Class 5A State Championships Review

5A Girls:
After losing in the semifinals in three consecutive years, the dominant group of girls from Stephenson finally put it all together in '08, defeating Redan 58-43 in Friday's State Championship showdown. Leading the way for Stephenson was senior Jylisa Williams with 15 points, while Yasheeka Jones and Hiydaayh Williams each scored 10 of their own. In the end, the Stephenson size and athleticism made the difference, as Redan simply could not keep up in the physical matchup. Another significant factor in the Stephenson win: The girls had more blocks against Redan than I have ever seen in a girls basketball game. In fact, LSU signee Taylor Turnbow blocked nine shots all on her own. And despite the final 15-point deferential, Stephenson's fluid team basketball and overall athletic play made the girls 5A Finals an exciting event to witness.

5A Boys:
The boys final featured the two best teams in the State of Georgia, as Norcross defeated Wheeler 57-54 in what turned into an epic battle. For the most part, the game was played above the rim, with ferocious dunks numbering in the double digits. The victory also represented the third-straight championship for the Blue Devils. For Wheeler, Miami commitment, Dequan Jones, along with Ari Stewart kept the Wildcats in the game. Stewart led all scorers with 18 points, while Jones converted on a number of memorable dunks and played physical defense down low against Norcross star Al-Farouq Aminu, who with 17 points was held six below his season average. In the end, however, Aminu's physical all-around play made the difference, as the all-american also recorded six blocked shots. Forgetting about the outcome, the final quarter of play displayed two immensely talented teams playing basketball at a phenomenal level rarely seen in the high school game. And what a joy it was to watch that kind of play.


Scott Janovitz can be reached at SJanovitz@scoreatl.com

Class 5A Finals preview

If you're looking for boys and girls 5A basketball results as well as a preview of tomorrow's finals, well then you've come to the right place. As we all expected, and hoped for, the Wheeler boys took care of Hiram rather easily Thursday evening, winning 68-54. The game wasn't close for long, as Wheeler pushed away with a 21-2 second-quarter run. The Wildcats were led by the usual suspects, as Richard Howell put in a healthy 22 points to go along with 22 rebounds, while Dequan Jones scored 17 and Ari Stewart 15.

In the same way Wheeler took care of business, so did the Norcross Blue Devils, crushing Savannah on Thursday 79-46. Denzail Jones led all scorers with 19, and Al-Farouq Aminu came through with a strong 17-point showing.

This is exactly why I argue against upsets in the NCAA Tourney. In a single-elimination tournament, it's so rare that you get to see the two top teams face off in the end. Well, Friday, we will get just that, the showdown we have been waiting to see all season, as Wheeler and Norcross, easily the state's top two teams, do battle. This SHOULD be an absolute classic and I can't wait for tip-off.

On the girls side of things, just like on the boys, neither matchup was very close. First, Redan (24-7), or should I say Alisha Andrews, defeated Duluth 62-50. Andrews was simply amazing for Redan, scoring 28 points to go along with eight rebounds and a game-changing seven steals.

Justice was maintained in the second girls game as well, when Stephenson notched its place in the 5A state finals. No team has been better than the girls from Stephenson all year; the finals just wouldn't have seemed right without them in it. And you couldn't have asked for a better final matchup than the one we will get Friday night. What's better than watching an amazing talent and competitor like Alisha Andrews go against a true heavyweight the caliber of Stephenson? I think Stephenson will be "cutting down the nets" in the end; however, either way, we should be in for one heck of a ballgame.

Check back here at 7 p.m. on Friday for live updates on the girls 5A finals, and again at 8:45 for live updates on the amazing boys action as well. It should be a night to remember, no doubt. Until then....

Scott Janovitz can be reached at SJanovitz@scoreatl.com

5A semifinal preview

So now it’s Hiram vs. Wheeler and Savannah vs. Norcross. You can already sense people are getting anxious to see a Norcross-Wheeler state championship. Not so fast. Hiram had never even won a postseason game before this season, so they might just be the Team of Destiny. Meanwhile, Savannah TORCHED their first two opponents before edging out Douglass in the quarterfinal round

But can either team pull off the seemingly impossible and take out 5A’s two nationally-ranked juggernauts? Aside from a hiccup against McEachern in Round 2, Wheeler has been on fire – Dequan Jones actually had a quiet game (10 points) in the quarterfinals and it was Ari Stewart who went ballistic with 23 points. And with Al-Farouq Aminu and Denzail Jones running the show over at Norcross, it’s hard to picture a state championship taking place without the Blue Devils in it. Don’t bet on that happening.

(And if Wheeler and Norcross do indeed both end up in the state title game … is it possible that we could get another classic like their first-round battle in 2007 that was decided by one point?)
As for the girls, I was shocked to see the results of the Mill Creek-Marietta game. I wasn’t surprised that Mill Creek won – the Lady Hawks were Score Prep’s top-ranked team through most of the season – but I certainly did not expect a 20-point victory. Marietta’s Telia McCall (Score Prep Cobb’s Player of the Year) had an amazing season but in the end, Porsha Porter, Olivia Towers-Solis and Moneshia Simmons will be the ones moving on.

