The REAL season begins for prep basketball teams across the northeast Georgia area this week.
(NOTE: Scroll down for a region-by-region breakdown of this week's postseason tournaments.)
Region tournaments, and the quest for state playoff berths, get under way this week. In fact, Region 8-A has already begun with one play-in game held on Saturday.
Region 8-A will continue on Monday at Lakeview Academy and Region 8-AA will begin on Monday with first round boys action at Monticello.
In Region 8-A, the Riverside Military boys will take on Athens Academy at 5:30 p.m. for a spot in the quarterfinals. The Commerce girls will play Providence Christian at 7 p.m. for a spot in the quarterfinals.
All action in Region 8-A will be held at Lakeview Academy with the semifinals and finals scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
In Region 8-AA, the Rabun County boys will take on Elbert County at 4 p.m. for a spot in the state tournament. The 8-AA girls will begin action on Tuesday at Banks County. The semifinals and finals for both girls and boys will be held at Banks County on Thursday and Friday.
The Region 7-AAA Tournament begins Tuesday with girls action at Greater Atlanta Christian. The boys start Wednesday at East Hall. The semifinals and finals are slated for Friday and Saturday at Union County.
Region 7-AAAA will begin its tournament on Tuesday with a pair of play-in games at Marist High School. The semifinals and finals are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Chestatee.
The Region 8-AAAAA Tournament begins Tuesday at Cedar Shoals with first round boys action. The girls begin on Wednesday. The semifinals and finals are slated for Friday and Saturday at Cedar Shoals.
Region 8-AAAAAA opens its tournament on Tuesday with boys first round action at Lanier High. The girls begin on Wednesday at Dacula. The semifinals and finals are set for Friday and Saturday at Apalachee High.
2017 REGION BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULES:
REGION 8-AAAAAA
BOYS
First round
Tuesday at Lanier
- 6 p.m., Apalachee vs. Winder-Barrow
- 7:30 p.m., Lanier vs. Habersham Central
Semifinals
Friday at Apalachee
- 6 p.m., Dacula vs. Lanier/Habersham winner
- 8:30 p.m., Gainesville vs. Apalachee/Winder winner
Finals
Saturday at Apalachee
- 4:30 p.m., third place game
- 7:30 p.m., championship game
GIRLS
First round
Wednesday at Dacula
- 6 p.m., Lanier vs. Habersham Central
- 7:30 p.m., Dacula vs. Apalachee
Semifinals
Friday at Apalachee
- 4 p.m., Gainesville vs. Dacula/Apalachee winner
- 7 p.m., Winder-Barrow vs. Lanier/Habersham winner
Finals
Saturday at Apalachee
- 3 p.m., third place game
- 6 p.m., championship game
REGION 8-AAAAA
BOYS
First round
Tuesday at Cedar Shoals
- 4:30 p.m., Loganville vs. Walnut Grove
- 6 p.m., Flowery Branch vs. Clarke Central
- 7:30 p.m., Cedar Shoals vs. Johnson
Semifinals
Friday at Cedar Shoals
- 5:30 p.m., Buford vs. Walnut Grove/Loganville winner
- 8:30 p.m., Branch/Clarke winner vs. Cedar/Johnson winner
Finals
Saturday at Cedar Shoals
- 2:30 p.m., third place game
- 5:30 p.m., championship game
GIRLS
First round
Wednesday at Flowery Branch
- 4:30 p.m., Clarke Central vs. Cedar Shoals
- 6 p.m., Loganville vs. Walnut Grove
- 7:30 p.m., Flowery Branch vs. Johnson
Semifinals
Friday at Cedar Shoals
- 4 p.m., Buford vs. Clarke/Cedar winner
- 7 p.m., Branch/Johnson winner vs. Loganville/Walnut Grove winner
Finals
Saturday at Cedar Shoals
- 1 p.m., third place game
