The fifth-ranked Butler Bulldogs boys team is preparing to close out the regular season with two crucial matchups against region rivals Burke County and Thomson. Since the start of region play, the Bulldogs have hit their stride. They entered region competition with a 6-6 record, but a closer look at their losses tells a different story. Four of those defeats came against highly-ranked teams, while the other two were against 6A schools with winning records. Since region play began, Butler has gone 6-2, with both losses coming in tight contests, a two-point loss to No. 6 Laney and a one-point loss to No. 10 Burke County.
The Bulldogs’ next game will be against region-leader Burke County. The Bears are 14-3 overall, with just one loss in region play, and they have already beaten both Butler and Laney this season. To pull off a win on Tuesday, Butler will need an offensive performance similar to their narrow one point loss to Burke on January 17. However, the Bulldogs’ defense will have to step up against the Bears’ potent offense, which is averaging nearly 70 points per game.
The second game of this week and final of the regular season will be against Thomson, a team Butler edged out in a thrilling 55-53 victory last week. Thomson has struggled in recent weeks, dropping six of its last eleven games dating back to late December. However, they proved they are still a dangerous opponent by defeating Burke County on the road last week, handing the Bears their first region loss of the season. Given how competitive their previous matchup was, Butler cannot afford to take Thomson lightly and will need another strong all around performance to win.
These final two games will be critical for the Bulldogs. A pair of wins, along with a Burke County loss to Laney, could propel Butler into the region tournament as the No. 1 seed. Conversely, two losses could drop them as low as the No. 4 seed, behind both Laney and Thomson, a spot they do not want to be in.
Around the Class Boys - Carver-Columbus improved to 10-0 in region play after securing three big wins. … Morgan County remained unbeaten in region play, defeating Rutland 49-37 on Saturday. … Tattnall County edged out Appling County 62-60, setting up a chaotic stretch of five games in six days. … KIPP Atlanta picked up two key wins over the weekend against Drew Charter and Hapeville Charter, cementing themselves as the top public school in Region 4. … Columbia is one win away from securing the No. 1 seed in the Region 5 tournament after a narrow 49-48 victory over South Atlanta. … Union County clinched the No. 2 seed in the Region 6 tournament with a 67-53 win over Ringgold.
Around the Class Girls - Hardaway prepares to face Sumter County in a battle between the top two teams in the region. … Morgan County is one win away from clinching the top seed in the Region 2 tournament. … Appling County secured a crucial win over Tattnall County, putting the two teams in a tie for first place in the region. … Thomson extended its winning streak to 12 games with a dominant 57-11 victory over Glenn Hills on Friday. … Columbia earned a huge win last Monday, handing Miller Grove its first region loss of the season. … Murray County won its sixth straight game, defeating Ringgold 59-42.
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See the boys and girls latest Class 2A basketball rankings schedules below.
Boys Top 10 schedule
1. Carver-Columbus – Monday vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday at Jordan, 7:30 p.m.; Friday at Sumter, 7:30 p.m.
2. Columbia – Monday at Drew Charter, 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday vs. Redan, 7:30 p.m.; Friday vs. Miller Grove, 7:30 p.m.
3. South Atlanta – Tuesday at Salem, 7:30 p.m.; Friday at Drew Charter, 7 p.m.
4. KIPP Atlanta – Tuesday vs. Washington, 7 p.m.; Friday vs. Lovett, 7:30
5. Butler – Monday vs. Burke County, 7:30 p.m.; Friday at Thomson, 7:30 p.m.
6. Laney – Tuesday vs. Glenn Hills, 7:30 p.m.; Friday vs. Burke County, 7:30 p.m.
7. Union County – Tuesday vs. North Murray, 7:30 p.m.; Friday vs. Rockmart, 7:30 p.m.
8. Tattnall County – Monday at Claxton, 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday at Vidalia, 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday at Crisp County, 7:30 p.m.
9. Morgan County – Thursday vs. Callaway, 7:30 p.m.; Friday vs. Westside, 7:30 p.m.
10. Burke County – Tuesday at Butler, 7:30 p.m.; Friday vs. Laney, 7:30 p.m.
Girls Top 10 schedule
1. Thomson – Monday at Josey, 6 p.m.; Friday vs. Butler, 7 p.m.
2. Josey – Tuesday vs. Thomson, 6 p.m.; Friday vs. Glenn Hills, 6 p.m.
3. Murray County – Monday at Rockmart, 6 p.m.; Tuesday at Lakeview Fort Oglethorpe, 6 p.m.; Friday vs. North Cobb Christian , 5:30 p.m.
4. Butler – Tuesday vs. Burke County, 6 p.m.; Friday at Thomson, 6 p.m.
5. Sonoraville – Tuesday vs. Ringgold, 6 p.m.
6. Hardaway – Tuesday vs. Sumter County, 6 p.m.; Thursday vs. Kendrick, 6 p.m.; Saturday vs. Spencer, 2:15 p.m.
7. Columbia – Monday at Drew Charter, 6 p.m.; Tuesday vs. Redan, 6 p.m.; Friday at Miller Grove, 6 p.m.
8. Tattnall County – Monday at Claxton, 6 p.m.; Tuesday at Vidalia, 6 p.m.; Wednesday at Crisp County, 6 p.m.
9. Coahulla Creek – Tuesday vs. North Cobb Christian, 6 p.m.; Friday at Ringgold, 6 p.m.
10. Sumter County – Monday vs. Shaw, 6 p.m.; Tuesday at. Hardaway, 6 p.m.; Friday vs. Carver-Columbus, 6 p.m.
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