The first round of the GHSA state basketball playoffs gets under way this weekend, and northeast Georgia will be heavily involved with 30 area teams taking their first steps toward the ultimate goal.
(NOTE: For a complete list of tip-off times involving northeast Georgia programs scroll down.)
Both Buford programs will begin defense of their 2017 crowns, while plenty more teams enter the bracket with high aspirations, including the top-ranked Gainesville boys and top 10 teams such as the Flowery Branch girls, North Forsyth girls, Jefferson girls, Banks County boys and girls, Rabun County girls, Dawson County boys, and Lakeview Academy boys.
There are also plenty of darkhorse candidates ready for their chance to run wild in the postseason, which ends March 10.
AccessWDUN sports will keep you up to date on all of the action, while the air waves of Jacobs Media will carry four first round match-ups this weekend. Both the Gainesville boys and girls can be heard live on 1240 AM ESPN Radio. The top-seeded Red Elephants play host to Pope at 6 p.m. Saturday, while the fourth-seeded Lady Red Elephants travel to Northview at 7 p.m. Friday in the Class 6A bracket.
Meanwhile, the third-seeded West Hall girls will trek to Madison County at 6 p.m. Friday in a Class 4A battle that will play out on WDUN AM 550/102.9 FM.
And on Saturday the No. 3 seed East Hall boys travel to Hart County at 6 p.m. that will also air on WDUN AM 550/102.9 FM. Fans may also listen live to games online.
The GHSA released the final Class A power rankings Tuesday afternoon with three northeast Georgia area teams making the field of 24.
The Lakeview Academy girls will be the No. 15 seed and play host to Galloway (18). The Lakeview Academy boys are the No. 9 seed and will play host Landmark Christian (24). The Tallulah Falls boys are seeded 20th and will travel to No. 13 Walker. All three of those matchups have yet to set a date or time.
Be sure to check back with all the outlets of Jacobs Media and AccessWDUN to see how the brackets shake out over the weekend.
FIRST ROUND STATE PLAYOFF MATCH-UPS FOR AREA TEAMS
Listed by time, classification; area teams in bold
FRIDAY
CLASS AAAAAA
Mountain View (Region 6-AAAAAAA, Seed 4) at North Forsyth girls (R5, S1), 7 p.m.
CLASS AAAAAA
Gainesville girls (R8, S4) at Northview (R7, S1), 7 p.m. -- RADIO: 1240 AM
Lanier boys (R8, S3) at Cambridge (R7, S2), 7 p.m.
Alpharetta (R7, S3) at Lanier girls (R8, S2), 7 p.m.
CLASS AAAAA
Kell (R7, S4) at Buford girls (R8, S1), 6 p.m.
Rome (R7, S3) at Flowery Branch girls (R8, S2), 7 p.m.
Cass (R7, 4S) at Buford boys (R8, 1S), 7:30 p.m.
CLASS AAAA
West Hall girls (R7, S3) at Madison County (R8, S2), 6 p.m. -- RADIO: WDUN AM 550/102.9 FM
North Oconee (R8, S3) at White County girls (R7, S2), 6 p.m.
Stephens County boys (R8, S3) at Marist (R7, S2), 7:30 p.m.
CLASS AAA
Dawson County girls (R7, S4) at Franklin County (R8, S1), 6 p.m.
Hart County (R8, S3) at East Hall girls (R7, S2), 7 p.m.
CLASS AA
Pepperell (R7, S4) at Banks County girls (R8, S1), 5:30 p.m.
Coosa (R7, S4) at Banks County boys (R8, S1), 7 p.m.
Rabun County girls (R8, S3) at Rockmart (R7, S2), 7 p.m.
CLASS A Private
Galloway (18) at Lakeview Academy girls (15), 6 p.m.
Landmark Christian (24) at Lakeview Academy boys (9), 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
CLASS AAAAAA
Pope (Region 7, No. 4 seed) at Gainesville boys (R8, 1S), 6 p.m. -- RADIO: 1240 AM
CLASS AAAAA
Flowery Branch boys (R8, 3S) at Villa Rica (R7, S2), 6 p.m.
CLASS AAAA
Chestatee girls (R7, S4) at Jefferson girls (R8, S1), 6 p.m.
White County boys (R7, S4) at St. Pius (R4, S1), 7 p.m.
West Hall boys (R7, S3) at Jefferson boys (R8, S2), 7:30 p.m.
CLASS AAA
East Jackson boys (R8, S4) at GAC (R7, S1), 2 p.m.
Monroe Area (R8, S3) at Dawson County boys (R7, S2), 5 p.m.
North Hall girls (R7, S3) at Morgan County (R8, S2), 5:30 p.m.
East Hall boys (R7, S3) at Hart County (R8, S2), 6 p.m. -- RADIO: WDUN AM 550/102.9 FM
North Hall boys (R7, S4) at Morgan County (R8, S1), 7 p.m.
*Class A playoffs/seeding have been updated. Times and dates, however, have yet to be announced.
CLASS A Private
Tallulah Falls boys (20) at The Walker School (13), TBA
