The final week of the regular basketball season is finally here and with two games remaining for area teams this week, there are several key battles on the slate tonight and on Friday.
WHAT'S ON TAP?
-- Gainesville at Winder-Barrow, 7:30 p.m. -- The Red Elephants (10-12, 6-2 Region 8-6A) handled the Bulldoggs (15-8, 5-3 Region 8-6A) in their first meeting, 66-52. But Game 2 could be a bit different and it has second-place in Region 8-6A on the line. If the Red Elephants beat the Bulldoggs in Winder tonight, they'll lock up the No. 2 seed in the region tournament. If not, they'll be tied with Winder-Barrow for the No. 2 spot.
-- Dawson County at Cherokee Bluff, 7:30 p.m. -- If Cherokee Bluff (15-8, 7-3 Region 7-3A) wants to remain tied with GAC for the No. 2 seed in Region 7-3A, they'll need to knock off the Tigers (21-2, 10-0 Region 7-3A) tonight at home. They led Dawson County in Dawsonville by 9 points in the first meeting but allowed the Tigers to rally and win the game. Dawson County, on the other hand, has locked up the No. 1 seed but still wants to finish this week strong. This game could be a classic.
-- Hart County at Jefferson, 7:30 p.m. -- Jefferson (14-7, 7-3 Region 8-3A) still has a shot to at least tie for the top spot in Region 8-3A with Hart County (22-1, 9-1 Region 8-3A). But they'll have to avenge the New Year's loss to the Bulldogs tonight at home, win on Friday and hope Franklin County can complete the sweep of Hart County -- 64-55 loss on Jan. 7 -- on Friday. The first meeting on Jan. 3 was a close one, a 48-45 loss. The Dragons have been playing well over the last two weeks, winning five straight games, but so has Hart County. You might want to take a seat belt for this game and buckle up for the ride.
-- Bank County at Union County, 7:30 p.m. -- Banks County (19-4, 10-2 Region 8-2A) enters tonight's game in Blairsville in complete control of its destiny. It's pretty simple, beat Union (13-9, 8-4 Region 8-2A) and current region leader Social Circle (18-5, 11-1 Region 8-2A) and the Leopards finish as the No. 1 seed. Banks manhandled the Panthers on Jan. 7, 79-44, and beat Social Circle on Jan. 10, 46-39. But back-to-back losses to Putnam and Rabun counties dropped the Leopards to No. 2. If the Leopards play like they're capable, they'll finish this week 2-0.
BUFORD WINS AGAIN ...
The Wolves continue to answer questions and, last week, they answered yet another question with a blow out of No. 6 Cedar Shoals. The Jaguars beat the Wolves on Jan. 7, creating doubt. It was Buford's second region loss in one season, matching the program's total region losses over the last five years. The defending Class 5A state champs were in trouble, right? Then something clicked. They avenged the loss to Walnut Grove, which set the Wolves on a five-game win streak and culminated with a 30-point win over Cedar Shoals on Friday. The season is not over, but one thing can be assured, Buford is back on track.
THE RANKINGS ⬆️⬇️
Only three area teams are ranked in either the ajc.com poll or Kyle Sandy’s rankings.
-- Dawson County (21-2, 10-0 Region 7-3A) is the highest-ranked team in the area, coming in at No. 3 in Sandy's poll and fourth in ajc.com.
-- Buford (17-5, 6-2 Region 8-5A) moved up two spots to No. 6 in the ajc.com Class 5A poll and three spots to No. 7 in Sandy's poll this week.
THE HOT HAND
Cherokee Bluff's Griffin Neville paced the Bears with 24 points in the win over Greater Atlanta Christian School on Friday. Bosko Norman added 16.
Buford's Sebastian Augustave scored 30 points in an upset win over Cedar Shoals on Friday.
Dawson County's Campbell Reed -- Week total 43 points (2 Games, 21.5 ppg) Reed scored 27 points against Lumpkin on Friday and 16 against North Hall on Tuesday, eclipsing the 1,000 point mark in his career.
Banks County's Carl Cleveland -- Week total 62 points, 47 rebounds (3 Games, 20.7 ppg, 15.7 rpg) -- Cleveland poured in 18 points and pulled down a whopping 23 rebounds in Saturday's win over Oglethorpe. He scored 22 points and 12 rebounds in the win over Elbert County on Friday and 22 points and 12 boards in the win over Monticello on Tuesday.
Chestatee's Brenton Nicholson -- Week total 40 points (2 Games, 20 ppg) Nicholson scored 18 points in the win over White on Friday and 22 points in the win against West Hall on Tuesday
Lanier Christian's Trevin Last -- Week total 48 points, 37 rebounds (2 Games, 24 ppg, 18.5 rpg) Last had 22 points and 18 boards in LCA's win over Peachtree Academy on Friday and 24 points and 19 rebounds in the loss to Young American's Christian School on Tuesday.
Lanier Christian's Bo Souther scored 21 points in the loss to Young American's Christian School.
Gainesville's Eli Pitts -- Week total 38 points (2 Games, 19 ppg) Pitts scored 18 points in the win over Apalachee on Friday and 20 points on Tuesday in the loss to Dacula.
