Georgia basketball playoffs: Don't bet against defending champions

The Georgia high school basketball tournament, in its 90th year, got underway this week with four preliminary games.

The first round begins Friday for the girls and Saturday with the boys. Championships in the five boys and girls classifications will be played March 10-12 at the Gwinnett Place Arena and the Macon Centreplex.

Here is a look at each classification with the teams to beat and the best storylines.

BOYS
MaxPreps Georgia boys basketball playoff brackets

AAAAA
Milton, ranked No. 3 nationally in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 boys basketball rankings presented by the Army National Guard, can stake a claim as one of Georgia's greatest teams in history by successfully defending its title. The team has four Division I signees in forward Julian Royal (Georgia Tech) and guards Shannon Scott (Ohio State), Dai-Jon Parker (Vanderbilt) and Jordan Loyd (Furman). Milton's major rivals are Norcross and Wheeler (Marietta), schools that have won seven state titles between them in the past eight seasons. The balance of power in AAAAA leans heavily toward metro Atlanta's northern crescent, which means the north-south bracket design is uneven. Wheeler and Norcross, both region champions, would meet in the quarterfinals. Two relatively unheralded teams are going to make the semifinals. Candidates include region champions Hillgrove (Powder Springs), Savannah, Newton (Covington) and Tift County (Tifton). If the champion isn't Milton, Norcross or Wheeler, it would be the biggest surprise in the highest classification in over a decade.



AAAA
Miller Grove (Lithonia), ranked No. 9 nationally in the MaxPreps 25, is the defending champion and team to beat despite losing to Southwest DeKalb last week in the Region 6-AAAA final. Miller Grove is led by Tony Parker, a 6-foot-9 center with several SEC and ACC offers. Southwest DeKalb (Decatur) has one of the best junior pairs in the state in Jordan Price and William Goodwin. Fayette County (Fayetteville) (26-2) is the other team that could have the firepower and size to match up with Miller Grove. UNC-Wilmington recruit Adam Smith of Fayette is one of the state's premier scorers. Sequoyah (Canton) (28-0) is undefeated and ranked No. 1 in one poll, but a relatively weak schedule and no history of success in the state tournament make the Chiefs an underdog. Sequoyah would meet Miller Grove in the second round. Also watch for Bainbridge (26-2), probably South Georgia's best team.

AAA
Columbia (Decatur) (25-3) is the defending champion and solid favorite. Its backcourt of Tahj Shamsid-Deen and Algie Key, III is among the state's best. Columbia has not lost to a Class AAA opponent since the 2009 final against South Atlanta and Derrick Favors. There is no team that stands out as a prime contender. Region champions Murray County (Chatsworth) (last state playoff win 2006), Persons (Forsyth) (1968), Eagle's Landing Christian Academy (McDonough) (never), Carrollton (2003) and Butler (Augusta) (2006) have little recent success in the state playoffs. West Hall (Oakwood) was ranked No. 2 but lost to Franklin County (Carnesville) on a 3-point shot in the final seconds of the Region 8-AAA tournament.

AA
Greater Atlanta Christian (Norcross) (23-5) is the defending champion, and its victory over South Atlanta (26-2) in the Region 6-AA final last week solidified that position. GAC's losses are to four out-of-state teams, plus Milton of AAAAA. GAC's top player is Malcolm Brogdon, a Virginia signee who is scoring 25 points per game. South Atlanta is led by Alabama signee Nick Jacobs. Thomasville, the 2010 runner-up, has one of the state's top juniors in 6-7 forward Willie Clayton. Laney (Augusta) (25-1) was undefeated until a surprising loss to Swainsboro in the 3-AA final last week. East Hall (Gainesville) is probably the best of the rest among region champions that include Tattnall County (Reidsville), Lamar County (Barnesville), Rockmart and Kendrick (Columbus).

