MACON — Sixteen Georgia high school basketball teams will be crowned state champions over the next four days at the Macon Coliseum.
Several programs are shooting for their first state title, while others aim to further establish themselves as statewide powerhouses.
AJC Varsity will be in Macon for the finals and will provide live updates, including scores and notable moments. Scroll past the schedule below, which will include final scores as games end, to see the live updates.
GHSA basketball state championships schedule
Wednesday
- FINAL: Class 3A-A Private girls: Hebron Christian 46, Holy Innocents’ 42
- FINAL: Class 3A-A Private boys: Darlington 53, Holy Innocents’ 50
- 4:45 p.m. — Boy’s 3-Point Contest
- FINAL: Class 3A girls: Heritage-Ringgold 65, Sandy Creek 63 (OT)
- FINAL: Class 3A boys: Cross Creek 56, Harlem 51
Thursday
- 1 p.m. — Class A Division II girls: Wilcox County vs. Washington-Wilkes
- 3 p.m. — Class A Division II boys: Clinch County vs. Portal
- 4:45 p.m. — Girl’s 3-Point Contest
- 5:30 p.m. — Class 4A girls: Kell vs. Marist
- 7:30 p.m. — Class 4A boys: Pace Academy vs. St. Pius
Friday
- 1 p.m. — Class A Division I girls: Elbert County vs. East Laurens
- 3 p.m. — Class A Division I boys: Southwest-Macon vs. Rabun County
- 4:45 p.m. — Co-Ed 3-Point Contest
- 5:30 p.m. — Class 5A girls: Milton vs. Creekview
- 7:30 p.m. — Class 5A boys: Woodward Academy vs. Alexander
Saturday
- 11 a.m. — Class 2A girls: Hardaway vs. Murray County
- 1 p.m. — Class 2A boys: Morgan County vs. Butler
- 3 p.m. — AAASP - Houston Co. Sharks vs. West Georgia Wolverines
- 4:45 p.m. — Slam Dunk Contest
- 5:30 p.m. — Class 6A girls: Grayson vs. North Paulding
- 7:30 p.m. — Class 6A boys: Pebblebrook vs. Wheeler
Live updates from the state championships in Macon
Cross Creek guard Dontrell Jackson spoke with the media about his 25-point night and leading the Razorbacks to their third state championship in six years.
Cross Creek outlasted Harlem in a back-and-forth battle full of lead changes and game-tying shots. The Razorbacks won their third state championship in the last seven years and denied Harlem of its first state title.
Cross Creek Stat Leaders
Dontrell Jackson - 25 PTS, 7 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL
Frashad Tisby - 16 PTS, 7 REB, 5 BLK
AJ Luke - 4 PTS, 11 REB
Harlem Stat Leaders
AJ Williams - 28 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 2 BLK, 1 STL
Christian Gandy - 12 PTS, 5 REB, 1 STL
Jayden Futrell - 5 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK
Harlem created its biggest lead of the game in the final seconds of the third quarter. AJ Williams' third 3-pointer of the night gave the Bulldogs a 38-32 advantage entering the fourth quarter.
Harlem came back from a six-point deficit early in the quarter. Williams has 22 of the Bulldogs' 38 points.
Harlem and Creekside are tied at 24 points at halftime of the Boys Class 3A state championship.
The teams have continued to battle, with neither gaining more than a four-point lead over the other through the first half. Cross Creek's Dontre Jackson and Harlem's AJ Williams have led offenses that have struggled to score elsewhere.
Cross Creek Stat Leaders
Dontrell Jackson - 14 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST
Derrick Shine - 4 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST
AJ Luke - 2 PTS, 4 REB
Harlem Stat Leaders
AJ Williams - 12 PTS, 5 REB, 1 AST, 2 BLK
Christian Gandy - 6 PTS, 3 REB
Jovaun Napier - 3 PTS, 1 REB
Harlem leads Cross Creek 14-12 after a back-and-forth first quarter. The biggest scoring run of the quarter was a 4-0 spurt from Harlem in the first couple minutes of the game.
The first quarter also had four lead changes and four ties.
Heritage-Ringgold coach Greg Elkins explained the look his team got when Georgia Gracy drained the game-tying 3-pointer that forced overtime against Sandy Creek. Elkins' Generals went on to win their first state title, 65-63.
Heritage-Ringgold's game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of the fourth quarter set up the first overtime game of the state championship week.
The Generals outscored the Patriots 7-5 in the four-minute overtime period. Sandy Creek got an open mid-range look in the final seconds, but the shot bounced off the left side of the rim, sealing the Heritage win.
It's the first state championship in Heritage girls basketball history.
Heritage Stat Leaders
Ema Tanner - 18 PTS, 9 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL
Paisley Collins - 17 PTS, 9 REB, 3 AST
Tori Epps - 12 PTS, 7 AST, 7 REB, 2 STL
Sandy Creek Stat Leaders
Morghan Reckley - 29 PTS, 6 REB, 3 AST, 5 STL
Deyla McCoy - 22 PTS, 1 REB, 1 AST, 2 STL
Madison Reckley - 8 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL
Heritage-Ringgold's Georgia Gracy forced overtime with a game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of the fourth quarter.
Gracy's shot took the lead out of Sandy Creek's possession for the first time in the second half.
The Generals and the Patriots are both battling for their first state titles.
Sandy Creek survived a 9-0 run from Heritage-Ringgold to hang onto its lead throughout the third quarter.
Sandy Creek led 34-24 before the Generals quickly cut the lead to 34-33 with 2:10 left in the quarter. The Patriots hit right back, finishing the quarter on an 8-1 run for a 42-34 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Darlington coach Nathan West spoke to the media after the Tigers won their first state championship, defeating reigning champion Holy Innocents' 53-50.
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