Norcross basketball is back on top of Georgia’s highest classification – sweeping the Class 7A championships last week in Macon and becoming the 10th program in state history to claim a combined 10 state titles – but it happened this time in a more suspenseful and unpredictable world than the old days.
Norcross’ boys team won five state titles between 2006 and 2013, the first three under coach Eddie Martin, the next two under Jesse McMillan. Most of those teams were highly ranked nationally. Their players included Jodie Meeks, Gani Lawal, Al-Farouq Aminu, Brandon Goodwin and Jeremy Lamb, who went on to the NBA.
Likewise, Norcross’ girls won titles in 2010, 2011 and 2013, each with future WNBA star Diamond DeShields. Dearica Hamby, who played on two of those championship teams, also went on to play in the WNBA.
These latest Norcross champions were different, and so were the teams around them.
This season’s Norcross boys team, again coached by McMillan, also was well-stocked but was ranked only No. 7 in Class 7A entering the state tournament, but it was no all-star team. The star player was a junior, point guard London Johnson, who averaged 18 points and five assists. He’s a top-25 national prospect. Jerry Deng, a 6-8 forward, has several major Division I offers, too.
But those players were typical, not extraordinary, compared with the other top contenders in 7A this season.
Norcross just played better when it counted. The Blue Devils beat three higher-ranked teams – No. 5 North Gwinnett, No. 3 Newton and No. 2 Berkmar – to win the title. Berkmar had beaten Norcross three times this season. Newton had beaten Norcross once, by 16 points.
In the final, Johnson was 8-of-13 from the field and scored 27 points with eight rebounds. Deng had 14 points and 12 rebounds. They and their teammates held Berkmar to 18-of-58 shooting, 4-of-22 from beyond the 3-point line.
Norcross’ girls, coached by Ashley Clanton, won their title with even less big-name appeal. And they trailed Harrison 23-19 after three quarters in the championship. When it counted, they got hot. Jania Akins, a sophomore guard, scored eight points in the first minute of the fourth quarter, part of an 11-0 run, and Norcross never trailed again in the 41-37 victory.
Akins finished with 14 points. Zaria Hurston, a 6-foot forward, had 15 points and 16 rebounds.
It’s the second straight season that a good team came out of the pack in the state tournament to win. Marietta did it last year. Norcross was ranked only No. 4 going in but knocked off No. 1 Brookwood in the quarterfinals.
Norcross’ 10 state titles puts the program in elite company. Only nine other schools have won that many between their boys and girls teams.
The only one among those 10 with at least four boys and girls titles is Norcross’ neighbor, Greater Atlanta Christian, a private school.
Most basketball state championships (boys and girls):
17 - Greater Atlanta Christian (9 girls, 8 boys)
16 - Lanier, Macon (0 girls, 16 boys)
15 - Wesleyan (13 girls, 2 boys)
14 - Taylor County (11 girls, 3 boys)
11 - Savannah (0 girls, 11 boys)
11 - Seminole County (9 girls, 2 boys)
10 - Norcross (4 girls, 6 boys)
10 - Buford (8 girls, 2 boys)
10 - Hart County (8 girls, 2 boys)
10 - Wilkinson County (0 girls, 10 boys)
About the Author
The Latest
Featured
