With tournament season finally in the rearview mirror, the race for the playoffs can hit the fast track beginning Tuesday around northeast Georgia.
It will be a limited schedule but every game will have region implications. Regions 8-5A, 8-4A, and 8-2A have key matchups across the board.
In 8-4A North, on the boys side it is crowded at the top as Cherokee Bluff, East Hall, East Forsyth, and North Hall all are tied atop the subregion coming into Tuesday’s action.
Bluff (10-4, 2-1 Region 8-4A North), which cracked the rankings for the first this week at 10th after winning the Lanierland title, travels to North Hall (6-9, 2-1 Region 8-4A North) in a huge matchup. The Bears needed overtime to beat the Trojans in the Lanierland tournament last week. East Hall (7-4, 2-1 Region 8-4A North) is coming off a disappointing Lanierland, as is Chestatee (4-9, 2-1 Region 8-4A North) and those two meet in Valhalla.
On the girls side in 8-4A North, sixth-ranked Cherokee Bluff (11-2, 3-0 Region 8-4A North) and ninth-ranked Chestatee (10-4, 3-0 Region 8-4A North) can put some distance between themselves and the rest of the field in the subregion with wins on Tuesday.
However, the Lady Bears head to No. 10 North Hall and take on a Lady Trojans squad (10-4, 2-1 Region 8-4A North) that has won five of seven, including a run to the Lanierland finals. The Chestatee girls travel to East Hall (3-9, 0-2 Region 8-4A North).
In 8-5A, Flowery Branch heads to Winder-Barrow while Jefferson travels to Eastside. On the girls side, Jefferson (12-2, 2-0 Region 8-5A) is ranked fifth in the latest Sandy’s Spiel rankings but Eastside (8-4, 3-0 Region 8-5A) sits in first place. The Lady Dragons are riding a six-game win streak. Branch (15-7, 0-2 Region 8-5A) and Winder-Barrow (3-13, 0-3 Region 8-5A) are battling to stay out of last place.
On the boys side in 8-5A, the Dragons (11-3, 2-0 Region 8-5A) sit alone in first place while Winder-Barrow (12-3, 2-1 Region 8-5A) and Clarke Central (5-7, 2-1 Region 8-5A) right behind. A young Branch team (4-11, 0-2 Region 8-5A) is quickly improving.
Both Union County teams will open Region 8-2A play against Providence Christian in Blairsville. The Lady Panthers (7-7, 0-0 Region 8-2A) take on a Lady Storm (10-1, 0-0 Region 8-2A) that is playing well.
The Union County boys (12-2, 0-0 Region 8-2A), ranked eighth in Class 2A, meanwhile, are coming off a Battle of the States title and have won seven straight. The Storm (9-5, 0-0 Region 8-2A) had a seven-game win streak snapped in their last game on Dec. 22.
(See the entire schedule for Tuesday below.)
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SCHEDULE FOR Tuesday, Jan. 2
Cherokee Bluff at North Hall, 6 p.m.*
Chestatee at East Hall, 6 p.m.*
Flowery Branch at Winder-Barrow, 6 p.m.*
Jefferson at Eastside, 6 p.m.*
Johnson at East Forsyth, 6 p.m.*
Providence Christian at Union County, 6 p.m.*
(* -- denotes region contest)
