Final rankings: Why did metro Atlanta win all 10?
For the first time in history, metro Atlanta teams have won every state championship in basketball.
Before asking why, let’s look at how times have changed. In the 1990s, metro teams won only 28 percent of the state basketball titles. In the last five years, metro teams have won 76 percent of the titles. In the 1980s, there were four years where metro Atlanta won ZERO state titles (1981, 1985, 1988). Metro boys teams failed to win a state title in 1991, 1993 and 1998.
Here are some things that have happened to change that (in no particular order):
1. The state’s highest classification is more than 80 percent metro Atlanta, and the Savannah schools (which still play great basketball) insist on playing in Class AAAAA with AAAA-AA enrollment. The only non-metro schools in AAAAA are either too few students or too much football.
2. Private schools are putting an emphasis on basketball and attracting top talent, both in players and coaches (Wesleyan, GAC, SWAC, Whitefield Academy).
3. Elite players in metro Atlanta are moving to schools that give them the most exposure and the best chance at a state championship. The schools that play national schedules (Milton, Wheeler, Miller Grove, Columbia, Norcross and others) are only getting richer.
4. AAU teams are making players better and more experienced, and those AAU teams are more prevalent in Atlanta than the rest of the state.
5. There are more metro Atlanta schools than ever, and they are spread throughout the classifications, giving the metro area a competitive shot to win any class.
Don’t forget to check out the rankings and grill me on them. At least I got the No. 1 teams right this week.
BOYS
Class AAAAA
1. Milton (29-4)
2. Westlake (30-3)
3. Norcross (27-3)
4. Central Gwinnett (29-3)
5. Wheeler (23-6)
6. McEachern (25-5)
7. Campbell (22-8)
8. Centennial (20-9)
9. Meadowcreek (22-7)
10. Newton (30-2)
Class AAAA
1. Miller Grove (27-6)
2. Richmond Academy (30-2)
3. Mays (22-5)
4. Bainbridge (27-5)
5. Lithia Springs (24-6)
6. North Clayton (26-4)
7. Hillgrove (24-6)
8. Rockdale County (28-2)
9. Glynn Academy (23-4)
10. Glenn Hills (23-8)
Class AAA
1. Columbia (28-5)
2. LaGrange (31-1)
3. Westover (24-5)
4. South Atlanta (28-3)
5. Elbert County (27-3)
6. Monroe (24-3)
7. North Hall (27-4)
8. Riverwood (19-13)
9. Dougherty (14-13)
10. Liberty County (27-2)
Class AA
1. Greater Atlanta Christian (32-1)
2. Thomasville (24-5)
3. Laney (29-3)
4. Jefferson (25-7)
5. Northeast-Macon (25-3)
6. McIntosh County Academy (22-8)
7. Henry County (15-14)
8. Callaway (20-8)
9. Decatur (22-6)
10. Spencer (19-11)
Class A
1. Wesleyan (26-6)
2. Whitefield Academy (28-4)
3. Terrell County (24-6)
4. Wilkinson County (29-1)
5. Wilcox County (26-3)
6. Providence Christian (23-7)
7. Paideia (20-8)
8. Greenville (20-7)
9. Lanier County (25-5)
10. Gordon Lee (21-6)
GIRLS
Class AAAAA
1. Norcross (28-4)
2. Redan (31-1)
3. Westlake (24-4)
4. Milton (23-6)
5. Mill Creek (26-5)
6. Campbell (24-7)
7. Bradwell Institute (29-2)
8. Stephenson (22-8)
9. McEachern (24-6)
10. Parkview (28-1)
Class AAAA
1. Southwest DeKalb (28-4)
2. Northwest Whitfield (29-4)
3. Dutchtown (27-3)
4. Forest Park (24-6)
5. Mays (22-5)
6. Fayette County (24-6)
7. Madison County (24-7)
8. Loganville (19-11)
9. Rome (29-2)
10. Statesboro (26-4)
Class AAA
1. Columbia (27-3)
2. Carver-Atlanta (27-6)
3. Kendrick (30-1)
4. LaGrange (21-10)
5. Franklin County (18-11)
6. Northside-Columbus (21-7)
7. Westover (24-4)
8. East Hall (23-7)
9. Spalding (22-7)
10. Washington County (25-3)
Class AA
1. Buford (29-4)
2. Vidalia (31-1)
3. Greater Atlanta Christian (26-5)
4. Laney (26-4)
5. Henry County (21-6)
6. Rabun County (27-2)
7. Thomasville (24-4)
8. Dodge County (24-5)
9. Northeast-Macon (25-4)
10. Mitchell County (19-8)
Class A
1. Wesleyan (28-4)
2. Savannah Christian (21-7)
3. Taylor County (29-2)
4. Emanuel County Institute (23-1)
5. Calvary Day (28-3)
6. Southwest Atlanta Christian (22-6)
7. Randolph-Clay (25-4)
8. Paideia (25-4)
9. St. Francis (18-12)
10. Warren County (24-5)
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94 comments Add your comment
SouthGeorgia
March 15th, 2010
10:06 am
It will only get worse. When private schools recruit and even non-private schools can get top talent to move into their districts then fair competition is out the window. The GHSA should step in at some point and regulate this activity, but hey money can buy anything. So don’t expect it to happen anytime soon.
