South Paulding’s boys are the new No. 1 basketball team in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Class AAAAAA rankings.
The Spartans have won seven straight games since a 51-49 loss on Dec. 17 to North Cobb Christian, the No. 3 team in the Class A private-school division.
South Paulding replaces Gainesville, which lost to Cedar Shoals 63-60 last week. Cedar Shoals is ranked No. 2 in Class AAAAA.
The ranking is a milestone for South Paulding, which opened in 2006, made the state playoffs for the first time in 2014, advanced one round in 2015 and lost in the quarterfinals in 2016 to eventual champion Miller Grove. The current team is senior-oriented group led by Georgia State-signee Kane Williams.
Four other No. 1-ranked teams lost games last week but maintained their rankings.
Greenforest Christian, the top-rated team in the Class A private-school division, lost 63-56 to Memphis East – the No. 5 team nationally in the MaxPreps’ writers poll – in the Bass Pro Shops tournament in Springfield, Mass.
Norcross’s girls (AAAAAAA) lost 69-50 on Saturday to Riverdale, Tenn, which is ranked No. 4 nationally by MaxPreps. It was the Blue Devils' second loss, both of which came against out-of-state teams ranked in the top five in the nation.
AAAAAA girls No. 1 Harrison to AAAAA No. 1 Buford 49-43 in overtime Saturday, and A public-school girls No. 1 Pelham lost 71-70 Tuesday against AAAAAAA Lowndes.
BOYS
Class AAAAAAA
1. McEachern (14-0)
2. Newton (17-0)
3. Westlake (10-7)
4. Pebblebrook (10-6)
5. Wheeler (13-4)
6. Norcross (15-4)
7. Berkmar (15-5)
8. Tift County (18-1)
9. Collins Hill (15-3)
10. Colquitt County (14-3)
Class AAAAAA
1. South Paulding (16-1)
2. Gainesville (16-1)
3. Jonesboro (13-4)
4. Hughes (11-5)
5. Alpharetta (18-1)
6. Heritage-Conyers (11-4)
7. South Cobb (13-4)
8. Alexander (13-4)
9. Dacula (13-5)
10. Pope (14-2)
Class AAAAA
1. Buford (15-2)
2. Cedar Shoals (16-3)
3. Miller Grove (9-6)
4. Fayette County (13-5)
5. Warner Robins (14-3)
6. New Hampstead (14-4)
7. Columbia (12-5)
8. Eagle's Landing (12-4)
9. Southwest DeKalb (11-7)
10. Flowery Branch (15-3)
Class AAAA
1. Upson-Lee (17-0)
2. Richmond Academy (16-3)
3. Henry County (14-5)
4. LaGrange (16-2)
5. Sandy Creek (10-5)
6. Carver-Columbus (13-3)
7. Perry (15-3)
8. St. Pius (11-6)
9. Americus-Sumter (13-4)
10. Salem (13-4)
Class AAA
1. Morgan County (12-3)
2. Westside-Macon (13-3)
3. Greater Atlanta Christian (13-4)
4. Islands (13-5)
5. Central-Macon (13-3)
6. Liberty County (11-5)
7. Jenkins (12-6)
8. Cedar Grove (8-4)
9. Pace Academy (7-7)
10. Johnson-Savannah (11-7)
Class AA
1. South Atlanta (14-1)
2. Butler (11-5)
3. Laney (10-3)
4. Thomasville (9-6)
5. Early County (13-4)
6. Dublin (14-4)
7. Glenn Hills (13-5)
8. Josey (12-4)
9. Hapeville Charter (9-5)
10. Therrell (10-6)
Class A (Private)
1. Greenforest Christian (13-4)
2. Southwest Atlanta Christian (10-5)
3. North Cobb Christian (12-3)
4. St. Francis (14-3)
5. Aquinas (14-1)
6. Whitefield Academy (10-6)
7. Lakeview Academy (12-4)
8. Tallulah Falls (17-0)
9. Holy Innocents' (10-5)
10. Darlington (11-3)
Class A (Public)
1. Calhoun County (13-1)
2. Treutlen (16-0)
3. Taylor County (12-2)
4. Quitman County (14-1)
5. Wilkinson County (12-5)
6. Randolph-Clay (11-3)
7. Crawford County (11-6)
8. Clinch County (13-3)
9. Turner County (12-5)
10. Central-Talbotton (10-4)
GIRLS
Class AAAAAAA
1. Norcross (17-2)
2. Mill Creek (16-1)
3. McEachern (11-6)
4. Collins Hill (15-1)
5. Lambert (15-2)
6. Westlake (13-5)
7. Newton (14-2)
8. Archer (13-4)
9. Marietta (14-4)
10. Brookwood (12-5)
Class AAAAAA
1. Harrison (15-3)
2. Douglas County (16-2)
3. Northview (16-3)
4. Lovejoy (15-2)
5. Winder-Barrow (11-5)
6. Stephenson (12-5)
7. Grovetown (12-6)
8. Creekview (12-6)
9. Gainesville (10-5)
10. Sequoyah (13-4)
Class AAAAA
1. Buford (15-0)
2. Griffin (16-0)
3. Flowery Branch (14-3)
4. Southwest DeKalb (14-4)
5. Warner Robins (15-1)
6. Jackson-Atlanta (13-1)
7. Carrollton (15-1)
8. Villa Rica (16-1)
9. Harris County (13-2)
10. McIntosh (12-3)
Class AAAA
1. North Oconee (14-2)
2. Carver-Columbus (15-2)
3. Cross Creek (15-4)
4. Perry (15-3)
5. Columbus (13-3)
6. West Hall (14-4)
7. Heritage-Ringgold (17-2)
8. Sandy Creek (11-4)
9. Northwest Whitfield (13-4)
10. Americus-Sumter (14-3)
Class AAA
1. Johnson-Savannah (15-1)
2. Beach (16-1)
3. Greater Atlanta Christian (11-4)
4. Franklin County (14-4)
5. Calhoun (15-3)
6. Hart County (15-3)
7. Monroe (14-3)
8. Ringgold (13-5)
9. Redan (12-3)
10. Peach County (13-3)
Class AA
1. Laney (15-1)
2. Dodge County (14-2)
3. Model (12-4)
4. Rabun County (17-1)
5. Vidalia (14-3)
6. Fitzgerald (11-1)
7. Heard County (14-4)
8. Bryan County (12-3)
9. Washington County (7-4)
10. Dade County (13-6)
Class A (Private)
1. Holy Innocents' (18-1)
2. St. Francis (12-4)
3. Wesleyan (14-3)
4. Lakeview Academy (14-4)
5. Calvary Day (13-3)
6. Pinecrest Academy (10-3)
7. Landmark Christian (13-3)
8. Darlington (11-5)
9. First Presbyterian (11-4)
10. Stratford Academy (11-4)
Class A (Public)
1. Pelham (14-1)
2. Telfair County (15-1)
3. Woodville-Tompkins (15-3)
4. Wheeler County (15-2)
5. Treutlen (11-4)
6. Marion County (12-4)
7. Greenville (14-3)
8. Taylor County (12-4)
9. Mitchell County (14-3)
10. Wilcox County (12-5)
About the Author
