If the quarterfinal matchups in the Class AAA state high school basketball tournament look familiar, they should.
It starts on the girls' side where three of last year's Final Four teams – Greater Atlanta Christian, Beach, Johnson-Savannah – are still alive. The premier game offers a meeting between two of the top programs -- Beach at GAC. Both advanced to the quarters with blowouts, GAC defeating Coahulla Creek, 68-28, and Beach ousting Cook, 56-27.
Both teams carry memories of last season's controversial Beach victory in the semifinals. A scorebook error helped lead Beach to victory and left GAC bemoaning what might have been.
GAC coach Lady Grooms has not spent one minute thinking of last year's scoring-error and is prepared to take advantage of the home-court this time around. She thinks her team is playing to form at the right time.
"In the second round, we played sharp and we may be peaking at the right time," Grooms said. "It was one of the best team wins, and we put up some points, too. We dominated the inside. We must continue to get the ball to our big (players) down low."
"But, I am excited to play Beach again, especially on our home court. Beach out-rebounded us last year, and I believe that defense and rebounding can help win championships. They deserved the win last year."
Speaking of last year? Some of us might be, but GAC isn't. The focus lately has been playing their game in an adjusted, Benton-less, lineup. GAC lost its best player, Robyn Benton, during the holidays to injury. She was averaging almost 18 points a game.
"We are not focused on last year, since we have a new team as well," Grooms said. "With Robyn (Benton) being out, we had to create another culture and system. Our focus is to play Spartan basketball. We are happy to be home this time around, and we have four seniors who are playing hard to continue their season. We are coming to fight. Our Forum is an awesome place to play. Our fans and support will help our girls play confident."
The Lady Spartans have three players scoring in double-figures: Taylor Sutton (16.8 points), Caria Reynolds (12.1 points) and Mary Martha Turner (10.1 points). Reynolds (21 points) and Sutton (14 points) led scorers in GAC's second-round victory against Coahulla Creek.
Beach also is looking to punch its ticket to the semifinals. The Lady Bulldogs could be described as "lacking" on offense with one player, Tatiyanna Morris (10.8 points), averaging double figures. But the Lady Bulldogs spread scoring among Madison Evans (6.5 points), Jaida Burrgess (6.7 points), Maryyana Page (6.9 points), Kaila Rougier (8.1 points) and Jabreika Bass (9.7 points). Every player on the floor can score, and Beach has a lot of depth.
This game could be too close to call.
On the boys side, one Final Four contender from last season is still alive -- the top-ranked Morgan County Bulldogs. Defending-champion Pace Academy had its bid for a repeat cut short by GAC in the second round, 57-54.
The rest of the state is making its presence known across the bracket with only two teams metro Atlanta teams left in the quarterfinals – GAC and Cedar Grove. Two programs from Savannah, Jenkins and Johnson, give the southern end of the state some quarterfinal recognition. Two Middle Georgia programs represent the heart of the state in the final eight – Westside-Macon and Central-Macon.
The remaining quarterfinalist is Hart County from Northeast Georgia.
Boys Schedule
First Round
Feb. 16-17
R5#2 Pace Academy 62, R6#3 Sonoraville 43
R7#1 Greater Atlanta Christian 76, R8#4 East Jackson 43
R1#2 Monroe 79, R2#3 Liberty County 69
R3#1 Johnson-Savannah 88, R4#4 Kendrick 68
R5#3 Towers 81, R6#2 Bremen 59
R8#1 Morgan County 61, R7#4 North Hall 29
R2#2 Long County 86, R1#3 Dougherty 85
R4#1 Central-Macon 67, R3#4 Beach 39
R7#2 Dawson County 66, R8#3 Monroe Area 53
R5#1 Cedar Grove 60, R6#4 Ringgold 40
R3#2 Jenkins 59, R4#3 Jackson 39
R1#1 Cook 67, R2#4 Pierce County 59
R8#2 Hart County 65, R7#3 East Hall 50
R5#4 Redan 45, R6#1 Calhoun 41
R4#2 Westside-Macon 65, R3 #3 Islands 57
R1#4 Crisp County 73, R2#1 Tattnall County 62
Second Round
Feb. 21-22
R7#1 GACS 57, R5#2 Pace Academy 54
R3#1 Johnson-Savannah 74, R1#2 Monroe 55
R8#1 Morgan County 64, R5#3 Towers 49
R4#1 Central-Macon 62, R2#2 Long County 49
R5#1 Cedar Grove 64, R7#2 Dawson County 52
R3#2 Jenkins 52, R1#1 Cook 49
R8#2 Hart County 62, R5#4 Redan 39
R4#2 Westside-Macon 75, R1#4 Crisp County 64
Quarterfinals
Feb. 27-28
R4#1 Central-Macon at R8#1 Morgan County
R3#2 Jenkins at R5#1 Cedar Grove
R3#1 Johnson-Savannah at R7#1 GACS
R4#2 Westside-Macon at R8#2 Hart County
Girls Schedule
First Round
Feb. 16-17
R6#3 Coahulla Creek 53, R5#2 Pace Academy 44
R7#1 Greater Atlanta Christian 70, R8#4 Monroe Area 39
R1#2 Cook 58, R2#3 Long County 52
R3#1 Beach 64, R4#4 Pike County 13
R5#3 Cedar Grove 40, R6#2 Sonoraville 39
R8#1 Franklin County 56, R7#4 Dawson County 35
R2#2 Pierce County 69, R1#3 Dougherty 48
R4#1 Peach County 61, R3#4 Islands 35
R7#2 East Hall 63, R8#3 Hart County 52
R5#1 Lovett 52, R6#4 Lakeview-FO 27
R3#2 Johnson-Savannah 60, R4#3 Rutland 33
R1#1 Monroe 67, R2#4 Liberty County 29
R8#2 Morgan County 64, R7#3 North Hall 52
R6#1 Haralson County 61, R5#4 Stone Mountain 34
R4#2 Central-Macon 59, R3#3 Jenkins 32
R2#1 Tattnall County 61, R1#4 Worth County 26
Second Round
Feb. 21-22
R7#1 GACS 68, R6#3 Coahulla Creek 28
R3#1 Beach 56, R1#2 Cook 27
R8#1 Franklin Co. 53, R5#3 Cedar Grove 26
R4#1 Peach County 53, R2#2 Pierce County 42
R5#1 Lovett 58, R7#2 East Hall 39
R3#2 Johnson-Savannah 64, R1#1 Monroe 57
R6#1 Haralson Co. 53, R8#2 Morgan Co. 40
R2#1 Tattnall Co. 54, R4#2 Central-Macon 45
Quarterfinals
Feb. 27-28
R3#1 Beach vs. R7#1 GACS
R4#1 Peach County vs. R8#1 Franklin County
R3#2 Johonson-Savannah vs. R5#1 Lovett
R2#1 Tattnall County vs. R6#1 Haralson County
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