The road to Macon begins Friday when 14 area northeast Georgia girls, and one boys, basketball teams take the court in the first round of the Georgia High School Association state playoffs.
For seven of those area teams, making the tournament has become habit. Buford, Flowery Branch, Rabun, Dawson, Banks, Gainesville and North Hall have earned multiple trips in a row to the state playoffs.
(Click here to read the feature on East Jackson and Cherokee Bluff making their first-ever state playoff appearance.)
(Click here to read a feature on the Gainesville boys looking for redemption against Langston Hughes.)
(NOTE: For a complete list of tip-off times involving northeast Georgia programs scroll down.)
The Lady Wolves will begin defense of their Class 5A state title from a year ago when they host Chamblee. The Buford boys will follow the Lady Wolves in a rematch against Miller Grove.
After losing to Buford in the Class 5A state title game last season, Flowery Branch has set its goal on another trip to the state title game in a new classification this year – Class 4A.
In Class 3A, Dawson and North Hall have their sights set on getting out of the first round.
In Class 2A, Rabun and Banks were ousted in the quarterfinals last season but are back to make the charge again this season.
The state tournament also will have a few firsts in 2019. Cherokee Bluff and East Jackson made history with their first-ever state playoff berths, and Class A's Commerce and Towns County are back in the tournament for the first time in a couple of years.
“I am so proud of these girls,” Towns County coach Brian Hunnicutt said. “They have brought the program back to the state playoffs. These girls are the embodiment of what young ladies should be, but when they get on the court, they are a pack of Wild Dogs, and I love every second I have with them. I'm truly blessed to have been taught about character from my girls. I love them to death.”
In Class 6A, Gainesville heads into the tournament losing 6-of-its-last 7 games but showed some improvement in the region tournament. Gainesville coach Alan Griffin said even though the Lady Red Elephants lost to Lanier and Dacula in the Region 8-6A tournament, he's optimistic heading into the state playoffs.
“Dacula beat us by 30 three weeks ago and we only lost by five this time,” he said. "It was good to see that transformation and improvement. I’m very happy with the way we are playing right now. We want to go to the next round and make a run. We are in a really good place right now.”
No. 4 seed Gainesville will travel to No. 1-seed Langston Hughes on Friday at 7 p.m.
“They’re very athletic, fast and young,” Griffin said about Hughes. “ We’re going to have to rebound and shoot the ball well.”
In Class 4A, No. 4 seed Chestatee will make its third-straight trip when they travel to Region 6-4A No. 1 seed Heritage-Catoosa at 6 p.m.
“Heritage is a good team playing very well, but I think my girls’ heads are in a good place right now,” Shirley said. "The girls have been working hard at practice. They enjoy being around each other and aren’t ready for this season to be over with, especially the seniors. But, we know they (Heritage) are talented, but so are we. We are going to go up there and come out swinging and see what happens."
FIRST ROUND GIRLS
(Buford plays a doubleheader with boys and girls on Friday)
(Games listed by classification and time)
(Area teams in bold)
FRIDAY (Feb. 9)
Class 6A
Gainesville (Region 8, Seed 4) at Langston Hughes (Region 5, Seed 1), 7 p.m. (RADIO: FM 94.5 & AM 1240 THE LAKE)
Class 5A
Chamblee girls (R5, S4) at Buford (R8, S1), 6 p.m.
Miller Grove boys (R5, S4) at Buford (R8, S1), 7:30 p.m.
Class 4A
Chestatee (R7, S4) at Heritage-Catoosa (R6, S1), 6 p.m.
Pickens (R6, S4) at Flowery Branch (R7, S1), 6 p.m. (RADIO: FM 102.9 & AM 550 WDUN)
White County (R7, S3) at Northwest Whitfield (R6, S2), 6 p.m.
Class 3A
East Jackson (R8, S3) at Pace Academy (R5, S2), 5:30 p.m.
Dawson County (R7, S3) at Coahulla Creek (R6, S2), 6 p.m.
North Murray (R6, S3) at North Hall (R7, S2), 6 p.m.
Cherokee Bluff (R7, S4) at Sonoraville (R6, S1), 7 p.m.
Class 2A
Banks County (R8, S3) at Bremen (R5, S2), 6 p.m.
Heard County (R5, S4) at Rabun County (R8, S1), 6:30 p.m.
Class A Public
Commerce (21) at Dooly County (12), 5 p.m.
Lanier County (19) at Towns County (14), 5:30 p.m.
