Three northeast Georgia programs have earned the right to play for state titles this week as the GHSA basketball championships move to Athens and Atlanta for the championship round.
In a new format adopted this season with the addition of the new AAAAAAA classification, the championship round will now take place over a four-day period with the first two days (Wednesday and Thursday) being held at Stegeman Coliseum at the University of Georgia and the last two days (Friday and Saturday) at McCamish Pavilion at Georgia Tech. Four games -- two each in two different clasifications -- will be held each day beginning at 2 p.m.
The championships themselves were moved from a three-day session at the Macon Centreplex for the first time in over 50 years.
(NOTE: Scroll down for a complete list of the week's championship round match-ups for area teams.)
As for area teams, both Buford programs in Class AAAAA and the Rabun County girls in Class AA will play for titles.
On Wednesday in Athens, the Lady Wolves will take on defending champion Southwest DeKalb at 6 p.m. And the Buford boys will follow that against Cedar Shoals in an All-Region 8-AAAAA final at 8 p.m.
The Buford girls moved into the title game thanks to what was perhaps their finest showing of the season in an 88-50 dismantling of Griffin. The two foes entered the postseason ranked 1-2, but the top-ranked Lady Wolves (28-2) dominated throughout, with 11 players scoring and eight players recording at least one assist while the defense forced 28 Griffin turnovers.
Southwest DeKalb (27-4), meanwhile, needed a fourth quarter rally against Flowery Branch to squeak out a 66-63 win in the semifinals. Texas A&M-signee Jada Walton finished with 23 points for the Lady Panthers.
Buford girls coach Gene Durden expects a battle.
"They are the defending champions and I'm sure they'll be ready and they have a lot of girls that have been there before," he said. "We'll have to play a great game."
The Buford boys certainly know their opponent. It will be the fourth meeting of the season between the two teams. The Wolves won the first three meetings (72-66 in Athens, 75-70 in overtime in Buford, 76-61 in the Region 8-AAAAA championship game), but the Jaguars (27-4) are 27-1 against everyone else and are making their second straight state finals appearance. They lost in last year’s state title game to Miller Grove.
Buford boys coach Eddie Martin said the familiarity could be both a blessing and a curse -- for both teams.
"We know them and they know us. Whatever happened in the first three games won't really matter (on Wednesday) for either team," Martin said. "I expect a war for four quarters."
Both Buford games will be broadcast live on simulcast on WDUN AM 550/102.9 FM.
On Saturday in Atlanta, the Rabun County girls (29-2) will continue to tread new territory. The Lady Wildcats will take on perennial powerhouse Laney in the Class AA finals at 2 p.m.
The Lady Wildcats had never advanced past the state quarterfinal round prior to this season but have put together two of their best performances of the campaign to make history and keep marching. They held off Fitzgerald 70-54 in the quarterfinals and then demolished Bleckley County 65-37 in the semifinals to move into their first-ever championship game.
They face a tough task in the finals, however. Laney, out of Augusta, won the Class AAA state title in 2015 and has advanced to the Final Four or state title game in seven of the past eight seasons. Laney (30-1) has won 29 straight and has not lost to a team from Georgia since losing to 2016 Class AAA state champion Morgan County in last year’s Elite 8 round.
Laney lost to Wesleyan in the 2013 Class AA championship game and fell in the Final Four in consecutive seasons from 2010-12 and in 2014.
It promises to be an intriguing final week of what has been an exciting basketball season.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH-UPS FOR AREA TEAMS
WEDNESDAY
Class AAAAA at Stegeman Coliseum, University of Georgia, Athens
- 6 p.m., Buford girls vs. Southwest DeKalb -- RADIO: WDUN AM 550/102.9FM
- 8 p.m., Buford boys vs. Cedar Shoals -- RADIO: WDUN AM 550/102.9FM
SATURDAY
Class AA at McCamish Pavilion, Georgia Tech, Atlanta
- 2 p.m., Rabun County girls vs. Laney
