Unlike the girls, not much changed on the boys side of things for northeast Georgia area teams in their respective regions in the Georgia High School Association.
Last week, four area teams began the week leading their respective regions outright. This week, only two of them are still leading, with four area teams tied for the lead in their regions.
There are no head-to-head battles for the region lead this week, but there are still plenty of intriguing matchups that could have an effect as we head down to the final three weeks of the regular season. All 15 games on the schedule Tuesday involve region matchups.
The biggest battle is in Region 8-3A, for sure. The top three teams all are now tied for first place. No. 1-ranked Cherokee Bluff (18-2, 4-1 Region 8-3A) beat No. 3 East Hall (15-3, 4-1 Region 8-3A) earlier in the season but then lost to No. 12 Jefferson (12-5, 4-1 Region 8-3A) on Friday.
The Dragons lost to East Hall last Tuesday, and the three teams will now get ready to begin the second half region cycle on Friday, as the region takes a break on Tuesday.
Buford, still ranked eighth in Class 6A, also still leads Region 8-6A with a perfect 8-0 record and is 15-3 overall. The Wolves led over Mill Creek (13-7, 5-2 Region 8-6A) by just one game but now have a 2 1/2-game cushion over the Hawks.
In Region 8-5A, No. 4 Habersham Central (16-3, 6-1 Region 8-5A) led No. 5 Winder-Barrow (16-2, 4-1 Region 8-5A) by 1 1/2 games last week but is now locked in a first-place duel after falling to the Bulldoggs last week to split the season series.
Rabun County, ranked No. 2 in Class A Division 1, still leads Region 8-A D1 by 1 1/2 games over No. 20 Banks County (10-8, 5-2 Region 8-A D1). Commerce (12-7, 4-2 Region 8-A D1) has won four straight to jump into third place just one-half game behind the Leopards. Those two teams will meet in Commerce on Tuesday with second place on the line.
In Region 6-3A, No. 6 Pickens (18-0, 8-0 Region 6-3A) has now opened up a two-game lead on No. 19 Lumpkin County (12-7, 6-2 Region 6-3A) and No. 23 GAC (13-5, 6-2 Region 6-3A), who are tied for second. Lumpkin will try to inch closer to traveling to take on the Dragons on Tuesday.
North Hall (12-7, 5-3 Region 6-3A) won two region games last week to climb into fourth place.
Union County in Region 7-2A had its 9-game win streak snapped last week by Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe. But the Class 2A second-ranked Panthers (16-3, 8-2 Region 7-2A) still lead the Warriors (12-6, 6-4 Region 7-2A) and Coahulla Creek (12-7, 6-4 Region 7-2A) by two games for second place.
And in Region 7-5A, Class 5A No. 7 Gainesville (13-6, 6-1 Region 7-5A) is staying on the heels of No. 1 Milton (13-5, 7-0 Region 7-2A) with the two teams not scheduled to meet again until Feb. 4 at Davis-Hill Gymnasium.
(See below for the full schedule of Tuesday's games.)
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SCHEDULE FOR TUESDAY, Jan. 21
Alcovy at Habersham Central, 6 p.m.*
Banks County at Commerce, 6 p.m.*
Central Gwinnett at Buford, 6 p.m.*
Clarke Central at Jackson County, 6 p.m.*
Coahulla Creek at Union County, 6 p.m.*
East Forsyth at Madison County, 6 p.m.*
Gainesville at Chattahoochee, 6 p.m.* – 94.5 FM The Lake
GAC at Dawson County, 6 p.m.*
Lakeview Academy at Bethlehem Christian, 6 p.m.*
Lumpkin County at Pickens, 6 p.m.*
North Forsyth at Lambert, 6 p.m.*
North Hall at Johnson, 6 p.m.*
Rabun County at Elbert County, 6 p.m.*
Walnut Grove at Flowery Branch, 6 p.m.*
White County at Chestatee, 6 p.m.* – AM 550 & FM 102.9 WDUN
