GHSA Season Preview: Class 7A
Georgia Division – Season Previews
Class 7A
The state of Georgia’s class of 2017 hoopsters was a special one to say the least. The class saw 3 student-athletes (Colin Sexton, MJ Walker, and Wendell Carter) named to the McDonald’s All-American game, with commitments to Duke, Alabama, and Florida State respectively. The state produced many other high major Division I commits, many of which came from the highest classification that the state has to offer. With so many faces gone it leaves unanswered questions about who will be crowned State Champion by seasons end in 2018. In this article we take a look at 5 squads in Georgia’s 7A classification that will look to take home the State Championship trophy in Macon come February:
- Tift County – The 2017 defending state champions caught a lot of people off guard last season, ultimately knocking off Norcross, in a 55-52 battle between North and South Georgia. Tift County who conquered a tough road through the state tournament, aren’t strangers to deep runs in February winning the state championship in 2014.The Blue Devils, who were led by Virginia Tech signee PJ Horne, lost 6 seniors from last year’s squad and look to run region 1 after coming off a 5-1 region campaign a year ago. It will be interesting to see who rises to the occasion next with a new set of leaders and role guys for the 2017-18 campaign.
- Newton – The Newton County Rams come into the season off a great run in the state tournament a year ago, falling to eventual state champion Tift County in the elite 8. The buzz around last year’s team was its streak of 22 wins to begin the season, knocking o
Ashton Hagans
ff defending state champion Liberty County at the annual Hoopsgiving event and 2018 5 star prospect Zion Williamson’s Spartanburg Day Griffins in the Christmas FBI Classic championship game. The Rams didn’t lose a game until the final day of January and used impressive guard play to pile on victories a season ago. Losing the backcourt tandem of JD Notae (Jacksonville signee) and Isaiah Miller (UNC-Greensboro signee) will be tough but this year’s team will be led by 2019 5 star guard Ashton Hagans, which is never a bad option. Newton has a young core in line to replace a total of 7 seniors from last year’s squad so another 22-0 start to the season may be a tall task but there is no doubt that noise will be made from the Covington based team by region and state playoff time.
- Norcross – One of the perineal powerhouses in Georgia, the Norcross Blue Devils come into the season looking make it back to the state finals but this time leaving victorious after a gut-wrenching runner-up finish last season. The Blue Devils lose 3 Division-I signees in guard Jordan Goldwire (Duke), and forwards Rayshaun Hammonds (UGA) and Lance Thomas (Louisville). Norcross does return the talented backcourt of Kyle Sturdivant and Dalvin White as well as front court and last year’s 6th man Joseph Toppin. With the addition of some instate transfers as well as the upcoming stardom of 2020 5 star guard Brandon Boston Jr. there will be little drop off with similar expectations for these Blue Devils.
- McEachern – McEachern is normally a power house on the women’s side of the basketball totem pole, however for the past two season their men’s team has created a buzz out of Powder Springs, Georgia. With such a young squad taking 7A over by storm last year, it’s hard not to consider the now veteran Indians a pre-season favorite to be cro
Shariffe Cooper
wned champions in Macon at seasons end. Led by a quartet of Division 1 bound underclassmen this group had a chance to develop together this summer, running with the AOT Rebels all the way to the Peach Jam 16U championship in July. The Indians have tremendous guard play in 2020 point guard Shariffe Cooper and 2019 wing Isaac Okoro as well as a shot blocking, above the rim big man in 2019 C Babatunde Akingbola. Mix in talented role players like 2019 G Brandon Suggs as well as Pebblebrook transfer 2019 C Jared Jones, and there could be a chance for this Indian team to finish off what was an impressive 29-0 start to their season a year ago before their Final Four run in with eventual state champion Tift County in the state tournament.
- Westlake – The Westlake Lions are coming off an 18-11 overall record, region runner-up finish and double overtime loss to Newton in the round of 16 last year. They are the State Champions from the 2015-2016 season and will look to return to championship form in 2017-18. They lose the likes the likes of last year’s Mr. Georgia Basketball and Auburn Signee Chuma Okeke as well as departure via transfer from former NC State commit, 2018 guard Jamie Lewis. Current Lion guards Chase Hunter and Robert Norwood will look to lead the way for a consistent contender out of region 6.