With just one week left in the regular season, northeast Georgia area basketball teams will begin their final push for region titles and playoff positioning for upcoming region tournaments on Friday.
There are several supremely important games on the docket Friday night.
On the girls' side in Region 6-3A, two key games will help determine, if not set, the seeding in the upcoming region tournament. Class 3A No. 1-ranked Pickens plays host to No. 4 White County with a chance to clinch no worse than the No. 2 seed in the tournament. The Dragonettes (19-2, 10-1 Region 6-3A) knocked off the Lady Warriors (17-5, 9-2 Region 6-3A) in their first matchup in Cleveland. Chestatee (15-7, 7-4 Region 6-3A) travels to Dawson County (14-8, 7-4 Region 6-3A) in a battle for third place.
In Region 8-A Division 1 for the girls, Banks County (16-5, 8-1 Region 8-A D1) can pull a full ahead of Elbert County (20-2, 8-2 Region 8-A D1) but will have a tough road trip to Rabun County (11-9, 3-6 Region 8-A D1). The Lady Leopards are riding a 13-game win streak.
On the boys' side, the biggest game of the night, no doubt, is when Class 3A No. 1 Cherokee Bluff (20-2, 6-1 Region 8-3A) plays host to No. 4 East Hall (18-3, 6-1 Region 8-3A) in Flowery Branch. The teams are part of a three-way tie for first place with Jefferson (15-5, 6-1 Region 8-3A). This will be the third meeting between the two teams, with Bluff winning both of the first two in the Lanierland tournament and a 76-72 victory in Valhalla earlier this month.
Jefferson travels to Monroe Area (6-15, 1-6 Region 8-3A) looking to avoid the upset on the road and keep pace, with the Dragons getting set to take on both Bluff and East Hall next week to close out the regular season.
(Check below for the complete schedule of Friday's games.)
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY, Jan. 31
Alcovy at Jackson County, 6 p.m.*
Apalachee at Habersham Central, 6 p.m.*
Banks County at Rabun County, 6:30 p.m.*
Chestatee at Dawson County, 6 p.m.*
Commerce at Athens Academy, 7 p.m.*
Discovery at Buford, 6 p.m.*
East Hall at Cherokee Bluff, 6 p.m.* – AM 550/FM 102.9 WDUN
Forsyth Central at North Forsyth, 6 p.m.*
GAC at North Hall, 6 p.m.*
Jefferson at Monroe Area, 6 p.m.*
Johnson at Lumpkin County, 7 p.m.*
North Oconee at East Forsyth, 7 p.m.*
Union County at Ringgold, 7 p.m.*
West Hall at Oconee County, 6 p.m.*
White County at Pickens, 6 p.m.*
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