Reclassification changed the landscape for girls basketball in Class 6A. Two-time state champion Woodward Academy got booted up to Class 6A, as did runner-up Forest Park. That leaves the throne wide open for a new champion.
Here’s a look at the top 10 teams in the AJC girls basketball rankings.
- Warner Robins: Coach Brittany White’s Demons got off to a 9-0 start and already own a Region 2 win over No. 8-ranked Union Grove. Shooting guard Jada Mays leads an experienced group that went 25-6 last season and reached the Final Four.
- Kell: The Longhorns bounced back from a loss to Class 7A No. 1 Brookwood to hammer Luella on Friday. Kell (6-3) has lost to 7A No. 6 McEachern and Hoover, Ala. It holds wins over Class 4A No. 2 Griffin, Class 6A No. 6 Hughes and Class A No. 2 St. Francis. The senior heavy team is led by point guard Crystal Henderson, shooting guards Jada Peterson and MaKayah Harris, and forward Jada Green. Kell dropped down from Class 6A, where it went 27-3 and lost to Sequoyah in the state semifinals.
- Maynard Jackson: The Jaguars continue to be one of the state’s top programs and is off to a 7-0 start, despite having no seniors on the roster. Coach Michelle Powell’s team leans on junior Taliah Cornish, who averages 21.4 points and 4.7 assists, and her freshman sister Cayden Cornish, who averages 11.7 points. Shakira Gresham averages 11.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 5.9 steals. Gresham had a triple-double in the win over Banneker – with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 12 steals. Maynard Jackson was 17-4 last season and lost to eventual champion Woodward Academy in the Elite Eight round of the playoffs.
- Bradwell Institute: The Tigers dropped down from Class 6A and have become the team to beat in Region 1. Bradwell, which went 22-6 and reached the third round of the playoffs last season, is off to a 9-1 start. Senior point guard Taniyah Bowman leads the team with 16.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 5.0 steals per game. Bailey Gilmore, a 6-foot-1 senior, is tough in the middle and averages 7.8 points and 8.3 rebounds. Sophomores Parris Parham (13.4 points, 7.6 rebounds) and Ta’tyana Anderson (10.2) round out the balanced team.
- Northside-Columbus: The Patriots were 21-8 last season and lost in the second round. They are off to a 6-2 start. The team is led by seniors Mya Giles (15.7 points), Ayonna Durand (12.2 points) and sophomore McKayla Hosley (8.8 points, 8.0 rebounds). The Patriots are the favorite in Region 3.
- Calhoun: The Yellow Jackets are off to a 6-2 start, with both losses to Class 7A power Buford. Calhoun went 19-3 and lost to Woodward Academy in the second round of the playoffs. Calhoun is led by junior guard Britiya Curtis and among the contenders in Region 7.
- Hiram: The Hornets started the season 7-2, with losses to Class 7A No. 8 North Paulding and Class 6A No. 4 New Manchester. Coach Michelle Caldwell’s team went 18-10 and reached the third round of the playoffs last season. Returning starter Kaisha Phillips (9.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.7 steals) is among the league’s top power forward. Top scorers are junior Hadiya Kennerly (13.9 points) and sophomore Taylor Crawford (12.3 points, 5.9 rebounds).
- Union Grove: The Wolverines (7-6) have won five straight games and are 4-1 in Region 2 competition. Junior Jordan Brooks, who averaged 12.4 points last season, leads the team with 12.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Nadea Smith averages 9.2 points and 6.8 rebounds. Union Grove was 21-5 last season before losing to Northside in the first round of the playoffs.
- Arabia Mountain: The Rams have already made it a notable season by giving coach Jerry Jenkins his 300th career victory. Arabia Mountain started 11-1 with the loss to Class 4A No. 7 Walnut Grove. The Rams were 19-7 last season but were knocked out by Chestatee in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs. Myori Pruitt and Sierra Burns make up one of the best pair of guards in Region 4.
- Greater Atlanta Christian: The Spartans (4-5) have been a perennial power, most recently winning the state championship in 2020 and finishing second the last two seasons. GAC got promoted in classification because of the new punitive multiplier and has struggled at times against a difficult schedule, losing to Class 7A No. 1 Brookwood and No. 6 McEachern, Class 4A No. 5 Westminster, Class 3A No. 2 Wesleyan and Class A No. 1 Galloway. But coach Jessica Guarneri team remains the favorite in Region 6 and has already won its first two league games by an average of 45.5 points. Top players are Myla Benton (14.8 points, 7.8 rebounds), Trinity Thomas (12.6 points, 7.0 rebounds), Liz Luick (12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds) and freshman Asia Johnson (11.0 points, 4.6 rebounds).
(Coming Friday: A look at the top 10 teams in the AJC boys basketball rankings.)
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