The Class 7A state basketball semifinals are Saturday at Georgia State’s Convocation Center. Here are quick previews to the four games.
Girls
No. 2 Norcross (28-2) vs. No. 3 Buford (27-3), 2 p.m.: These Gwinnett County teams have won 11 state titles between themselves since 2009. Buford has seven of those, all in lower classifications. This is the Wolves’ first venture into the highest class, though. Norcross is the defending champion. Norcross junior guard Jania Akins of Norcross is the Region 7 player of the year. Buford junior point guard Ava Grace Watson of Buford is the Region 8 player of the year.
No. 5 McEachern (20-8) vs. No. 1 Brookwood (29-1), 6 p.m.: Brookwood is chasing its first state title. McEachern has won five state titles, though none since 2017. The Broncos have won 22 straight games since a December loss to River Ridge. McEachern beat Central Gwinnett 50-47 in the quarterfinals to prevent an all-Gwinnett County final four. McEachern’s Kalise Hill is the Region 3 co-player of the year. Brookwood’s Diana Collins, a Ohio State signee, is the Region 4 player of the year.
Boys:
No. 4 Norcross (27-4) vs. No. 9 Cherokee (25-6), 4 p.m.: Norcross, the defending champion, is as consistently good a boys program as there is in the highest class with six state titles and 11 semifinal appearances since 2005, mostly under 14-year coach Jesse McMillan. Norcross senior point guard Mier Panoam is the Region 7 player of the year. Norcross beat Newton 58-56 in the quarterfinals on Georgia signee Mari Jordan’s tip-in at the buzzer (below). Cherokee beat Region 2 champion Carrollton 70-66 on the road in the quarters. Cherokee is in the semifinals for the first time since its Class 4A runner-up finish in 1982. Norcross beat Cherokee 73-46 in the 2022 first round.
No. 1 Wheeler (24-6) vs. No. 2 Grayson (24-5), 8 p.m.: Wheeler has won eight state titles. Grayson, the runner-up to Wheeler in 2020, is seeking its first. Wheeler point Isaiah Collier, who is committed to Southern Cal, is probably the front-runner for most player-of-the-year awards. Grayson’s top players are junior guard Gicarri Harris, a consensus top-100 national recruit, and sophomore forward Amir Taylor. Grayson beat Walton 46-29 in the quarters and hasn’t had a close game in the three playoff rounds. Wheeler beat No. 3 McEachern 79-71 in the quarterfinals.
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