All-Class Final Rankings

People who know Georgia basketball know that the classification system, as far as roundball is concerned, doesn't mean all that much. Sure, the smallest schools in the state have around 100 kids total (while Mill Creek has close to 4,000) but it only takes a few players to make a team great. So I present to you the final All-Class Rankings for the 2007-2008 year. You might be surprised at the mix of classifications represented in the poll, or you might not...

Boys

1. Norcross - 5A champion

2. Wheeler - 5A runner-up

3. Columbia - 4A champion 

4. Savannah - 5A semifinals

5. Wesleyan - 2A champion

6. Fayette County - 4A runner-up

7. Glenn Hills - 3A champion

8. Miller Grove - 4A semifinals

9. Centennial - 5A sweet 16

10. McEachern - 5A sweet 16

11. Westlake - 4A semifinals

12. Carver-Columbus - 3A runner-up

13. Dunwoody - 3A semifinals

14. Northview - 5A quarterfinals

15. Lithia Springs - 4A quarterfinals

16. Hiram - 5A semifinals

17. Hancock Central - 1A champion

18. East Laurens - 2A runner-up

19. Turner County - 1A runner-up

20. Marietta - 5A sweet 16

21. Hart County - 3A semifinals

22. Berkmar - 5A quarterfinals

23. Turner County - 1A runner-up

24. East Hall - 3A quarterfinals

25. Lovett - 2A semifinals  

Just out, in no particular order: Portal (1A), Douglass (5A), South Atlanta (3A), Dublin (2A), Randolph-Clay (2A), Southwest Atlanta Christian (1A), Rome (4A), Jonesboro (4A), Pace Academy (2A), Liberty County (3A), Blessed Trinity (3A)

Of course, a list like this begs the question: Should our state consider instituting an all-class playoff, or at least an all-state championship mini-tourney after all the classification titles are determined? Yeah, it would be a long shot for a team like Hancock Central to get to a final game against a Norcross or Wheeler, but it wouldn't quite be a Milan-Muncie Central-type underdog situation, a la "Hoosiers". Let me know what you think; send your comments to aewalt@scoreatl.com.