The end of basketball season has finally arrived. Okay, it's just the end of the regular season.
On Tuesday, it looked like Friday’s slate of games around northeast Georgia would lend itself to some thrilling finishes as several regions were coming down to the wire for region titles and No. 1 seeds.
Instead, when the dust cleared on Tuesday night, almost every region in the area had been settled, leaving Friday’s action almost like one last tune-up before the real season begins.
The ones to watch were in Region 8-3A, 8-5A, and 8-A Division 1. But the East Hall boys and Jefferson girls both clinched in 8-3A, while the Jackson County girls clinched 8-5A on Tuesday with Loganville's loss to Alcovy.
The Banks County girls claimed the No. 1 seed in Region 8-A D1 after winning the coin flip following a series of tiebreakers. On the boys side of 8-A D1, it’s a mess.
Rabun County controls things. The Wildcats lead both Banks County and Commerce by a game and can win it outright with a win over Athens Academy at home. However, a loss to the Spartans could set up a three-way if Commerce beats Elbert County and Banks County knocks off Providence Christian.
On the boy's side of 8-5A, Habersham Central is locked in a duel with Winder-Barrow and needs a Bulldoggs loss to winless Clarke Central to claim the No. 1 seed. A Winder-Barrow win gives them the No. 1 seed based on point differential.
But the night's marquee matchup will have the Class 3A ninth-ranked Jefferson boys traveling to No. 1-ranked Cherokee Bluff in Region 8-3A, with an automatic bid to the Class 3A tournament and the No. 2 seed in next week's region tournament on the line. The Dragons beat the Bears in double-overtime in their first matchup last month.
(See below for the full schedule of Friday's games.)
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY, Feb. 7
Athens Academy at Rabun County, 6 p.m.*
Chestatee at North Hall, 6 p.m.*
Commerce at Elbert County, 7 p.m.*
Dawson County at Pickens, 6 p.m.*
East Forsyth at Habersham Central, 6 p.m.
GAC at Johnson, 6 p.m.*
Jefferson at Cherokee Bluff, 7 p.m.* -- AM 550 & FM 102.9 WDUN
Lakeview Academy at George Walton Academy, 6 p.m.*
Loganville at Jackson County, 7 p.m.*
Providence Christian at Banks County, 6 p.m.*
Rockmart at Union County, 6 p.m.*
Seckinger at Gainesville, 6 p.m.* – 94.5 FM The Lake
West Hall at East Hall, 6 p.m.*
White County at Lumpkin County, 6 p.m.*
(* -- denotes region contest)
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