Basketball: SW DeKalb, Stephenson host all-day events on Saturday

Southwest DeKalb coach Eugene Brown

Credit: Stan Awtrey

Credit: Stan Awtrey

Southwest DeKalb coach Eugene Brown

High school basketball will get off to a big start Saturday in DeKalb County, with seven games at the Southwest DeKalb Showdown and eight games at the Battle on the Mountain at Stephenson.

The fourth annual Southwest DeKalb Showdown features seven boys games. The field includes Greenforest, which won the Class A Private School championship last spring, and Lithonia, which reached the Class AAAAA semifinals. Henry County reached the Class AAA semifinals. North Florida of Jacksonville went 11-9 and reached the finals of the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class 2A championship.

“It’s a great way to start the season,” Southwest DeKalb coach Eugene Brown said. “We’ve got some good matchups. We try to pair everybody up so the games are close. We’re all looking forward to getting the season started.”

The schedule: Clarkston vs. Stone Mountain, noon; Creekside vs. Towers, 1:30 p.m.; Henry County vs. Redan, 3 p.m.; Therrell vs. Lakeside, 4:30 p.m.; Greenforest Christian vs. Lithonia, 6 p.m.; Stockbridge vs. Tucker, 7:30 p.m.; and Southwest DeKalb vs. North Florida Educational Institute, 9 p.m.

The Battle on the Mountain features four girls game and four boys games. The girls field is led by defending Class AAAAAAA champion McEachern and runner-up Norcross, as well as quarterfinalist Westlake. The top boys team is

The schedule: Shiloh vs. North Forsyth girls, 11 a.m.; Cumberland Christian vs. Central Gwinnett boys, 12:30 p.m.; Westlake vs. Sandy Creek girls, 2 p.m.; Hapeville Charter vs. Arabia Mountain boys, 3:30 p.m.; Norcross vs. Greater Atlanta Christian girls, 5 p.m.; Drew Charter vs. Dawson Christian boys, 6:30 p.m.; Stephenson vs. McEachern girls, 8 p.m.; Stephenson vs. Heritage boys, 9:30 p.m.