and North Cobb Christian (10-2, 1-0) in the 10th spot.
Loading ...
