There is just one week left in the regular season. The scramble to improve seedings, or in some cases just make the region tournament field, is in full-blown red alert for northeast Georgia girls teams.
Some teams already are making a move. Some others still have some work to do. It could make for an exciting final week.
“THE MORE THINGS CHANGE...”
Buford lost three starters from last year’s state title team and only has two seniors on the current roster. None are averaging more than 11 points a game (more on that later) and most only average playing just over two quarters a game. Yet, the Lady Wolves (21-0, 7-0 Region 8-5A) are one of just two teams (Kell, 22-0) in Class 5A that are undefeated. They are ranked fourth in Georgia, all classifications (MaxPreps), and No. 1 in Class 5A in virtually every poll.
STREAKING
-- Lakeview Academy (18-6, 7-0 Region 8-A) is still in line for a possible No. 1 seed in the region. The Lady Lions have won 14 of their last 17 games with their three losses coming to No.1 St. Francis, No. 6 Mt. Paran, and to Class 3A North Hall in the Lanierland finals. They close out the regular season at Athens Academy in a battle for second place and then at home against No. 2 Hebron Christian.
-- North Hall (16-7, 7-3 Region 7-3A) climbed to within a 1/2 game of GAC after Tuesday’s win over Dawson County and the Lady Spartans blow-out loss to Lumpkin County. The Lady Trojans can still finish first if they win out over Lumpkin County and Cherokee Bluff and GAC drops its final two games to East Hall and Fannin County.
-- Lumpkin County. The Lady Indians (14-8, 5-5 Region 7-3A) have as much talent as anyone in the region and has won three straight, their longest streak since opening the season with four consecutive wins. They could still finish as high as third but will need to close out the regular season with wins over Dawson County and North Hall.
-- Flowery Branch (15-8, 8-2 Region 7-4A) battled injuries and suspensions much of the first half of the season and at one point sat in third place in Region 7-4A. Now, the Lady Falcons, who have advanced to the state semifinals three consecutive seasons, look to have figured things out. They have won four straight, their longest streak of the season, and they are doing it with defense, allowing just 33 ppg during the streak. They travel to first place and No. 7 Marist on Friday with a chance to get within one-half game of first place and could still grab the No. 1 seed if they can finish the season with a win over White County and get some help.
-- Jefferson (18-4, 9-0 Region 8-3A) has been as consistent as anyone in the state all season. The Lady Dragons’ four losses have been to Class 7A ranked teams in No. 4 North Forsyth (twice) and No. 5 Tift County and Class 5A No. 1 Buford. They can be the first area team to wrap up a regular-season region title with a win on the road against East Jackson on Friday.
-- Region 8-2A. Putnam County, Rabun County, and Union County are ranked Nos. 4-6 in Class 2A. Only one game separates the three teams atop the region standings. Rabun (19-1, 9-1 Region 8-2A) and Putnam (18-2, 9-1 Region 8-2A) have both beaten Union (17-4, 8-2 Region 8-2A) but Putnam lost to Banks County. All three teams have two games against each other over the final week so everything is still up for grabs.
WHO’S HOT
-- West Hall’s ​Kinsey Wilson -- Week total 28 points (2 games, 14.0 points in games vs. White County and Chestatee)
-- Flowery Branch’s Ashlee Locke -- Last 3 games (52 points, 38 rebounds) including a triple-double (14 points, 14 rebounds, 10 blocks) in a win over Oconee County. She is averaging 16.4 ppg 12.9 rpg on the season.
-- Habersham Central’s Addie Penick -- Week total 29 points (2 games, 14.5 ppg) Penick also had a triple-double last week in a win over Gainesville (18 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists) and averaged 14.5 points in two wins for the Lady Raiders last week.
-- Lumpkin County’s Isabel Davenport, Kate Jackson, and Lexi Pierce -- Davenport recently hit the 1,000-point plateau and the trio averaged 47.1 ppg during wins over Fannin County, White County, and GAC over the past 6 days.
-- Johnson’s Jazmyn Gooch and Sarah Johnson -- Gooch is averaging 7 ppg over the Lady Knights’ last 5 games, which is more than 25 percent of the team’s offensive output. Johnson is averaging 8 rebounds a game, including a season-high 13 in a loss to West Hall.
-- Dawson County’s Marlie Townley -- averaged 13 points and 15 rebounds last week in two games.
-- North Hall’s Lauren Swanson and Rylee McCall -- Swanson averaged 16.5 points and 7 rebounds over three games while McCall averaged 14.5 points.
-- Cherokee Bluff's Madi Phillips (3 games) 16.7 ppg and 8 rpg.
-- Cherokee Bluff's Timber Gaither (3 games) 14 ppg, 3 steals per game.
WORK TO DO BY TOURNEY TIME
-- Gainesville in Region 8-6A (7-14, 2-5 region) has lost five straight, four by double-digits, but has shown, at times, they can compete with just about anyone. Turnovers and poor shooting have plagued them most of the season. If they can solve those issues over the final week of the season they could be a sleeper team to get out of a tough region.
-- A young East Hall team (8-13, 3-6 Region 8-3A) has had its ups-and-downs this season featuring sometimes as many as three freshmen on the floor at the same time. They have some big wins, like twice knocking off Lumpkin County, but also some bad losses, like an 11-point loss to last place Cherokee Bluff. But they have won 3 of 4, including an impressive win over Gainesville on Monday. The Lady Vikings appear to be finding some offensive identity and if they can get the production they got against Gainesville -- 11 3-pointers and three players in double-figures -- they could be poised to make a run down the stretch.