- 4 p.m., championship game
REGION 7-AAAA
BOYS
Play-in game
Tuesday at Marist
- 7:30 p.m., West Hall vs. Chestatee
Semifinals
Friday at Chestatee
- 5:30 p.m., White County vs. Marist
- 8:30 p.m., Blessed Trinity vs. West Hall/Chestatee winner
Finals
Saturday at Chestatee
- 3:30 p.m., third place game
- 6:30 p.m., championship game
GIRLS
Play-in game
Tuesday at Marist
- 6 p.m., White County vs. Marist
Semifinals
Friday at Chestatee
4 p.m., Chestatee vs. Blessed Trinity
7 p.m., West Hall vs. Marist/White winner
Finals
Saturday at Chestatee
2 p.m., third place game
5 p.m., championship game
REGION 7-AAA
BOYS
First round
Wednesday at East Hall
- 4:30 p.m., North Hall vs. Lumpkin County
- 6 p.m., Dawson County vs. Union County
- 7:30 p.m., East Hall vs. Fannin County
Semifinals
Friday at Union County
- 5:30 p.m., Union/Dawson winner vs. East Hall/Fannin winner
- 8:30 p.m., GAC vs. North Hall/Lumpkin winner
Finals
Saturday at Union County
- 4:30 p.m., third place game
- 7:30 p.m., championship game
GIRLS
First round
Tuesday at GAC
- 4:30 p.m., Dawson County vs. Union County
- 6 p.m., North Hall vs. Lumpkin County
- 7:30 p.m., GAC vs. Fannin County
Semifinals
Friday at Union County
- 4 p.m., North Hall/Lumpkin winner vs. GAC/Fannin winner
- 7 p.m., East Hall vs. Dawson/Union winner
Finals
Saturday at Union County
- 3 p.m., third place game
- 6 p.m., championship game
REGION 8-AA
BOYS
First round
Monday at Monticello
- 4 p.m., Rabun County vs. Elbert County
- 5:30 p.m., Putnam County vs. Oglethorpe County
- 7 p.m., Monticello vs. Social Circle
Semifinals
Thursday at Banks County
- 5:30 p.m., Putnam/Oglethorpe winner vs. Monticello/Social winner
- 8:30 p.m., Banks County vs. Rabun/Elbert winner
Finals
Friday at Banks County
- 5:30 p.m., third place game
- 8:30 p.m., championship game
GIRLS
First round
Tuesday at Banks County
- 4 p.m., Monticello vs. Elbert County
- 5:30 p.m., Putnam County vs. Social Circle
- 7 p.m., Banks County vs. Oglethorpe County
Semifinals
Thursday at Banks County
- 4 p.m., Banks/Oglethorpe winner vs. Putnam/Social winner
- 7 p.m., Rabun County vs. Monticello/Elbert winner
Finals
Friday at Banks County
- 4 p.m., third place game
- 7 p.m., championship game
REGION 8-A
All games at Lakeview Academy
BOYS
First round
Monday
- 5:30 p.m., Athens Academy vs. Riverside Military
- 8:30 p.m., Hebron Christian vs. Providence Christian
Quarterfinals
Tuesday
- 5:30 p.m., Athens Christian vs. Hebron/Providence winner
- 8:30 p.m., Lakeview Academy vs. Athens Academy/Riverside winner
Wednesday
- 5:30 p.m., Prince Avenue Christian vs. Towns County
- 8:30 p.m., Tallulah Falls vs. George Walton Academy
Semifinals
Friday
- 5:30 p.m., Athens Christian/Hebron/Providence winner vs. Tallulah/Walton winner
- 8:30 p.m., Lakeview/Athens Academy/Riverside winner vs. Prince Avenue/Towns winner
Finals
Saturday
- 7:30 p.m., championship game
GIRLS
First round
Monday
- 4 p.m., Athens Christian vs. Hebron Christian
- 7 p.m., Providence Christian vs. Commerce
Quarterfinals
Tuesday
- 4 p.m., Prince Avenue Christian vs. Commerce/Providence winner
- 7 p.m., Lakeview Academy vs. Athens Christian/Hebron winner
Wednesday
- 4 p.m., George Walton Academy vs. Towns County
- 7 p.m., Tallulah Falls vs. Athens Academy
Semifinals
- 4 p.m., Prince Avenue/Commerce/Providence winner vs. Tallulah/Athens Academy winner
- 7 p.m., Lakeview/Athens Christian/Hebron winner vs. Walton/Towns winner
Finals
Saturday
- 6 p.m., championship game
