Friday Night's @AugBball on site coverage of state playoff action will include Richmond's double header girls and boys home games, Laney's double header at home, and Cross Creek's home game against Americus Sumpter.
Also in action at their home gyms are the girls teams of North Augusta, Grovetown, Aquinas, and Josey. Good luck to those teams and to the teams hitting the road Friday!
Friday, February 17, 2017
Aiken and North Augusta advance
Kevin Williamson led the way for Aiken:
Charles "the Mac Daddy" McNeil shared the story of North Augusta's first round win:
Here are two of senior Darius Copeland's game high 21 points:
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
The State Playoffs Begin
Visit the @AugBball timelines on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for much more coverage of Tuesday's playoff action and for ongoing coverage during the state playoffs.
Monday, February 13, 2017
From Saturday: Augusta U, Laney's girls and boys, and Aquinas win
*Note: 5 years ago Westside beat Laney in the region title game. So I was wrong im what I typed below. But the overall point holds true, in my opinion.*
By my count this is Laney's 8th straight region championship. I very well may have that wrong. The streak may not be that long but my guess is that if I have it wrong it is more likely that the streak is actually longer. Success like this means there are a lot of people involved who care a great deal about being great. Congratulations to everybody who has taken part in the tradition of excellence on the Boulevard.
The team above is the most impressive team in town.
— Aquinas Boys BBall (@TheAquinasWay) February 12, 2017
The Irish are 25-1 entering the state playoffs!
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Area hoops update: Saturday, Feb 11
*Note: 5 years ago Westside beat Laney in the region title game. So I was wrong im what I typed below. But the overall point holds true, IMO.*
Last night was a huge night for area high school hoops. Seeing so many good people be so successful, both on the winning and losing sides, honestly made me pretty emotional. I have grown to love so many of the competitors who play and coach here. Tonight will be huge too. Aquinas will aim to win its region tournament and improve to 25-1 overall. Butler will try to add a region tournament title to its regular season crown. Laney will try to top Butler and win its (since I've been counting at least) 8th straight region championship. And the Laney Lady Wildcats will attempt to continue their complete dominance of high school basketball while rival Josey tries to play spoiler in the girls region title game.
All of these great vibes have completely zapped me. In the best way. So I'm going to cheer on my favorite players (Matthew Miller on his USMMA webcast at 2:00 and Keshun Sherrill in his Augusta U game in person at 3:30), and then I'm counting on Harold Doby via the Augusta Basketball Report FB page and Charlesmacdaddy McNeil through Praise 96.9 to relay to me and everybody else who can't be at Laney tonight all the great action from the class AA region 4 tournament championship round that we won't see in person.
Hats off to the basketball people in Augusta for giving this old man tons of joy and tons to do. I couldn't be prouder to call them all my people.
Last night was a huge night for area high school hoops. Seeing so many good people be so successful, both on the winning and losing sides, honestly made me pretty emotional. I have grown to love so many of the competitors who play and coach here. Tonight will be huge too. Aquinas will aim to win its region tournament and improve to 25-1 overall. Butler will try to add a region tournament title to its regular season crown. Laney will try to top Butler and win its (since I've been counting at least) 8th straight region championship. And the Laney Lady Wildcats will attempt to continue their complete dominance of high school basketball while rival Josey tries to play spoiler in the girls region title game.
All of these great vibes have completely zapped me. In the best way. So I'm going to cheer on my favorite players (Matthew Miller on his USMMA webcast at 2:00 and Keshun Sherrill in his Augusta U game in person at 3:30), and then I'm counting on Harold Doby via the Augusta Basketball Report FB page and Charlesmacdaddy McNeil through Praise 96.9 to relay to me and everybody else who can't be at Laney tonight all the great action from the class AA region 4 tournament championship round that we won't see in person.
Hats off to the basketball people in Augusta for giving this old man tons of joy and tons to do. I couldn't be prouder to call them all my people.
Friday, February 10, 2017
Go to the @AugBball Timelines for Highlights from Friday's Championship and Semifinal Region Tournament Games
Go to the @AugBball Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram timelines for an endless stream of video action from Friday's region tournament championship and semifinal games. Here's a sample:
Thoughts about the @ARCMusketeers from tonight: @dt_stevens was awesome. Scored a ton and made huge shots. Almost won it for Richmond.— Chad Cook's AugBball (@AugBball) February 11, 2017
Thoughts about the @ARCMusketeers from tonight: Moses Williams caught horrible breaks but conducted himself admirably through the heartbreak— Chad Cook's AugBball (@AugBball) February 11, 2017
Thoughts about @ARCMusketeers from tonight: Steve Nobles has done a wonderful job with his young men. Hope my sons play for a guy like him.