THEHILLISREAL
March 15th, 2010
10:23 am
bodog, Imagine being one of the school who is being cherry picked. Once a kid choose to play AAU, it’s a wrap. Those AAU coaches will get in there ear send them to program/ high school that college connection want them to go to. Mays could have use the 2 sophomore
6″8 players currently on Wheeler roster and, live just few mintue from MAYS.
GT
March 15th, 2010
10:30 am
A majority of the population is in Metro Atlanta too. It would be more of a study to see why the non Metro Atlanta schools can even compete.
Joe
March 15th, 2010
10:31 am
TUCKER TIGERS WILL WIN STATE NEXT YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Decatur 4 Life
March 15th, 2010
10:31 am
First off let me congratulate the Columbia boys and girls teams for bringing home the AAA championship Saturday, great sight to see both teams win the ultimate prize. Big up to the coaching staff of both teams Coach McCrary’s staff as well as Coach Frost’s staff. One thing that I think is definitely under-rated is the coaching job Coach Mac does at Columbia, this coming from a former player of his and someone that has experienced quite a few coaches in my lifetime.(High School and College) With that being said, he’s the best coach I’ve played for bottom line. That answers all this recruiting talk, nobody has to encourage a kid to come to Columbia. That same kid reaches out to US because he wants to better prepare himself for the next level and try to obtain a championship at the same time.
jroc
I’m glad you mentioned the kid from Albany that’s on our team, did you know his aunt stays in our community and pleaded for his folks to send him to Decatur. She felt like he would have a better opportunity playing for Coach Mac and you know what he did. At 6′8 he couldn’t stay on his feet after jumping to block a shot, no footwork or coordination as a sophmore. The staff worked him hard, he accepted that challenge and now has a scholarship at Georgia Southern starting next season. Not saying that couln’t have happen a Dougherty but she moved him for a reason, it takes more than just rolling out the ball at practice to win. We show that year after year that’s why we’re successful, to easy to blame it on recruiting. I just say step your game up outside the city, we don’t complain during football season. We just own basketball!!! Stop crying and just step it up!!!!
2010 Georgia High School Basketball Tournament: You pick the state’s best player and No. 1 teams (UPDATED) | Prep Zone: AJC High School Sports
March 15th, 2010
10:36 am
[...] rankings: Why did Metro Atlanta teams win all 10? Photos: Class AAAAA-AAAA finals State championship schedule | [...]
Eagle 2
March 15th, 2010
10:41 am
couldnt have said it better myself D4L. Us columbia grads know the real deal around here. people criticize things they cant understand. so while they hate we will keep adding to our tradition. the foundation had been laid. what we are dealing with on here are sore losers.
RemATL
March 15th, 2010
10:55 am
Catlady where do you live? Buford is in Gwinnett County…
wolfbait67
March 15th, 2010
11:26 am
it did not start recently…….NGHS has always whined about their athletes transferring to Buford…….NGHS had the players but not the coaching that Buford had…..only recently did NGHS finally get on board with quality coaching……..come on NGHS, renew what was once one of the best rivalries in the county but they do not want to lose to a AA school…..selah as Furman Bisher would say.keep up the good work
Al Beeski
March 15th, 2010
11:31 am
Congrats to all the Metro teams who won state titles from an Albany & sowega hoops fan. I’m not crying over the recruiting or whatever else goes on in Atl, if u can recruit & get away with it, kool. The teams down (specifically the coaches)here in the South have to step their game up and try & find a way to win & deal with it.
brandon
March 15th, 2010
12:38 pm
too many Private schools playing single A ball.
