Sharman White and Pace Academy boys basketball are known around the state as a premiere program and this season, Coach White and the Knights have business running as usual.
The team is 14-2, firing on all cylinders and ranked atop the Class 4A Score Atlanta Boys Basketball Poll. Pace Academy is undefeated against in-state opponents this season at a perfect 14-0 as its only two blemishes have been to Pembroke Pines Charter (FL) and Waxahachie (TX) by a combined 14 points.
White is in his eighth season with the Knights as they are coming off of a second round appearance a season ago after losing to Class 4A state runner-ups Holy Innocents’, 62-58. Pace Academy is looking for its sixth state championship in program history as the Knights earned their fifth just two years ago in 2023.
This year’s Knights are back in midseason form as they average just over 74 points per game and have the two of the top-10 scorers in Class 4A this season. Senior combo-guard Eric Chatfield and senior small forward Chandler Bing have been incredible to start the season for the Knights. Chatfield is sixth in the class in points per game with just around 20 per game and Bing is four spots behind him at No. 10 averaging a little over 18 points per game. On Thursday evening, Pace defeated Drew 83-32 earning its 14th win of the season and leaving the Knights a perfect 8-0 in region play.
In his accomplished career, White is a nine-time GHSA basketball state champion after earning six-straight state championships from 2009-2014 with Miller Grove before joining Pace Academy in 2017. Along with coaching the Knights, White’s experience in coaching has led him to being able to coach some of the nation’s best rising stats during his years with the USA Basketball program. White has been a part of USA Basketball since 2014 when he started working with the Men’s Junior National Team in a minicamp, and was first named a head coach at the Nike Hoops Summit in 2020 before it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Most recently, White worked as a head coach at the 2024 Nike Hoops Summit where he coached some of college basketball’s best freshmen in the country including top recruits Duke’s Cooper Flagg, Rutgers’ Dylan Harper and former McEachern Indian, now fellow Scarlet Knight to Harper, Ace Bailey. He also had the opportunity to work with the same group at the 2024 McDonald’s All-American Game in Houston where the nation’s top recruits in the most recent recruiting class went head-to-head.
White and the Knights are a team to look out for as the postseason play is only a month out.
Notes:
Boys: Pace Academy defeated Drew 83-32 to improve to 14-2 on the season…Central-Carrollton defeated Northside 69-56 to improve to 13-3 on the season…Southwest DeKalb defeated North Springs 71-48 thanks to 23 points each from senior Messiah Mergan and junior Aaron Burks…Cedar Shoals defeated Flowery Branch 68-52 as the Jaguars improve to 12-5 on the season…Jonesboro defeated Starr’s Mill by 30 points on Thursday night as the Cardinals won 72-42, improving to 3-1 on the season in regional play.
Girls: Creekside defeated Forest Park 71-6 as the Seminoles remain perfect on the season at 16-0…Starr’s Mill defeated Jonesboro 58-22 as the Panthers earned their third regional victory of the season…Northview defeated Tucker 51-14 as Milan Johnson led the Titans scoring with 16 points…North Oconee defeated Walnut Grove 77-47 as the Titans improve to 17-1 on the season…Maynard Jackson defeated M.L. King 68-20 as four Jaguars were in double figures including 19 points out of junior Cayden Cornish.
Class 4A Boys Top 10 Schedule
1: Pace Academy: Tuesday @ Mays at 7 p.m., Friday vs Forest Park at 7 p.m., Saturday vs McEachern at 7 p.m.
2: North Oconee: Saturday vs Madison County at 8:30 p.m.
3: Kell: Friday vs Westminster at 7:30 p.m., Saturday vs Woodward Academy at 4 p.m.
4: Southwest DeKalb: Tuesday vs Northview at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday @ Lithonia at 7:30 p.m. , Saturday vs Buford at 6 p.m.
5: Jonesboro: Monday @ Northside at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday @ Griffin at 7:30 p.m., Friday vs Harris County at 7:30 p.m., Saturday vs Douglass at 7 p.m.
6: McDonough: Tuesday @ Woodland at 7:30 p.m., Friday @ Hampton at 7:30 p.m., Saturday @ Locust Grove at 6:30 p.m.
7: St. Pius: Tuesday @ North Springs at 7:30 p.m., Friday @ Tucker at 6 p.m.
8: Maynard Jackson: Tuesday @ Drew at 7 p.m., Friday vs Creekside at 7:30 p.m.
9: Tucker: Tuesday @ Clarkston at 7:30 p.m., Friday vs St. Pius X at 6 p.m., Saturday vs Baldwin at 1 p.m.
10: Central-Carrollton: Saturday vs Griffin at 7:30 p.m., Monday @ Harris County at 7:30 p.m., Friday @ Mundy’s Mill at 7:30 p.m.
Class 4A Girls Top 10 Schedule
1: Creekside: Tuesday vs M.L. King at 6 p.m., Friday @ Maynard Jackson at 6 p.m., Saturday vs Lowndes at 5 p.m.
2: Marist: Tuesday @ Druid Hills at 6 p.m., Friday vs North Springs at 6 p.m.
3: Warner Robins: Saturday vs Northside at 4 p.m., Tuesday vs Perry at 6 p.m., Friday vs New Hampstead at 6 p.m.
4: Kell: Friday vs Westminster at 6 p.m.
5: Maynard Jackson: Tuesday vs Drew at 5:30 p.m, Friday vs Creekside at 6 p.m.
6: North Oconee: Friday vs Madison County at. 7 p.m.
7: Midtown: Tuesday @ Forest Park at 5:30 p.m., Friday @ M.L. King at 6 p.m., Saturday @ Paideia at 2:30 p.m.
8: Ware County: Tuesday @ Wayne County at 6 p.m., Saturday vs Warner Robins at 3 p.m.
9: Jones County: Tuesday vs Eagles Landing at 6 p.m., Friday vs Locust Grove at 6 p.m., Saturday vs Veterans at 6 p.m.
10: Stockbridge: Tuesday vs Hampton at 6 p.m., Friday @ Union Grove at 6 p.m.
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