Before we turn the page on the New Year and start the 2020 portion of basketball’s regular season schedule, here are what the rankings look like to close out 2019. In Class AAAAAAA, the Grayson boys remain No. 1 heading into the 2020. The top-ranked Rams are 13-1 and their only loss came in an 84-80 defeat to No. 7 Newton on Dec. 10. Norcross is No. 2 at 14-1 and its first loss came over the Holidays in a 63-45 loss to Mater Dei (CA) in the Les Schwab Invitational in Portland. Third-ranked Shiloh remains undefeated at 15-0 and will visit top-ranked Grayson this Friday. Milton leapt McEachern for No. 4 after the defending champion Indians were served an 82-64 loss to Shiloh over the weekend.
Tri-Cities is the top team in Class AAAAAA with a 13-1 overall record. The Bulldogs suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday in a 70-68 out-of-state defeat to Sickles (FL). Elsewhere in the Class AAAAAA top 10, Lanier and New Manchester replaced Alexander and North Atlanta and Chattahoochee fell to No. 10 after dropping its third double-digit loss in its last four outings at the Tournament of Champions.
The Class AAAAA top 5 did not change and No. 4 Cedar Shoals defeated fifth-ranked Kell 74-68 over the weekend to vindicate its positioning ahead of the Longhorns. Warner Robins, Statesboro and Buford replaced Hiram, Miller Grove and Southwest DeKalb in the top 10.
In Class AAAA, undefeated Americus-Sumter jumped Eastside for No. 2 and St. Pius, LaFayette and Baldwin replaced Marist, Salem and Howard in the top 10. Windsor Forest ascended to No. 4 in the Class AAA rankings and Johnson Savannah dropped a spot to No. 5.
Hephzibah replaced Woodville Thompkins in the Class AA top 10 and Walker, Galloway and Greenforest Christian made their way into the Class A-Private top 5 behind St. Francis and undefeated Christian Heritage. In Class A-Public, Turner County replaced Macon County at No. 10 following its 56-51 win over the Bulldogs on Dec. 21.
Class AAAAAAA
1. Grayson
2. Norcross
3. Shiloh
4. Milton
5. McEachern
6. Wheeler
7. Newton
8. East Coweta
9. Pebblebrook
10. Cherokee
Class AAAAAAA
1. Tri-Cities
2. Tucker
3. South Cobb
4. Pope
5. Allatoona
6. Richmond Hill
7. Lanier
8. New Manchester
9. Johns Creek
10. Chattahoochee
Class AAAAA
1. Lithonia
2. Eagle’s Landing
3. Dutchtown
4. Cedar Shoals
5. Kell
6. Veterans
7. Warner Robins
8. Walnut Grove
9. Statesboro
10. Buford
Class AAAA
1. Woodward Academy
2. Americus-Sumter
3. Eastside
4. Sandy Creek
5. Cross Creek
6. Chapel Hill
7. Denmark
8. St. Pius
9. LaFayette
10. Baldwin
Class AAA
1. Pace Academy
2. Dawson County
3. Hart County
4. Windsor Forest
5. Johnson-Savannah
6. Franklin County
7. Westminster
8. Lovett
9. Monroe
10. Long County
Class AA
1. Therrell
2. Swainsboro
3. Glenn Hills
4. Jeff Davis
5. Laney
6. Banks County
7. Butler
8. Spencer
9. Vidalia
10. Hephzibah
Class A-Private
1. St. Francis
2. Christian Heritage
3. Walker
4. Galloway
5. Greenforest Christian
6. Mt. Pisgah
7. Trinity Christian
8. Whitefield Academy
9. Wesleyan
10. MD Mohammed
Class A-Public
1. Treutlen
2. Wilcox County
3. Terrell County
4. Lanier County
5. Calhoun County
6. Hancock Central
7. Wilkinson County
8. Warren County
9. Irwin County
10. Turner County
The Westlake girls top the year-end Class AAAAAAA poll and are coming off a victory over Fort Myers (FL) in the Naples Holiday Basketball Tournament. Cherokee, Collins Hill, West Forsyth and Woodstock round out the top 5.
In Class AAAAAA, Lovejoy leads as it prepares for a game against North Carolina school Zebulon B. Vance in the She Got Game Classic at Wheeler. Valdosta, Glynn Academy, Dacula and Forest Park make up the top 5.
Buford leads Class AAAAA and is flawless 12-0 on the season. Kell, Villa Rica, Statesboro and Wayne County finish out the top 5. Carver-Columbus tops Class AAAA ahead of Woodward Academy, Spalding, Americus-Sumter and Luella. In Class AAA, Johnson-Savannah is the team to beat with Jefferson at No. 2. Beach, Dawson County and Cedar Grove round out the top.
Rabun County tops Class AA with an 11-0 record. Early County, Laney, Union County and Josey make up the top 5. In Class A-Private, St. Francis is at the top and leading Holy Innocents’, Hebron Christian, Wesleyan and Stratford. Greenville is the team to beat in Class A-Public ahead of Central-Talbotton, Wheeler County, Pelham and Clinch County.
Class AAAAAAA
1. Westlake
2. Cherokee
3. Collins Hill
4. West Forsyth
5. Woodstock
6. Pebblebrook
7. North Forsyth
8. Grayson
9. North Paulding
10. Campbell
Class AAAAAA
1. Lovejoy
2. Valdosta
3. Glynn Academy
4. Dacula
5. Forest Park
6. Harrison
7. Northside-Warner Robins
8. Brunswick
9. Richmond Hill
10. Stephenson
Class AAAAA
1. Buford
2. Kell
3. Villa Rica
4. Statesboro
5. Wayne County
6. Veterans
7. Rome
8. Riverwood
9. Arabia Mountain
10. Carrollton
Class AAAA
1. Carver-Columbus
2. Woodward Academy
3. Spalding
4. Americus-Sumter
5. Luella
6. Troup
7. Marist
8. St. Pius
9. West Laurens
10. Central-Carroll
Class AAA
1. Johnson-Savannah
2. Jefferson
3. Beach
4. Dawson County
5. Cedar Grove
6. Fannin County
7. Greater Atlanta Christian
8. Lumpkin County
9. Coahulla Creek
10. Pierce County
Class AA
1. Rabun County
2. Early County
3. Laney
4. Union County
5. Josey
6. Southwest Macon
7. Washington County
8. Douglass
9. Putnam County
10. Rockmart
Class A-Private
1. St. Francis
2. Holy Innocents’
3. Hebron Christian
4. Wesleyan
5. Stratford Academy
6. Mt. Paran
7. Trinity Christian
8. Calvary Day
9. Greenforest
10. Galloway
Class A-Public
1. Greenville
2. Central-Talbotton
3. Wheeler County
4. Pelham
5. Clinch County
6. Macon County
7. Calhoun County
8. Marion County
9. Bowdon
10. Dooly County