Georgia State AAAA basketball playoffs

Score Atlanta has asked me to keep tabs on the Georgia State AAAA basketball state playoffs for the weekly magazine and to blog about the rounds on the state basketball website. I will also be doing a live blog during the championship games on March 7th, but more details will come out closer to that date.
But I figured I would also let my loyal reader know what is going on in the tourney RIGHT HERE! So here we all go...this is the 1st Round review/Sweet 16 preview that can be seen in this week's Score Atlanta, due to hit newsstands this Wednesday.
SPOILER ALERT!!!!

Boys
The star power of Class AAAA is certainly nothing to scoff at this season as multiple players with Division 1 scholarships in hand have led their teams into the second round of the state playoffs. Wake Forest commit Tony Woods scored 21 of his team’s 41 points in an opening round win over Hillgrove, who was making its first appearance ever in the playoffs. Elsewhere Shawn Kemp Jr, poured in 22 as Cherokee knocked off Dalton 63-51 and Kemp will have a tough matchup against Miller Grove’s Mfon Udofia in the second round. Udofia, a state all-star selection showed why as he netted 26 in a victory over Cedar Shoals. Other key match-ups in the second round include 26-3 Columbia at Peeblebrook and Dacula, having just knocked off defending champion Tucker behind a tight defense, traveling to 26-3 Lithia Springs.
But expect the star players like Fayette County’s Noel Johnson and Brandon Boykin and Westlake’s combo of Gideon Gamble and Raymond Willis to carry their teams through the tournament. Johnson went for 30 in Fayette County’s first round win and Boykin’s athleticism earned him a scholarship to play football at UGA. Oklahoma-bound Willis scored 18 points in No. 1 Westlake’s win over Forest Park.
Surprises from the first round included Tucker’s exit at the hands of Dacula. The Tigers had their chances, but teams facing the Falcons down the line must watch out for Senior Trent Kammerer and Junior Brian Cole, as they went for 21 and 16, respectively against the defending champs.


Girls
The first round featured fireworks galore as four games pitted Score Atlanta ranked teams against each other. No. 5 Clarke Central knocked off No. 8 St. Pius X in a classic dual and No. 3 Westlake, behind Da-Lee-La Robinson took down No. 10 Jonesboro. Courtney Freeman led No. 7 Madison County past Tesia Davis and No. 2 Marist, and No. 6 Rome lost at home to No. 4 Hillgrove, the four-seed out of Region 5.
The No. 1 team entering the state playoffs, Southwest DeKalb features two outstanding players in Kayla Lewis and GACA All-Star Charenee Stephens. A future South Carolina Gamecock, Stephens pulled down double-digit rebounds in SW DeKalb’s first round win over Heritage, which is no surprise. She had 26 in the team’s regional semi-final. Southwest DeKalb is seeking its first ever state title, but the road will not be easy. A second round match-up with Northwest Whitfield awaits and an Elite Eight tilt against either Clarke-Central or Osborne would make any team sweat.
On the other side of the bracket, Bainbridge ended Greenbrier’s season in the first round, after Greenbrier had spent most of the season without a loss. Tai Brown and her Northside Warner Robbins team sit atop that bracket after beating Northgate.
Finally the tournament has lost one of its brightest stars in Courtney Hurt as Salem lost to Sade Means and Mays in the first round. Mays now faces Hillgove in what could be a game for the ages. The winner faces the Cherokee/Madison County winner.