ATHENS — The Buford girls are gunning for their fifth state basketball championship, the Buford boys their first -- and each enters tonight's championship showdowns playing like teams on a mission.
The Lady Wolves will battle a Southwest Dekalb team looking for its sixth state crown when the two square off at 6 p.m. in the University of Georgia's Stegeman Coliseum in Athens. The Wolves, meanwhile, will face a Cedar Shoals program also looking for its first ring at 8 p.m. in Stegeman. (NOTE: Both games will be broadcast live on WDUN AM 550/102.9 FM.)
Both Buford squads are rolling at just the right time, with the Lady Wolves (28-2) coming off a 88-50 semifinal defeat of Griffin. In fact Buford enters the championship game averaging 79.25 points in their four playoff wins -- which were claimed by an average margin of 33 points. Meanwhile, after surviving a 69-68, buzzer-beating second round defeat of New Hampstead, the Wolves have stormed through the quarterfinals and semifinals, winning the two contests by an average margin of 22.5 points.
Each team is preparing for four-quarter battles on Wednesday, however.
(NOTE: To watch a video preview with both the Wolves and Lady Wolves simply click "play" in the box above.)
WEDNESDAY'S STATE CHAMPIONSHIP CAPSULES
BUFORD GIRLS vs. SOUTHWEST DEKALB
- WHAT: Class AAAAA state championship basketball game
- WHEN: 6 p.m. Wednesday
- WHERE: Stegeman Coliseum, Athens
- RADIO: WDUN AM 550/102.9 FM
- BUFORD: 28-2, Region 8-AAAAA champion, defeated Griffin 88-50 in semifinals
- SOUTHWEST DEKALB: 27-4, Region 5-AAAAA champion, defeated Flowery Branch 66-63 in semifinals
- NOTABLE: Buford girls are gunning for their fifth state title; their last crown came in 2015 (Class AAAA), lost in semifinals last season. ... Southwest Dekalb girls gunning for their sixth state title, last came in 2016 (Class AAAAA). ... The Lady Wolves utilize a balanced group that can score from a number from of sources. Buford features Jr. G Tory Ozment (13.4 ppg, 3.8 apg, 3.3 spg, 3.3 rpg), Jr. G Audrey Weiner (10 ppg), Sr. F Marissa Bruce (9.4 ppg, 3 spg, 3.1 rpg), Jr. P Jessica Nelson (7.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg), Sr. G Rachel Dobbs, (7 ppg), Sr. P Zikaya Wright (4.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg), Sr. G Pamela Johnson (4.7 ppg, 4.6 app) amongst others. ... Despite averaging almost 80 points per game through four playoff wins, look for the Lady Wolves to rely on their bread and butter, which is dominant defense. Buford can pressure teams both in the full and half court, forcing turnovers in bunches, which leads to easy transition points. Buford is yielding just 37.3 points per game. ... Southwest Dekalb enters scoring 58.1 points per game. Led by Sr. F Jada Walton (13.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, Texas A&M signee), Sr. C Ogheneruona Uwusiaba (11.5 ppg, 8.3 rpg, Central Fla signee) and So. G Lanee Edwards (9 ppg), the Lady Panthers will look to take advantage of their size inside. Uwusiaba is 6-foot-3, while Walton is 5-10.
BUFORD BOYS vs. CEDAR SHOALS
- WHAT: Class AAAAA state championship basketball game
- WHEN: 8 p.m. Wednesday
- WHERE: Stegeman Coliseum, Athens
- RADIO: WDUN AM 550/102.9 FM
- BUFORD: 28-2, Region 8-AAAAA champion, defeated Fayette County 83-60 in semifinals
- CEDAR SHOALS: 27-4, Region 8-AAAAA runner-up, defeated Miller Grove 59-38 in semifinals
- NOTABLE: The Buford boys are gunning for their first state title, though they have finished as state runner-up five times, the most recent coming in 2014 (Class AAA). Yet coach Eddie Martin, who took over at Buford for the 2015-16 season has seven state championships to his name -- four with Greater Atlanta Christian (2010-11, 2013-14) and three with Norcross (2006-08). ... The Cedar Shoals boys are also gunning for their first state title, having reached the last two state "Final Fours". ... The two teams have played three times already, with Buford winning all three. The Wolves claimed nip-and-tuck affairs during the regular season 72-66 and 75-70 in overtime but sealed a 76-61 win in the Region 8-AAAAA tournament. ... Buford features a number of capable scorers, including Jr. G Alex Jones (23 points in semifinal win), So. F Marcus Watson (25 points, 14 rebounds in semifinals), Jr. F David Viti (16 points in semifinals), Sr. G Tobi Obasanya, Sr. G Dawson Wehunt and So. G Donell Nixon. Buford's defense has improved throughout the season as well, and the Wolves are yielding just 56.3 points per game. ... Cedar Shoals may have the reigning Region 8-AAAAA player of the year in Sr. F Phlandrous (Phlan) Fleming (25 points in semifinal win; 28 points in region championship loss), but the Jaguars are also known for their defense, allowing just 50.1 points per game. Jaguars Sr. F Stavion Stevenson (15 points in semifinals) is also a key player, along with Sr. G Quenjarvis Hall, Sr. G AJ Jones and Jr. G Jai’vanni McDavid.