This definitely sets up an intriguing battle with Stephenson: the Jaguars had their fill with Maya Moore and Collins Hill in two of the past three postseasons, so it will be interesting to see if they can get over the hump now after a convincing win over Luella.

On the other side of the bracket, two surprise teams will face off for a state championship bid. I DEFINITELY don’t think anyone expected Duluth to hold top-seeded Parkview to just 37 points, and Mykala Walker’s 22-point performance may have been the gutsiest of this round for all classifications. The Wildcats will play in the semifinals for the first time in school history, and they will face third-seeded Redan, a team that won all three of its games away from home.

Arapoglou can be reached at tarapoglou@scoreatl.com.

5A sectionals at Marietta High School

Just got back from two excellent basketball games on this Elite 8 Friday. Let's start with the girls game, which began at 7 p.m. 

Parkview came in as a big favorite in this one, but Mykala Walker didn't care. She scored 22 points - including 11 in the fourth quarter - to put the Lady Wildcats in the Final Four with the 51-37 win.

She hit jumpers, she got to the rim, she rebounded the ball - this was one of the most impressive performances I've seen by a basketball player all year. If Walker gets the ball around the basket, she'll find a way to make it go in, or she'll get fouled. She took over the ballgame against No. 1 seed Parkview - and she's just a junior. A star has emerged.

It wasn't just a cakewalk for Duluth, as the score might suggest. They led by only three points after the third quarter - 29-26 - but blew it open from there, and even got to empty their bench with less than a minute remaining.

Mykala Walker... remember that name. She's got Duluth peaking at the right time.

Norcross vs. Northview 

It stayed close for a while, but Norcross slowly wore Northview down and cruised through the second half for a 75-60 victory. It was only a two-point lead for the Blue Devils after the first quarter, but Al-Farouq Aminu (29 points), A.J. Hawkins and Taariq Muhammad were too much for the Titans to handle.

Northview, however, has to get credit for hanging with one of the best teams in the nation. The Titans were talented enough to knock off Marietta, keeping them from playing the quarters in their own gym in a Blue Devil-on-Blue Devil matchup, but Ralph Sampson III's efforts couldn't overcome Norcross' efficient offensive play. 

An interesting sub-plot to this game: Norcross' Hawkins, a senior forward, transferred from Northview to join Eddie Martin's Blue Devil squad. 

Both fanbases were as spirited as I've seen, and Norcross supporters now have a lot to cheer about. Their Blue Devils will be at Gwinnett Arena for a shot at a three-peat.

Boys second round quick hits...

5A boys

Wheeler comes back from 11 down in the fourth quarter to get past McEachern 70-67. Wildcats sophomore point guard Phil Taylor only had 11 in the contest, but hit two big 3-pointers down the stretch to spark the rally. Wheeler meets Berkmar on Saturday.

Norcross downs Centennial 69-54 in a rematch of last year's championship game. Al-Farouq Aminu had 17 points and guard Taariq Muhammad chipped in 15 for the Blue Devils, who move on to play...

...Northview, who just shocked Marietta 71-61. Marietta key players - Deandre Cannon and Chris Tanzy - were injured, the Blue Devils hit just 11-24 free throws, and Northview's Ralph Sampson III blocked seven shots ... that's a recipe for an upset. 

I guess Savannah was a little more comfortable on its second trip to Clayton County this year, as the team took down Mundy's Mill by the score of 82-52. Mundy's Mill won the first meeting by a point. Savannah will host Douglass on Saturday.

4A boys

Lithia Springs beat Dacula 69-63 yesterday to earn the privilege of playing red-hot Miller Grove at Marietta High School on Saturday. Jeremy Flagg had 18 points in the Lions' road victory.

Columbia has recovered nicely from their stumble in the region tournament, and despite earning Region 6's third seed, are now in the Elite 8. The Eagles defeated Pebblebrook 59-57, and Travis Leslie scored his jersey number (23). Phil McCrary's team will face Wake Forest signee Tony Woods and Rome, which just took out Stone Mountain by a point, the team that upset Columbia in the region tournament in the first place.

3A boys

There was a lot of talent on the floor in the Glenn Hills-Jordan matchup in Augusta, and Glenn Hills alone has three D-I signees. Reggie Middleton (Winthrop), Jerel Stephenson (UNC-Wilmington), and Chris Reynolds (Campbell) scored 49 of their team's 52 points in the 52-49 win. This is a senior-laden squad with the talent to win it all.

2A boys

Wesleyan rolls into the quarterfinals over Macon County, but regionmate Greater Atlanta Christian is out after being upset by Coosa, 85-82. 

Defending champs Dublin are still in the thick of things after a win over Swainsboro, but must meet Randolph-Clay in the quarters at Savannah State University.

A boys

If you live in the Rome area (or even if you don't) and are a fan of high school basketball, do yourself a favor and check out some of the best teams in the state at Georgia Highlands College on Saturday. The four best teams in Single-A will be in action on the same day: Whitefield Academy takes on Hancock Central at 5:30, and Southwest Atlanta Christian meets defending champ Wilkinson County at 8:30. Each of these teams won their second round games by double digits; these squads are the cream of the crop in this classification.