Basketball season is in full swing, and the top two boys teams in Region 6B-AAAAA are set to face off this Friday at 7:30 p.m. Centennial is currently first in the region with Milton trailing closely behind them, and both teams are ranked in our Power 15 poll. Centennial has the edge in head-to-head matchups, having defeated Milton four straight times. The last time Milton beat the Knights was in 2006 by one point.
Although the Eagles struggled last year and finished sixth in the region, they are on the right path to making a championship run this year. With the help of their powerhouse trio of Julian Royal, Dai-Jon Parker and Shannon Scott, the Eagles have beaten their opponents by an average of 15 points.
On the other hand, the Centennial Knights have been a consistently solid program for several years now. The Knights have made it to the state playoffs three years in a row, and in 2006-07 they made it all the way to the championship game, only to lose by one basket to Norcross. The following year they were again knocked out of the playoffs by the Blue Devils. This year, the Knights are hoping for yet another shot at the state championship, and with the talented Lorenzo Brown, the team has a good chance of finding itself in such a position.
GIRLS BATTLE TUESDAY
The game to watch this week in girls basketball is Marist at St. Pius X on Tuesday at 6 p.m. Although the Golden Lions have had a slow start this season, do not make the mistake of underestimating them just yet. These two teams have a lot of history behind their rivalry. In the last three years, the Golden Lions and War Eagles have met twice in the state championship game. In the 2005-06 season, St. Pius X came away as state champion after defeating Marist, 56-38. The following year, the Golden Lions repeated their success by upsetting Marist yet again, 45-36. In the last 11 meetings between the two teams, St. Pius X has beaten Marist seven times.
St. Pius X girls basketball has always been a powerhouse in Georgia. The Golden Lions have made it to the playoffs four years in a row, and two of those years they made it to the state championship game and won. Although the team is right around .500 at press time, the Golden Lions have won their first two region games.
Even though the Golden Lions have dominated the War Eagles in past years, this year Marist not only has the talent, but also the drive to turn the tables on St. Pius X. The War Eagles are currently 7-0 against in-state opponents, and have a 2-0 region record. Marist is currently second behind Chamblee in its region, but has a better overall record. Expect the War Eagles to give St. Pius X a tough battle this year.
Parker can be reached at jparkeruga@gmail.com.
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