AT 9-9, NORCROSS BOYS STILL REMAIN A CONTENDERThe best 9-9 basketball team in Georgia, if not the nation, is the
Norcross boys. The 2008 and 2009 Class AAAAA champions have had injuries, a tough schedule and close losses to blame for most of it.
Six of their losses are to state-ranked teams in Georgia, all by six points or less. Three losses are to out-of-state teams. This week, Norcross got a critical Region 7-AAAAA victory over Peachtree Ridge to pull within a game of first place.
E. Victor Nickerson scored 15 points and had 12 rebounds.
"This is a big confidence boost for us," he told the Gwinnett Daily Post.
Norcross has three seniors who have made college choices in Nickerson (Charlotte), forward
Alonzo Nelson-Ododa (Richmond) and guard
Josiah Moore (Nebraska), plus junior guard
Chris Bolden, who has committed to Miami.
BRIEFLYNow that Hillgrove's girls have lost, the No. 1 ranking in AAAAA is a tough call. The
Norcross girls, the defending champions, had dropped out of the top spot (and the Maxpreps Xcellent 25) after a loss to surging North Gwinnett but came back with a nice win over Alabama power Hoover. Then there is the lone unbeaten team in AAAAA,
Brookwood (Snellville), which is led by Appalachian State signee Katie Mallow, a four-year starting guard. ...
Columbia (Decatur) boys coach Phil McCrary got his 500th career victory last week in a 55-40 victory over Jamesville of New York. McCary is 502-183 in 24 seasons and won state titles in 2006, 2008 and 2010, all at Columbia, which is 18-2 this season and ranked No. 1 in Class AAA. …
Another big Saturday game in Georgia pits
Whitefield Academy (Mableton), ranked No. 1 in Class A, against
Greenville, which is led by wing player
Kentavious Caldwell, who has committed to Georgia.
