Two No. 1-ranked teams that have never won state titles — North Paulding’s girls and St. Pius’ boys — are playing perhaps their biggest home games ever this week, each facing a defending champion that is ranked No. 2.
North Paulding’s opponent is Newton. St. Pius’ opponent is North Oconee. Those are the headline games among 64 state quarterfinals Tuesday and Wednesday.
“This is going to be a big-time game,” North Paulding coach Wes Willis said of Newton matchup. “You hate it’s this early, but that’s playoff basketball, and you have to be able to adjust. We will have to play one of our best games.”
Except for a favorable coin toss, North Paulding and St. Pius would be on the road.
The GHSA conducts a universal toss before the quarterfinals to determine home court when region champions or other same-seeded teams meet in classes 6A, 5A, 4A and A Division II. Region champions can’t meet earlier than that.
“This will be the first time we will play the elite-eight game at home, so that is special,” Willis said. “Hopefully having the game at home can help, but Newton plays great on the road as well as at home.”
North Paulding established itself as the No. 1 team Class 6A by defeating Newton 63-53 in November on a neutral court. Newton beat North Paulding in the 6A semifinals last season, also on a neutral court.
St. Pius’ challenger, North Oconee, is a two-time defending champion that is 12-0 in the state playoffs the past three seasons. But this will be North Oconee’s first road playoff game since the season before those.
St. Pius coach Will Cloyd, whose team is 30-0, expects a raucous crowd.
“It’s going to be a full house,” Cloyd said. “Our community has fallen in love with this St. Pius team and for good reason. We’ve got a lot of talented players, and they’re fun to watch. I think we’ll have an electric crowed at Mark Kelly Stadium.”
North Oconee and Newton each returned their best single players from their 2025 championship teams, and many favored their teams to win titles again this year. For North Oconee, that’s Justin Wise, a junior and a top-100 national recruit. For Newton, that’s London Smith, also a junior. She has scored 23 and 28 points in her games against North Paulding.
St. Pius’ best player is Harris Reynolds, a Clemson signee who scored 38 points in a second-round victory over Union Grove.
North Paulding’s girls are a young team. Morgan Landrum and sisters Kalee Hinkson and Kenzie Hinkson made first-team all-region. None are seniors.
North Paulding was the 2024 runner-up to Marist playing one level below the highest. St. Pius was a state runner-up in 1992, 2017 and 2018.
Two No. 1 teams will be on the road this week. They are KIPP Atlanta Collegiate, playing at No. 4 South Atlanta in Class 3A, and Chattahoochee County, playing at No. 8 Bowdon in Class 2A.
Winners will advance to the semifinals, to be played Friday and Saturday at neutral sites. They are the Georgia State Convention Center (classes 6A, 5A), Akins Arena in Athens (4A, 3A-A Private), Legacy Arena in Douglasville (3A, 2A) and Fort Valley State (A division I and II).
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