— Chad Cook's AugBball (@AugBball) February 11, 2017
2019 PG Kalen Williams led Lakeside-Evans to 1st ever Region Championship! 29pts 5a pic.twitter.com/Or6zpOd6PC— GeorgiaBulls (@GeorgiaBulls84) February 11, 2017
— Aquinas Boys BBall (@TheAquinasWay) February 11, 2017
Thursday, February 9, 2017
Ours is a basektball town. A look at all the ranked teams in Friday's region tournament championship and semifinal games proves it.
In three area high school gyms Friday, eight region tournament championship and semifinal round boys and girls games will be played, and 10 of the 16 teams in action are ranked in Georgia's top ten in their respective classes. One may say we are playing the state playoffs here in the Augusta area before the state tournament even begins next week!
Of course, AugBball will bring as many highlights and updates as you could ever wish to see from all of the championship week action. Here is a run down of what is ahead, along with a look back at some of the games this week that have led to this weekend's climax:
#5 Lakeside vs #9 Heritage, Round 3
Of course, AugBball will bring as many highlights and updates as you could ever wish to see from all of the championship week action. Here is a run down of what is ahead, along with a look back at some of the games this week that have led to this weekend's climax:
#5 Lakeside vs #9 Heritage, Round 3
Class AAAAAA, Region 3 Championship Game
Lakeside has no fewer than five players who can manufacture a win for first year coach Jeff Williams, who has guided the Panthers to a 20-4 overall record and a spotless 11-0 run through region play so far. Thursday's semifinal win over Greenbrier was not the only game I've seen in which senior Kre'Sean Hall made the ultimate difference in the outcome. But it may have been the most important one:
Lakeside swept a pair of regular season games against Heritage. The Panthers clinched the regular season region championship at home on January 31 when sophomore Kalen Williams (26 points) and senior Deon Berrien (18) danced their way to a 74-71 win to the roaring approval of their classmates in the stands:
Baldwin repaid Richmond in Milledgeville weeks later, handing the Musketeers their only region loss. We can be sure that two of the town's best coaches who have piled up many of the most notable postseason wins we've seen in the last decade will have their teams in top form for Friday's championship showdown.
I understand why Phillips remembers the game so vividly. I do too. It was a great one and it is the type of game you will see if you visit Laney, Cross Creek, or Evans tomorrow. Or if you tune in to @AugBball!
Lakeside's Kalen Williams (26 points) and Deon Berrien (18) danced their way to a 74-71 win over Heritage. pic.twitter.com/HfrcbD3o31— Chad Cook's AugBball (@AugBball) February 1, 2017
#5 Richmond vs #10 Baldwin
Class AAAA, Region 3 Championship Game
It took Baldwin coach and Augusta native Buck Harris less than 18 months to take the 3 win team he inherited when he left Laney to a region championship game. And if his trip to Augusta Friday from Milledgeville to compete against long time coaching foe Steve Nobles, himself the leader of a perennial state title contender, is as exciting as this season's first region game between Richmond and Baldwin, we will be in for a treat!
Baldwin repaid Richmond in Milledgeville weeks later, handing the Musketeers their only region loss. We can be sure that two of the town's best coaches who have piled up many of the most notable postseason wins we've seen in the last decade will have their teams in top form for Friday's championship showdown.
