Four defending state champs look for repeat

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Posted 11:34AM on Friday, February 18, 2005

One defending state champion gets a fresh start and three others aim for a repeat Saturday night in the first round of the state high school boys' basketball tournament. Randolph Clay, last year's Double-A winner, plays Johnson County in Class A. South Gwinnett, holder of the Class AAAAA crown, is home against Kell, Quad-A champ Mays hosts Woodland and Class A champion Southwest Atlanta Christian entertains Washington-Wilkes. The only 2004 champion not in this year's tourney is West Laurens, who moved down from Class AAA to AA. The Raiders lost to Tattnall County in the regional tournament. Saturday night's action includes 16 games in each classification, with the winners advancing to the second round next weekend for games to be played at the Macon Centreplex, Georgia Tech, Columbus, Dalton Trade Center, Albany Civic Center, Marietta High School, Savannah State, The Forum in Rome, Valdosta State and Floyd College. With the talented backcourt of Louis Williams and Mike Mercer, South Gwinnett is favored to win the title, but the Comets could face some challenges from Norcross, Wheeler and Campbell. Mays could become the first Atlanta public school to win back-to-back titles since West Fulton who repeated as Quad-A champion in 1976. Other teams to watch are Douglas County, 2003 champ Griffin and Tucker. Dunwoody reached the semifinals last season, and Westlake didn't make the tournament the past two seasons. But both teams have dominated this year and could meet for the title in Class AAA. In a wide open division, East Hall has coasted so far under first year coach Joe Dix. Greenville, Tri-Cities and Manchester are other teams to watch. Southwest Atlanta Christian is out to prove it can win a title after its star Dwight Howard left for the NBA. But the quest for a repeat could be difficult. Randolph Clay and St. Francis are unbeaten. Throw in Whitfield Academy, who has three starters back from its state-finalist team, and the Double-A division should pose an interesting outcome.