Leigh
March 15th, 2010
12:55 pm
what a bunch of whining, what happened to good sportsmanship, congratulating excellent play skills, no one whines when USA wins Olympic events with pro players. Bet people are looking to put their kids in private school programs with State Championships, and get a quality education to boot, and guess what, their taxes pay for public school programs.
3 Straight
March 15th, 2010
1:26 pm
Final Norcross boys moved up even if it is only to 3rd in the state. However we all know what happened and those you know the truth knows that without that at least questionable call my name would have changed to 4 state championships.
WheelerFan#2
March 15th, 2010
1:41 pm
blank happens 3 straight, if the best team always won every game then wheeler would be in at least the finals every single year, but thats why they play the games…we’ll see you next year, tho might not be a fun year with milton returning everyone inlcuding the water boys and trainers
Eastside Jacket
March 15th, 2010
3:50 pm
Newton wins 30 games and loses two (one to AAAAA #1 Milton and one to AAAA #2 Richmond Academy) and they are no better than 10th in AAAAA ??? Milton beat them bad but also played their best game of the season and would’ve given Tech or UGA a run for their money that night (61% shooting). #10 seems awfully low for a team that made the Final Four, beat season long Top 10 Groves, and only allowed one team to score over 60 points all season.
DAWG BBALLER
March 15th, 2010
4:09 pm
Eastside Jacket: I think 10 is just about right. Milton played the way it has played all season on a high level with some extremely good players. Please don’t make it seem Milton played out it element. They are one of the top teams in the COUNTRY. Newton just built a good record on a cupcake schedule and played against the weak Region 1-4 regions to advance to the final four. Heck, WESTLAKE played the majority of the game without its BEST PLAYER and still only lost by 10 while Newton was at full force and got waxed, not because Milton played their best game, but Newton just wasn’t good enough. Newton couldn’t beat none of the nine teams ranked ahead of them even if they sit their best player. Sorry, dude, but your cupcake schedule just caught up to you all when you faced some real competition.
SWD FAN
March 15th, 2010
4:15 pm
Congrats, to the lady Panthers on their 3-Peat. Looking forward to next year … a possible 4-Peat with five players returning that will be at least 6′ are taller and lets not forget about the best coaching staff in AAAA.
jroc
March 15th, 2010
5:23 pm
Decatur 4 Life i was’t trying to expose your school for recruiting i never mentioned anything about recruiting in my bloggs about Columbia I just heard it was a kid from Albany on your team I was just trying to make the point that Columbia was winning with albany talent.I don’t blame the kid for leaving dougherty they dont have the right coach right now remember i said he has benifited from his move greatly got to travel and got a D-1 scholarship and on top of that has 2 state championships Thanks for developing the kid and helping him to fulfill his dreams. I apologize for the misunderstanding GOO EAGLES!!
jroc
March 15th, 2010
5:52 pm
Atlanta’s area schools are now just experiencing what Albany area schools experienced in the 90’s and early 2000’s Westover Dougherty Mitchel-Baker and Randolph Clay won about 70 percent of the titles in those years Really we passed the torch to you guys and yall didnt want to accept it yall looked at it walked away so we dropped it on the ground and when we turned our backs yall picked it off the ground and went running with it.When Albany was dominating we beat Atlantas top city schools at the time Crim and Southside its top private schools St. pius and marist and a host of others.What happened this past weekend should of been happening for a long time with all the money and facilities in Metro Atlanta.Albany schools and other top b-ball programs in the rest of Georgia are still competing they just didnt have the shooters this year.Schools thats not from atlanta area do show more fight and play harder against all odds I just wish i could see a little more effort and more dominate play with all that D-1 talent on your schools Miller Grove was very impressive and seems to me to be the top team in the state Congrats to all the championship schools in the metro area
FCHSTiger
March 15th, 2010
5:54 pm
Resign or resign, there is much more to Metro Atlanta than you named. Redan and Fayette are both obviously in the Metro area.
indianman
March 15th, 2010
7:38 pm
buford won it because that recurit
The Ville
March 15th, 2010
7:40 pm
How could you put Norcross #3 in the rankings ahead of Central Gwinnett? Was Norcross in the Final 4? Nope! Central Gwinnett didn’t play a national schedule, they didn’t need to. All that matters in the playoffs is what you do in GA. They still beat Wheeler, McEachern and had a much bigger Westlake team on the ropes before losing in overtime. Westlake was supposed to blow them out with their height advantage. Central’s tallest player was a 6′4 soph and started 2 players under 6′0. Central Gwinnett was 2 missed shots away in regulation from being in the c’ship game. A team that finished 29-3 (losses by a combined 11 pts). Central Gwinnett caught everyone by surprise. No transfers needed here. No Worldwide, GA Stars or Southern Kings tandems or trio’s here. Every player on their team attended the one middle school that feeds into Central Gwinnett. A true home grown team, can Norcorss say that? That is a slap in the face to Central. The only Gwinnett County boys team in AAAAA to make it into the Gwinnett Arena! Norcross’ loss to Milton didn’t come down to a bad call by the refs. The game is played for 4 qtrs. They should have played better the whole game. Woulda, coulda, shoulda!