#1 Cross Creek vs Richmond
Class AAAA, Region 3 Championship Game
Memphis signee Alana Davis has been the area's most dominant player for two seasons running. The Lady Razorbacks rolled through region play undefeated, much like they did in Thursday's semifinal game against Burke County:
But Richmond's scoring machine Jasmine Robinson, a Troy signee who has scored over 2,000 career points and who went for 50 in a game this season, has proven she can do things others simply cannot. Friday she and her Lady Musketeer teammates will get the chance to shock us all by attempting to knock off the state's top team. Watch Jasmine (in the first three clips of the video below) work against Baldwin in Thursday's semifinal win:
#6 Butler vs #9 Josey
Class AA, Region 4 Semifinals
The Bulldogs and Eagles have an endless rivalry and both teams will seemingly always be fixtures in the region and state tournament picture. Josey handed Butler one of its two league losses during the regular season. So there is no reason to believe the Eagles cannot knock off the top seeded Bulldogs Friday at Laney. Josey certainly looked ready Wednesday, knocking off Glenn Hills in the quarterfinal round:
#1 Laney vs Westside
Class AA, Region 4 Semifinals
The most dominant high school team on this area's Georgia's side did this the last time I saw them in action against a region foe, and I expect much the same from the Lady Wildcats this weekend:
#3 Aquinas vs First Presbyterian (in Macon)
Class A, Region 7 Semifinals
Aquinas sports a 23-1 record and it may be the area's best team. It may also have the best fans. Evidence in support of both points can be found in Wednesday's report from the Fighting Irish's quarterfinal round win over Twiggs County at Aquinas:
#7 Grovetown vs Heritage
Class AAAAAA, Region 3 Championship Game
The Lady Warriors made quick work of Evans Thursday:
#3 Laney vs Westside
Class AA, Region 4 Semifinals
Westside's leader Justin Phillips told me last Saturday (see video below) that he has had Laney on his mind since last season when the Wildcats topped the Patriots in the region championship game:
I understand why Phillips remembers the game so vividly. I do too. It was a great one and it is the type of game you will see if you visit Laney, Cross Creek, or Evans tomorrow. Or if you tune in to @AugBball!
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Sherrill's performance for the Ages; Another dominant performance by Aquinas; and a state tournament birth for Josey
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| Photo via AugustaJags.com |
Augusta 75, Francis Marion 71
Augusta (18-6, 11-5) shares the Peach Belt East lead with Pembroke, which beat Aiken in overtime Monday. The Jags host Armstrong State Saturday at 3:30.
Sherrill was scorching hot from the start:
Brooks made key plays to keep the Jags in a good position to close the first half:
Francis Marion's Detrek Browning (17 points) didn't have enough to stop Sherrill and company. Augusta's Brooks added 10 points in the win:
Aquinas 66, Twiggs County 44
Class A, Region 7 tournament
Aquinas, the state's #3 class A team which has won 23 of 24 games this season by an average margin of nearly 30 points, also has an elite student section! (Maybe I spoke too soon when I called Westminster's the best in town!)
Thanks to Charlesmacdaddy McNeil for shining a light on what may be the area's best team and its phenomenal fans!
Josey 59, Glenn Hills 51
Class AA, Region 4
Josey will face Butler Friday at Laney in the semifinals. The other semifinal matchup will feature Laney and Westside.
AugBball Notes - 2/8/17
Josey vs Glenn Hills (4:00)
- Quarterfinals of the class AA, region 4 tournament
- The winner advances to Friday’s semifinal round and earns a spot in the state tournament
Augusta Lady Jaguars vs Francis Marion (5:30)
- Augusta (7-8) trails Francis Marion (7-7) for the fourth spot in the East (5:30)
- Breonna O’Conner (17) and Abrea Harris (12) lead Augusta
USMMA (7-14, 3-9) at Sarah Lawrence (7:00)
- Matt Miller averages 20 ppg on 42% FG, 37% 3 pt FG, and 85% FT shooting
- Miller is 10th on the school’s all time scoring list
- USMMA has won two straight
Lincoln County (17-5) vs Tatnall
- Quarterfinals of the class A, region 7 tournament
- LC is ranked #5 in class A public
Augusta University vs Francis Marion (7:30)
- Augusta (10-5) is tied at the top of the PBC East divsion with USC Aiken and UNC Pembroke, who play each other in North Carolina.
- Keshun Sherrill (22), Tyvez Monroe (12), Tamyrik Fields (10) lead Augusta in scoring
- Detrek Browning (20) leads Francis Marion; freshman Jaquez Smith, a North Augusta High graduate, averages 4 points in 17 minutes per game
Mars Hill (4-18, 2-14) at Brevard (8:00 PM)
- Greenbrier graduate Justen Hartfield, a freshman, will start after scoring 25 points in 27 minutes in Saturday’s 83-79 loss Saturday to Newberry.
