Most of the high school basketball action for the week came to an end Friday night, and with most teams having just five or six games left on the regular season slate, we’ve officially entered the home stretch.
Later this weekend, we’ll give you our top 10 power rankings for girls and boys teams, as well as a look at how region races are stacking up for the rest of the regular season. But for now, let’s give you a bit of a rewind on some of the best action from this past week.
Best boys game of the week
That distinction easily goes to Tuesday’s Westside at Thomson tilt. A standing room-only crowd at Thomson’s gym saw the rematch between the two clear favorites in the Region 4-AA race, and arguably the two best teams in the state.
Westside walked out of the Dogs’ den with a 55-42 victory — a score that doesn’t indicate how hotly contested that matchup of Class AA heavyweights was.
Drama and storylines did abound in this one, with former Thomson standout Lavonta Ivery making his first appearance back in his old home gym as an opposing player instead of a Thomson teammate.
Ivery’s seven points, 10 rebounds and four assists were admirable. But it was DeMarco Middleton who stole the show. The senior point guard fed off a hostile environment and erupted for 24 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Meanwhile, Westside’s defense was devastating in holding high scoring senior Daquan Young to two points and fellow senior point guard Jahkiaus Jones to just eight. Sophomore Markevion Jones was the team’s leading scorer that night with 13.
Not only did the win avenge Westside’s 71-68 setback to Thomson on Dec. 15, it also handed Thomson its first loss and put the Patriots in prime position to finish another regular season atop the region standings.
With a home stretch schedule that includes winless Glenn Hills and Josey squads, along with Laney, Putnam County and Butler, it won’t be out of the question to see Thomson enter the Region 4-AA tournament with that lone blemish on its record.
Meanwhile, Westside made sure Tuesday’s win wasn’t a fluke with a thorough 100-64 dismantling of Putnam County Friday night. The Patriots (18-3, 9-1) will also face Glenn Hills and Butler in its final four games, along with Laney and Washington County.
You should definitely expect Part 3 of this region rivalry during February’s region tournament.
Best girls game of the week
We’re going to go with what the Greenbrier girls wrestling team is doing out in Carrollton during the GHSA’s girls duals state tournament. The Lady Wolfpack took on Putnam County and Lumpkin County and defeated both, en route to a Saturday morning showdown with Jordan in the state semifinals.
Last year, the quest for a state crown ended right around this point for Greenbrier. Carrollton went on to clinch the first-ever girls state duals crown. But coach Donell Bradley’s team was right in the mix, and it looks like a stronger, more experienced and competitive bunch this time around.
You can watch the GHSA girls state wrestling tournament on the NFHS Network’s livestream at nfhsnetwork.com.
Best individual performance of the week
Let’s go with Lavonta Ivery’s outing in that aforementioned Westside-Thomson barnburner. Here’s why — it isn’t the stat line. It’s the pressure that came with it.
What other player this week had the arduous task of going back into his or her hometown in a hostile environment that once was on your side, but now treats you like a good-guy wrestler turned heel?
What other player had to go into said environment and draw the assignment of defending his old team’s new best player and highest scorer in senior Daquon Young, limiting him to just two points in a full game of action?
That was big boy basketball from Ivery. You’ll read more about both Westside and Thomson in the next couple of days, as the two teams that arguably give the area its best chance at seeing another state championship. And while there were definitely a lot of solid performances this past week, we tip the hat to Ivery for being, as Westside coach Jerry Hunter described him, “mature beyond his years,” in the most crazy, emotionally charged setting imaginable for a local teenage basketball star.
Next week’s team to watch
Notice how quiet it’s been on the Grovetown boys basketball front lately?
The Warriors have gone from being state champs and state title contenders to boasting one of the top players in the country on its roster, and then after his departure, relegating back to an almost-forgotten status.
That’s not a slight at all to coach Darren Douglas’ team. But just think — media sure isn’t talking about Grovetown like what we’ve seen just in the last couple of seasons. And that may be exactly how Douglas likes it.
Because don’t look now, but this young Warriors bunch has figured some things out and, after a tough start to the season, has gone on a bit of a tear. After losing 41-35 to Mooresville (N.C.) in non-region action, Grovetown (13-8, 7-1) ripped off nine straight victories, including a 7-0 start in Region 2-AAAAAA before falling Friday night 58-56 on the road at Glynn Academy (19-3, 8-1).
Grovetown will get another crack at the Terrors (yes, that’s their school nickname) on Feb. 3 for the regular season finale at Grovetown. Before that, they’ll play winnable games at Effingham County (9-8, 4-2), at Lakeside (11-9, 4-4) and home against Brunswick (8-13, 2-8).
There are no 5-star players on this particular team, and perhaps not a ton of college recruiters knocking down the gym doors during Grovetown’s practices. But, that said, this could end up being one of Douglas’ best coaching jobs when it’s all said and done.