jroc
March 15th, 2010
7:44 pm
Even though most of the 5A schools are in Atlanta there is a lot of parody in that classification in the metro area with really no breakaway team.If schools like valdosta lowndes or any of the schools in the savanah brunswick areas focused less on their cash cow football And really cocentrate on hiring a good b-ball coach they would win every other year in 5a Or if Macon Columbus Albany Savannah or Augusta just had 1 school specificly for b-ball talent those schools would win alot of titles I know these are a bunch of hypotheticals but that would be awesome to see all that talent displayed in a gym with state bragging rights at stake
DAWG BBALLER
March 15th, 2010
8:27 pm
JROC: I hear what you are saying, but that won’t make any difference in the future of high school basketball. This is not to sound arrogant but the better basketball players live in the Atlanta area. It’s not opinion, but fact-based because more players in the Atlanta area are receiving college scholarships than the rest of the state. Name the last big-time recruit in Savannah, Macon, Valdosta or Albany?
When a person’s high-paying job transfers them, it will more than likely be Atlanta, than Macon, Savannah, Albany or Columbus. A better job market with affordable housing has been the big boom in Atlanta than has attracted some good basketball players.
One point that Todd didn’t touch on is now that Atlanta has become an attractive place to live. Many current and former athletes are making their home here. Those former athletes children are playing in the metro area schools.
The boom in private schools emergence hasn’t been recruiting, but more people in the Atlanta area can afford to send their kids to private schools without breaking the bank. Just look at all the Fortune 500 companies, international law firms, top-rated hospitals that offer great paying jobs in the metro area.
I know you are hoping for the heyday to return for schools outside the Atlanta area in basketball, but I think that has past.
Fin
March 15th, 2010
9:18 pm
To the people complaining that schools recruit and the GHSA should do something about it, if the GHSA did something about that…you would also have to stop people who are moving to schools for academic reasons or performing arts reasons. Any way a parent can get their child into college without money coming out of their pocket, I’m all for. If your child is a good athlete, of course you want them going to the school that would provide them exposure to get to the next level (college). I don’t think there is a parent that has a child going to high school that is looking forward to PAYING for college. If there is an opportunity, whether it be sports, academics, or performing arts to get into college without paying, no parent is going to turn that down.
Milton fan
March 15th, 2010
10:10 pm
All together now…Norcross, you are a really swell team. probably the best in the state. If not for that devious thrown game in the quarterfinals, you guys would have won the state no question. You are truly the best. There, will you puleeze stop now?? Go to a movie. Maybe read a good book. Go eat out at one of your many splendid restaurants in Norcross. Just please stop the whining and begging for affirmation. It has gotten awkward.
Bruin 777
March 15th, 2010
10:27 pm
The top 5 AAAA girls teams should be:
1) SWD
2) NW
3) Mays
4) Fayette
5) Loganville
Why? It’s not how you start it’s how you finish and look at the strength of schedule of these teams, especially the sleeper here, Loganville. They had SWD on the ropes. The only AAAA school in the state to give SWD a game besides an upset by Marist when several SWD players didn’t play from my understanding.
Bruin 777
March 15th, 2010
10:29 pm
Dutchtown and Forest Park only beat each other, when they played anybody that was good they lost. Sorry. They did have great seasons but let’s be real, who did they play?
Guwinster
March 15th, 2010
10:39 pm
Everyone complaining about AJC coverage for high school basketball needs to try looking for info on other sports. The soccer season has been going on for several weeks and the AJC hasn’t even mentioned it. When they ran their little 3-4 paragraph article on the wrestling championships they didn’t even list the correct AAAAA state champion.
The AJC is dropping the ball on all high school sports including football. If they want their sports section to succede they need to cover EXCLUSIVELY high school and college events. No one picks up the AJC to read about a Hawks game that happened 2 days ago. They watch the results on ESPN.com as they happen. Unlike w/ NASCAR, the NFL etc, the AJC practically has a monopoly on high school sports, and they would really gain a lot if they were to adequately cover high school sports across the board.
