Boys semifinal recap: North Cobb Christian gets historic win; No. 1 Putnam is out

North Cobb Christian, the third-ranked team in Class 3A-A private, defeated eighth-ranked St. Francis, a four-time former champion, 76-64. North Cobb Christian’s Brock Bass-Bonner scored 29 points, and Grant Robich and Xavier Butler scored 18 apiece.

North Cobb Christian will face Greenforest Christian, a 2024 Class A champion, in Saturday’s semifinals in Dahlonega.

Mount Paran, also in 3A-A private, beat Paideia 67-54 to reach its first semifinal and will play No. 1 Holy Innocents’ in Dahlonega.

North Cobb Christian and Mount Paran are about seven miles apart in northern Cobb County.

In Class 6A, the highest, No. 1 Grayson and No. 2 Wheeler won easily and will meet each other Saturday at Georgia State University.

In an all-Cobb County game, Pebblebrook beat Walton 77-70 in overtime, ending Walton’s bid for a first-ever semifinal. Pebblebrook will play No. 4 Newton at Georgia State.

Class 5A’s No. 1 team, Woodward Academy, got by Winder-Barrow 64-57, pulling away from a one-point lead after three quarters. Woodward’s Zac Foster had 16 points and 12 rebounds.

In Class 4A, No. 9 McDonough beat No. 5 Westminster 65-56. Westminster was bidding for its first semifinal since 1967. McDonough’s Zaiden Greene scored 23 points.

Tucker beat Jonesboro 86-80 in overtime after trailing 73-69 with 23 seconds left in regulation. Tucker’s Jakobe Williams scored 25 points.

No. 1 Pace Academy and No. 2 North Oconee, on opposite sides of the 4A bracket, were winners. Same went for Class 3A with No. 1 Cedar Grove and No. 2 Sandy Creek.

In Class 2A, No. 7 Union County beat No. 2 KIPP Atlanta 66-59. The game marked Union’s first quarterfinal appearance in 24 years, and the semis will be the school’s first since final four since was a Class B school 53 years ago.

Union County will play first-time semifinalist Tattnall County in Americus on Friday. The No. 1 team in that class is Carver-Columbus.

B.E.S.T. Academy beat Fannin County 69-43 in Class A Division I and will face East Laurens on Saturday at Georgia College.

East Laurens, ranked No. 9, beat No. 1 Putnam 68-66. Putnam entered 27-2 with no losses against teams in the Division I playoff bracket.

In Class A Division II, McIntosh County Academy had been 0-6 in quarterfinals but broke through with a 60-32 victory over Mitchell County. MCA is ranked No. 2 behind region rival Savannah.

Boys quarterfinal scores:

Class 6A

Grayson 83, Cherokee 42

Wheeler 80, Norcross 50

Pebblebrook 77, Walton 70

Newton 68, Etowah 53

Class 5A

Woodward Academy 64, Winder-Barrow 57

Langston Hughes 69, Alexander 67

Lee County 72, Dutchtown 69

Tri-Cities 92, Habersham Central 74

Class 4A

Pace Academy 94, Union Grove 46

Tucker 86, Jonesboro 80

McDonough 65, Westminster 56

North Oconee 64, Mays 59

Class 3A

Sandy Creek 53, Cross Creek 52

Windsor Forest 78, Dougherty 66

Cedar Grove 56, Baldwin 49

Monroe 73, Jefferson 43

Class 2A

Carver-Columbus 76, Spencer 45

Butler 66, Franklin County 44

Union County 66, KIPP Atlanta 59

Tattnall County 45, Laney 43

Class A Division I

Southwest 65, Temple 52

Toombs County 46, Vidalia 43

East Laurens 68, Putnam County 66

B.E.S.T. Academy 69, Fannin County 43

Class A Division II

Warren County 46, Hawkinsville 37

Savannah 69, Early County 42

McIntosh County Academy 60, Mitchell County 32

Greene County 56, Bryan County 49

Class 3A-A Division I

North Cobb Christian 76, St. Francis 64

Greenforest Christian 71, Greater Atlanta Christian 51

Holy Innocents' 94, Hebron Christian 38

Mount Paran Christian 67, Paideia 54

Boys semifinal schedule:

Friday

Class A Division II - Georgia College

Class 2A - Georgia Southwestern

Class 3A - Fort Valley State

Class 5A - Georgia State

Class 3A-A private - University of North Georgia

Saturday

Class A Division I - Georgia College

Class 4A - Fort Valley State

Class 6A - Georgia State University