Aquinas (22-1) vs Twiggs County (8:30)
- Quarterfinals of the class A, region 7 tournament
- Tre Gomillion recently won the region player of the year award
- Aquinas has won its games by an average margin of 29 points
Virginia Tech at Miami (9:00)
- Live stats: http://www.hokiesports.com/mbasketball/live/
- VT’s record: 16-5, 5-4 - 8th in the ACC
- Sophomore Ahmed Hill, an Aquinas graduate, scores 12.5 ppg
California at Arizona State (11:00)
- Broadcast: http://www.espn.com/watchespn/index
- Schedule link for live stats: http://www.calbears.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball
- Butler High School’s Don Coleman has not played recently due to injury
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Greenbrier's Boys and Evans' Girls Advance to Region Tourney Semis, Earn Spot in State Tourney
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| Top: Greenbrier's Richard Crawford III, Austin Canaday, and Nick Murry Bottom: Coach Ryan Morningstar, Evans (girls) |
Below is a rewind, all in one place, of Tuesday nights highlights and updates from Greenbrier's win over Grovetown, the Evans Lady Knights' victory over Lakeside, and Alcovy's defeat of Evans.
Greenbrier topped Grovetown to advance to the class AAAAAA, region 3 tournament semifinal round and earn a spot in the state playoffs. The Wolfpack face top seed Lakeside Thursday at 8:00 at Evans.
Greenbrier's Richard Crawford III carried the scoring load in the first half, dueling with Grovetown's Eric Graham.
Crawford ended the second quarter on a high note.
Nick Murry, Jordan Jake, and Austin Canaday asserted themselves in the second half.
Lexi Jeffcoat led all scorers with 15 points, including the free throw to clinch Evans's 50-49 quarterfinal round win over Lakeside. The Lady Knights face top seed Grovetown Thursday at 6:30. The next two region tournament games will determine their seed in next week's state playoffs.
Here is how the final minutes of the fourth quarter unfolded:
Lakeside led much of the game...
... after a fast start by both teams.
#3 seed Evans lost a heart breaker to #6 seed Alcovy after leading by two possessions late in the fourth quarter:
Monday, February 6, 2017
Augusta, USC Aiken, and Pembroke win to remain locked at the top of the Peach Belt East after Monday's wins
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| Augusta, Aiken, and Pembroke remain tied at the top after all three teams won Monday. |
Augusta 86, Flagler 75
Augusta (10-5 in PBC play) hosts Francis Marion Wednesday.
USC Aiken 86, Armstrong State 85
AugBball Area Hoops News Update: 2-6-17
The first 2.5 minutes or so are about Augusta University, USC Aiken, and the Peach Belt Conference East division race. The next few minutes highlight the high school teams which have gone through region play undefeated. Then I wrap up by mentioning the middle school champs in the Richmond County and private school leagues.
I failed to mention several (high school) private school stories I'll follow. Westminster travels to John Milledge Tuesday to play for the top seed in next week's region tournament. The loser gets the 2 seed and will face Augusta Prep. Augusta Christian hosts Hammond Tuesday. The Lions are finishing their region schedule and trying to earn the highest possible state tournament seed. And Alleluia will soon be starting their GICAA state tournament run. The Angels will try to reach the championship for the third straight season. They won the title two seasons ago.
Give me some feedback about whether you like the news update, please. It will be appreciated.
Friday, February 3, 2017
Friday Review: Dunlop and Dresser light up the scoreboard; Robinson shoots past 2,000 points; and re-broadcasts of Laney-Josey boys and girls games
The area's top two scorers scorched the nets in an impressive display of offense at Augusta Christian Friday night.
Dresser got off to a scorching start with 5 first quarter three pointers.
Dunlop responded with a big second quarter and the pair had logged 50 points combined by halftime!
Another scoring machine, Richmond's Jasmine Robinson, eclipsed the 2,000 points for her career in the Lady Musketeers' 54-36 win over Thomson:
Richmond's boys topped Thomson to finish the regular season with a 9-1 record in region play, earning the Musketeers the top seed in next week's region tournament. Thomson's loss hands Baldwin the second seed, giving Richmond and Baldwin automatic spots in the state tournament.
Laney's win over Josey, which clinched the second seed for the Wildcats in next week's region tournament, was broadcast live at the @AugBball Facebook page:
The Lady Wildcats finished their undefeated sprint through region play:
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