Dylan
March 15th, 2010
10:56 pm
I agree Bruin 777. I do think Loganville should be in front of Fayette though.
Former Ga Res
March 15th, 2010
11:06 pm
Still disappointed that I had to read this story to learn who won the state championships. The AJC continues, year after year, to provide shoddy at best coverage of basketball. I decided that as much as I wanted to know who won, I wouldn’t open the GHSA provided brackets to learn who won. Seems a shame the AJC can’t provide one story to their web page about who won the titles. I spent the better part of my working career covering sports for small town newspapers in Georgia, and I have watched the basketball coverage get worse year after year. I know football is king in Georgia, but based on the comments and feeling expressed here, there are lots of folk who continue to follow basketball with a passion. As a now out-of-state resident I still see this decline in coverage. Shame, AJC, Shame on you.
Zone3canE
March 16th, 2010
2:56 am
Willie Boston INVENTED recruiting in Ga. high school basketball, just ask the people at Monroe High in Albany who provided him Dontonio Wingfield and many others. No disrespect to Mr. Boston but his championships would have made a much GREATER IMPACT if they were won at HISTORIC Monroe High.
Coulmbia Class of "98"
March 16th, 2010
11:54 am
GO EAGLES, I’m so proud of them for bringing those titles to the EAST SIDE of things,
oldfart
March 16th, 2010
1:22 pm
Imagine you are a coach who is well known by the universities’ coaches that you excel in teaching and grooming kids for the next level. The parents of an 6-6 freshman are told by the coach of (insert major university here) that they would prefer the kid play for you, the great developmental coach down the road. They are willing to pay the out of district fees or even relocate to make it happen. You are the coach and know you can help the kid become great. What do you do? What can you do legally when the parents who want the best situation for the kid are instigating the transfer?
Frankly I find it funny that south GA is leading the complaints on here after decades of football recruiting at certain schools.
South DeKalb schools win four Championships « South Dekalb
March 16th, 2010
3:47 pm
[...] Final rankings: Why did metro Atlanta win all 10 [...]
jroc
March 16th, 2010
5:25 pm
Zone3 Dontonio Wingfield stayed in willow wood Yes the neigborhood is close to monroe but it is westovers zone
Al
March 16th, 2010
7:17 pm
That Polling is a crock Why Is Rockmart High School not on the list for AA. Somebody explain please.
DAWG BBALLER
March 16th, 2010
8:38 pm
Al: I’m sure you are joking, right? Rockmart, the Region 7-AA champion was sent home in the first round of state by the Blessed Trinity, the NO.4 (FOUR) seed from Region 6. They got beat by 23 points on their homecourt. They played in a very weak region that got swept in the first round by an average of 25 points. Weak team, in a very weak region.
Devil Nation
March 16th, 2010
10:26 pm
Hey M f. When your team has at least three championship in a row plus one by the girls then maybe we will listen to you.
FrancisScottKey
March 17th, 2010
12:29 am
a personal favorite this year was the AJC mentioning a player named “Jershon Cook” playing for Columbia. the headline read something about “cook leading the way”. too bad there isn’t even a Cook on the team. it took until the last paragraph for the article to mention that his name is Jershon COBB. another glaring mistake by the AJC’s pitiful coverage of high school basketball.
Al
March 17th, 2010
9:47 am
Bballer you seem to know alot about Rockmart I guess you know two of the best players were down. Believe me it was one on five in that game. and they double and tripled teamed him. We will see next year.
Norcross schools
March 17th, 2010
10:36 am
Yes. How horrible it must be for the parents of a HS basketball player to be recruited out of public schools to play for a Christian HS? The real question is, why can’t public schools compete? The answer is complex, but pretty obvious.
Dawg Bballer
March 17th, 2010
1:08 pm
Al: Getting beat by a decent, but not great Blessed Trinity team by 23 on your HOMECOURT is not top 10 material. With your two best players, it probably would have been half that. What’s the problem, the other three starters are no good. Apparently, and you all don’t have a bench either. What happen to the other three teams in the region that got swept by an average of 25 points, their best players didn’t play either? As I said, weak team in a very weak region.
Final rankings: Why did metro Atlanta win all 10? | Prep Zone … | I Love High School Football
March 23rd, 2010
1:21 pm
[...] View original post here: Final rankings: Why did metro Atlanta win all 10? | Prep Zone … [...]