Girls basketball rankings: Laney, Franklin County unbeaten heading into home stretch

ajc.com

Credit: Adam Krohn

Credit: Adam Krohn

Laney and Franklin County are the only remaining unbeaten girls basketball teams in the state heading into the final weekend of the regular season.

Laney, the defending champion in Class AA, maintained the No. 1 ranking it has held all season after beating Butler and Jefferson County by an average of 41 points to improve to 22-0. The Wildcats have won 52 consecutive games since a 62-56 loss to North Augusta (S.C.) in the second game of the 2016-17 regular season. Laney will try to complete an undefeated regular season when it takes on Harlem (Tuesday), fifth-ranked Josey (Friday) and Screven County (Saturday).

Franklin County moved up a spot to No. 2 behind Greater Atlanta Christian in Class AAA after improving to 23-0 with lopsided victories against Jackson County and Monroe Area. The Lions close out the regular season with games against East Jackson (Tuesday) and ninth-ranked Hart County (Friday).

Class AAAAA Villa Rica fell from the ranks of the unbeaten when it suffered a 58-46 loss to 10th-ranked Carrollton on Tuesday. The Wildcats (17-1), ranked No. 7 in AAAAA, face eighth-ranked Rome on Friday in a game that could determine the No. 1 seed in the Region 7-AAAAA tournament.

All eight No. 1 teams remained the same. In addition to Laney, those teams are Westlake (AAAAAAA), Lovejoy (AAAAAA), Buford (AAAAA), Carver-Columbus (AAAA), Greater Atlanta Christian (AAA), Holy Innocents’ (A private) and Greenville (A public).

Two new teams entered the top 10s – Creekview replaced Douglas County in AAAAAA, and Burke County replaced Pickens in AAAA.

McEachern, the four-time defending champion in the highest classification, made a big move this week, jumping from No. 10 to No. 6 after victories over ninth-ranked Hillgrove and North Cobb. Also making big climbs were Northview, which went from No. 9 to No. 5 in AAAAAA, and Arabia Mountain, which moved up four spots to No. 4 in AAAAA.

Class AAAAAAA

  1. Westlake (21-1)
  2. Collins Hill (20-2)
  3. Norcross (20-3)
  4. Cherokee (21-2)
  5. North Forsyth (21-2)
  6. McEachern (13-5)
  7. South Gwinnett (19-2)
  8. Newton (17-3)
  9. Hillgrove (14-5)
  10. Colquitt County (18-5)

Class AAAAAA

  1. Lovejoy (21-1)
  2. Winder-Barrow (18-4)
  3. Harrison (17-4)
  4. Forest Park (17-4)
  5. Northview (17-5)
  6. Tucker (16-6)
  7. Creekview (15-6)
  8. Lanier (18-5)
  9. Stephenson (14-7)
  10. Alpharetta (18-4)

Class AAAAA

  1. Buford (20-3)
  2. Harris County (21-2)
  3. Flowery Branch (18-5)
  4. Arabia Mountain (17-1)
  5. Ware County (19-2)
  6. Bainbridge (20-4)
  7. Villa Rica (17-1)
  8. Rome (19-2)
  9. Dutchtown (18-4)
  10. Carrollton (17-5)

Class AAAA

  1. Carver-Columbus (23-1)
  2. Henry County (20-1)
  3. Spalding (17-3)
  4. Northwest Whitfield (20-3)
  5. Marist (18-2)
  6. Baldwin (21-2)
  7. Westover (19-3)
  8. Luella (16-4)
  9. Madison County (17-5)
  10. Burke County (13-6)

Class AAA

  1. Greater Atlanta Christian (18-3)
  2. Franklin County (23-0)
  3. Beach (20-2)
  4. Central-Macon (18-3)
  5. Lovett (17-4)
  6. Johnson-Savannah (14-4)
  7. Haralson County (18-2)
  8. Tattnall County (19-5)
  9. Hart County (17-6)
  10. North Murray (16-6)

Class AA

  1. Laney (22-0)
  2. Banks County (19-4)
  3. Swainsboro (18-3)
  4. Putnam County (18-2)
  5. Josey (20-2)
  6. Dodge County (18-4)
  7. Model (18-3)
  8. Early County (18-5)
  9. Rabun County (17-5)
  10. Washington County (16-6)

Class A (Private)

  1. Holy Innocents' (19-1)
  2. St. Francis (18-4)
  3. Wesleyan (19-3)
  4. Our Lady of Mercy (16-2)
  5. Calvary Day (21-2)
  6. Stratford Academy (19-2)
  7. Prince Avenue Christian (20-2)
  8. Athens Academy (19-3)
  9. Christian Heritage (17-4)
  10. Eagle's Landing Christian (17-5)

Class A (Public)

  1. Greenville (22-1)
  2. Telfair County (20-2)
  3. Pelham (21-1)
  4. Wheeler County (17-2)
  5. Wilcox County (18-4)
  6. Bowdon (18-4)
  7. Macon County (17-4)
  8. Marion County (18-4)
  9. Georgia Military (19-1)
  10. Emanuel County Institute (13-4)