Like the girls, after a week of weather disruptions, not much changed as far as region standings in the Georgia High School Association involving northeast Georgia-area boys teams.
Buford (Region 8-6A) and Rabun County (Region 8-A Division 1) still lead their regions outright. Four other teams are tied for the lead in their region.
Region 8-3A continues to be a three-headed monster battling for the lead. No. 1-ranked Cherokee Bluff (19-2, 5-1 Region 8-3A), No. 3 East Hall (16-3, 5-1 Region 8-3A) and No. 10 Jefferson (14-5, 5-1 Region 8-3A) all are still tied for first place heading into this week.
The trio will take the bottom three teams in the region on Tuesday, and if all three leave with victories, that will set up a three-game round-robin for the top spot heading into the final week of the regular season.
In the first go-round of the region, Bluff beat East Hall, who beat Jefferson, who then knocked off Bluff all within a week. East Hall and Bluff will meet on Friday in Flowery Branch. Buckle up, and it’s going to be a fun two weeks.
Class 6A eighth-ranked Buford (17-3, 8-0 Region 8-6A) still holds a 2-game cushion over Mill Creek (14-7, 6-2 Region 8-6A), and those two teams will meet on Tuesday at The Buford Arena. The Wolves, who come into this one rising on an 8-game win streak, took a nail-biting 48-47 win over the Hawks in their first meeting in Hoschton.
Rabun County, now ranked second in Class A Division 1, is the other team leading outright in Region 8-A D1. The Wildcats (17-3, 7-0 Region 8-A D1) hold a 1-game lead over No. 19 Banks County (12-8, 7-2 Region 8-A D1). Banks knocked No. 22 Commerce (13-8, 5-3 Region 8-A D1) on Saturday in a showdown for second place.
This could be the defining week in 8-A D1 as Rabun County will first travel to Commerce on Tuesday and then play host to Banks County on Friday. The Wildcats are riding a 6-game win streak.
In Region 8-5A, No. 4 Habersham Central (17-3, 7-1 Region 8-5A) and No. 5 Winder-Barrow (19-2, 7-1 Region 8-5A) are locked in a first-place duel. The Raiders have a pair of games against Loganville and Apalachee this week, while the Bulldoggs, who have won 11 straight, take on Jackson County and Loganville.
In Region 6-3A, No. 6 Pickens (20-0, 10-0 Region 6-3A) has now opened up a 2 1/2-game lead on No. 18 GAC (15-5, 7-2 Region 6-3A) with 22nd-ranked Lumpkin County (13-8, 7-3 Region 6-3A) right behind. GAC plays host to Pickens on Tuesday and then has back-to-back road games against Dawson County and No. 26 North Hall (13-8, 5-4 Region 6-3A) on Thursday and Friday.
The Indians have home tilts against North Hall on Tuesday and Johnson on Friday with a chance to move into second place.
Union County, ranked fourth in Class 2A, dropped to 2 1/2 games behind first place and third-ranked North Cobb Christian (17-3, 11-0 Region 7-2A) in Region 7-2A with its loss to NCC last week. The Panthers (17-4, 9-3 Region 7-2A) lead Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe (13-6, 7-4 Region 7-2A) 1 1/2 games for second place.
And in Region 7-5A, Class 5A No. 1 Milton (14-6, 8-0 Region 7-2A) has not been able to shake No. 7 Gainesville (15-6, 8-1 Region 7-5A), who is in second place. The two teams are not scheduled to meet again until Feb. 4 at Davis-Hill Gymnasium.
The Red Elephants travel to last-place Roswell (8-11, 2-6 Region 7-5A) on Tuesday.
(See below for the full schedule of games on Monday and Tuesday.)
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SCHEDULE FOR MONDAY, Jan. 27
Rabun County at Elbert County, 6 p.m.* (moved from Jan. 21)
Central Gwinnett at Buford, 6 p.m.* (moved from Jan. 21)
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SCHEDULE FOR TUESDAY, Jan. 28
Athens Christian at Lakeview Academy, 6 p.m.*
Cherokee Bluff at West Hall, 6 p.m.*
Chestatee at Johnson, 6 p.m.*
Dawson County at White County, 6 p.m.*
Flowery Branch at East Forsyth, 6 p.m.*
Gainesville at Roswell, 6 p.m.* – 94.5 FM The Lake
Habersham Central at Loganville, 6 p.m.*
Jackson County at Winder-Barrow, 6 p.m.*
Mill Creek at Buford, 6 p.m.* – AM 550 & FM 102.9 WDUN
Monroe Area at East Hall, 6 p.m.*
Murray County at Union County, 6 p.m.*
North Forsyth at South Forsyth, 6 p.m.*
North Hall at Lumpkin County, 6 p.m.*
Oconee County at Jefferson, 6 p.m.*
Rabun County at Commerce, 7 p.m.*
