Only seven northeast Georgia area basketball teams are left to pursue state titles after a rough Sweet 16 round -- and two of those contests will play out over the airwaves of Jacobs Media tonight.
The Flowery Branch girls will play host to Dutchtown on Tuesday, while the Gainesville boys play host to Lakeside, Evans in a pair of quarterfinals that will air on WDUN AM 550/102.9 and 1240 AM ESPN Radio, respectively.
(NOTE: Check below for a full list of area scores and a schedule of Tuesday's quarterfinal round playoff matchups involving area teams.)
The Class 6A boys bracket has been shaken up. Gainesville, the No. 1 seed from Region 8-AAAAAA, is one of five No. 1 seeds to advance but two No. 4 seeds (Lakeside-Evans and Tri-Cities) and a No. 2 seed (Jonesboro) all broke through to the quartefinals. The Red Elephants will play host to Lakeside-Evans, which knocked off Stephenson (considered a serious title contender) in the first round and then held off Richmond Hill in the second round. Gainesville rolled into the quarterfinals in lopsided wins over Pope (83-47) and Alexander (82-57). The Gainesville boys are scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. tip-off and the contest will air on 1240 AM ESPN Radio.
The Class 5A girls quarterfinals are loaded. Defending state champion and Region 8-AAAAA champion Buford headlines five No. 1 seeds into the third round. Three No. 2 seeds, including Flowery Branch, offer stiff challenges. The Lady Wolves face their biggest playoff challenge to date in hosting Eagles Landing, which is riding a 13-game win streak. Buford has won 11 straight. The Lady Falcons play host to fellow No. 2 seed Dutchtown out of Region 4-AAAAA, which knocked out 26-game winner Ware County on the road in the second round. The Flowery Branch girls are scheduled for a 6 p.m. tip-off and the contest will air on WDUN AM 550/102.9 FM.
In Class 4A girls, three Region 8-AAAA teams, including champion Jefferson, advanced to the Elite 8. The Lady Dragons will play host to Region 4-AAAA champion Henry County, which is second in wins in the classification. Both teams come in with 10-game win streaks. Jefferson is 11-3 at home while the Lady Warhawks are a perfect 11-0 on the road on the season.
The Class 2A girls bracket features two Region 8-AA teams in champion Banks County and No. 2 seed Rabun County, which was a state semifinalist in 2017. Both face huge obstacles in the Elite 8. The Lady Leopards will play host to defending champion Laney, which has won 59-straight going back to last season. Banks County, however, is 16-1 at home on the season, and it figures to be a loud environment in Homer. Rabun County travels to Fitzgerald. The two teams met in the quarterfinals in Tiger last season with the Lady Wildcats taking a 70-54 victory. The Purple Hurricanes are 7-1 at home while Rabun County is a stellar 11-2 on the road with both losses coming to ranked teams Banks County and Putnam County during the regular season. The Lady Wildcats also are 10-2 in their last 12 games, with both losses to Banks County.
The North Forsyth girls, meanwhile, rolled over Mountain View and Grayson in the first two rounds of the Class 7A playoffs and will play host to Hillgrove in the quartefinals.
STATE QUARTERFINALS FOR AREA TEAMS
Area teams in bold
TUESDAY, Feb. 27
CLASS 7A
Hillgrove at North Forsyth girls, 7 p.m.
CLASS 6A
Lakeside, Evans at Gainesville boys, 6:30 p.m. -- 1240 AM ESPN Radio
CLASS 5A
Dutchtown at Flowery Branch girls, 6 p.m. -- WDUN AM 550/102.9 FM
Eagles Landing at Buford girls, 6 p.m.
CLASS 4A
Henry County at Jefferson girls, 6 p.m.
CLASS 2A
Laney at Banks County girls, 6 p.m.
Rabun Country girls at Fitzgerald, 6 p.m.
