Hey there. Did you know high school sports coverage is some of the AJC’s most popular content?
It’s true! Not just football either, and we’re always looking for ways to upgrade our offerings — so give us a shout if you have any suggestions.
In the meantime … let’s get ready for some playoff hoops!
Quick links: State basketball primer | Arcia eyes improvement | Tech’s George honored
READY TO ROCK
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
We’re less than a month away from Selection Sunday — the day we find out which 68 college basketball teams will help make March … mad.
But there’s another big-time basketball tournament tipping off today in the Peach State.
That’s right: It’s time for high school state title chases to commence. With a hearty tip of the hat to AJC preps contributor Todd Holcomb, let’s take a quick look at how it all works.
OK, so technically it’s not one tournament: Eight classifications in both girls and boys basketball makes 16 individual brackets.
With 32 teams in most of them, we’re looking at a total of 510 squads seeking their respective crowns.
The schedule: Generally speaking, girls' first-round games begin today at the home courts of the higher seeds. The boys get things going Wednesday.
The second round ensues Friday and Saturday. Round 3 takes place next week before semifinals move to various college arenas across the state. Finals happen March 5-8 at the Macon Coliseum.
So … who’s favored? Glad you asked! Here are the top-seeded girls and boys teams in each classification.
Asterisks go to defending champions.
- Class 6A: North Forsyth girls, Grayson boys*
- Class 5A: River Ridge girls, Woodward Academy boys
- Class 4A: Creekside girls, Pace Academy boys
- Class 3A: Pickens girls, Cedar Grove boys
- Class 2A: Josey girls, Carver-Columbus boys
- Class A, Division I: Banks girls, Putnam boys
- Class A, Division II: Wilcox girls, Savannah boys
- Class 3A-A Private: Hebron girls*, Holy Innocents' boys
Expect lots of excitement in that final classification — where realignment means four of last year’s girls champions and two of last year’s boys champions are all vying against each other.
Looking for an underdog? Or at least a good story?
Among the teams listed above, the North Forsyth, Creekside, Banks and Wilcox girls have never won a title. Nor have the Putnam or Holy Innocents' boys.
On the other end of things: the Cherokee Bluff girls (Hall County) and the boys from Habersham Central and Mount Zion (Carroll County) are all trying to win their schools’ first state playoff games.
Stay tuned to ajc.com/sports/high-school for lots more coverage throughout the playoffs.
THE COMEBACK CLUB
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Down in North Port, the Braves embark upon their first full-squad workout today. Most players have already been there for a few days — including outfielder Jarred Kelenic and shortstop Orlando Arcia, who are both hoping to put rough 2024 campaigns behind them.
🗣️ Kelenic on staying focused: “If I’m worrying about other things that I can’t really control, it kind of just has baggage that I don’t really need, and it kind of slows you down.”
🗣️ Arcia on the team’s support: “Just to be able to take advantage of the opportunity that was offered to me — just with that alone, I just want to be able to do anything that I can to support the team in any facet possible.”
Keep an eye out later for Michael Cunningham’s column on outfielder Michael Harris II’s mission to stay healthy in 2025.
MY BAD, JACKETS
A few of y’all got onto me for not highlighting Georgia Tech basketball’s dramatic weekend win over Cal in Monday’s newsletter. Which is fair! The Yellow Jackets (who return to the court Saturday at Boston College) have now won five of their last seven games.
Sophomore guard Naithan George just earned ACC Player of the Week honors, too.
👀 George played all but three seconds of Tech’s two games last week — while averaging 24 points, 6.5 assists and five rebounds.
MEANWHILE, IN ATHENS …
The ESPN Bracketology folks now list the scuffling Georgia men’s basketball squad among the “first four out” of the NCAA Tournament.
The Bulldogs have forthcoming matchups against No. 1 Auburn, No. 2 Florida and three unranked teams to try to make up ground.
FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY
A bit of inside baseball (and football, and other sports) here, but UGA recently did some reshuffling in the name, image and likeness arena.
A guy named Tanner Potts — formerly the school’s assistant athletic director for NIL — moved over to take the CEO role at the Classic City Collective. Steve Drummond will take on more NIL stuff within the athletic department.
💸 The bigger picture: The moves come amid preparations for another seismic shift in college athletics. Come July 1, a U.S. House settlement will allow schools like Georgia, Georgia Tech and others to share about $20.5 million in revenue directly with athletes. Every. Single. Year.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Braves ace Chris Sale signed autographs for kids and other adoring fans at the team’s spring training facility in North Port, Florida. More photos here!
QUOTE OF THE DAY
It's going to be a great, fun state tournament. Basketball in Georgia is just top-notch.
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of Sports Daily. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at tyler.estep@ajc.com.
Until next time.
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