A
The most unpredictable boys bracket lies in this classification. Defending champ Wesleyan (Norcross) had to win a preliminary game Tuesday to reach the first round and now faces last year's runner-up Whitefield Academy (Mableton) in the first round Saturday. Whitefield was ranked No. 1 until it lost last month to Greenville, which boasts Kentavious Caldwell, the class's top-rated player. Wilkinson County (Irwinton), the 2007 champion, is the only unbeaten boys team in Georgia. Wilcox County (Rochelle) has a top player in Nick Marshall, who has signed with Georgia to play football and basketball. Region champions Pace Academy (Atlanta) and North Cobb Christian (Kennesaw) should be watched closely in a class in which private schools have won five of the past eight titles.

Continue reading for girls previews{PAGEBREAK}GIRLS

MaxPreps Georgia girls basketball playoff brackets



AAAAA
Norcross, which began the year nationally ranked, is the defending champion and team to beat, though its two regular-season losses to North Gwinnett (Suwanee) are proof of vulnerability. Norcross' top player is Diamond Deshields, perhaps the county's No. 1 sophomore. North Gwinnett also has a top-flight sophomore in guard Lexie Brown, who has committed to Maryland. Bradwell Institute (Hinesville) is the only undefeated team in the classification, but the Tigers' most noteworthy victory was against a Class A team (Taylor County) that finished third in its region tournament. Other region champions are Campbell (Smyrna), Stephenson (Stone Mountain), Roswell, Brookwood (Snellville) and Etowah (Woodstock).

AAAA
The No. 1-ranked team after the regular season, Chamblee, was upset in the quarterfinals of the Region 8-AAAA tournament and failed to make state in a classification that is now anybody's guess. Also decked in Region 8 was Southwest DeKalb, the 2010 champion that will not defend. Redan (Stone Mountain), champion of Class AAAAA in 2008 and 2009 and runner-up in 2010, is the most proven program, though largely rebuilt from last season.  Douglas County (Douglasville) is unbeaten, but against a lesser schedule. Fayette County (Fayetteville) (25-3, won 14 consecutive games) and No. 4 Forest Park (22-5, undefeated against Georgia teams) are hot. Also watch for Chattahoochee (Alpharetta), which could be boosted by the return of Georgia-signee Erika Ford, out since December with a leg injury.

AAA
Defending champion Columbia (Decatur) (22-6) was probably the favorite until losing in its region final to St. Pius X Catholic (Atlanta) on a buzzer-beating shot. No one would be surprised if Columbia wound up with the trophy again, but top-ranked Washington County (Sandersville) (27-0) has a player of the year candidate in sophomore Allisha Gray, and Dalton, led by Louisville-bound center Quaneisha McCurty, is 28-0 and seeking its first state title. Other region champions are Rutland (Macon), Drew (Atlanta), Dougherty (Albany), LaGrange and Franklin County (Carnesville).

AA
The brackets are aligned for a title match between Kendrick (Columbus) (27-0) and two-time defending champ Buford (24-3), but Kendrick must face Greater Atlanta Christian (Norcross) – the team that beat Buford in the Region 6-AA final – in the quarterfinals to get there. Vidalia (27-0) also is in the Kendrick-GAC side of the draw. Also look out for Laney (Augusta) (26-1) and Thomasville (23-2). Despite its loss in the region playoffs, Buford still might be the favorite. Its top players are junior Andraya Carter and sophomore Kaela Davis, who have committed to Tennessee.

A
Wesleyan (Norcross) (26-2) has won state titles in seven of the past nine seasons, and the latest team is potentially Georgia's best in any classification. Its losses are to Norcross and Spring Valley, the top-ranked team in South Carolina. Wesleyan has beaten North Gwinnett, which beat Norcross twice. Wesleyan's top players are Holli Wilkins (daughter of former NBA player Gerald Wilkins) and 1,000-point scorer Grace Leah Baughn. An average margin of victory of 20 points per game through the state tournament would not be surprising. Teams that could put up a good fight are Taylor County (Butler), Bryan County (Pembroke), Southwest Atlanta Christian (Atlanta) and St. Francis (Alpharetta).