Can Meadowcreek Repeat As Champions?

<p><strong>Atlanta, Georgia</strong> - The 2018-2019 GHSA state playoffs begin tonight and it is win or go home time for every program around the state. We all know Georgia's highest classification, class 7A, is not only the highest class but the most competitive class and especially on the basketball court. Last seasons champions caught many people by surprise and that surprise was Meadowcreek High School defeating powerhouse Norcross High School for the 7A title. </p> <p>The question that has been passed around all season long is could Meadowcreek repeat as champions in the toughest class? The answer is yes they potentially can. The Mustangs lost two key pieces from last year's championship squad but returned two key pieces and starters in <strong>South Florida commit 2019 SG Jamir Chaplin</strong> and <strong>2021 PG Kedrick Green</strong>. Of course nobody was expecting those two guys to carry the load this year by themselves. North Carolina natives <strong>UAB commit 2019 PG Jalen Benjamin </strong><em>(pictured above) </em>and <strong>Temple commit 2019 SG Damian Dunn</strong> were two key transfers the Mustangs picked up and two guys who ran with Chaplin on the Adidas Gauntlet with Stackhouse Elite (NC). </p> <p>Benjamin and Dunn bought the offensive and defensive spark to this year's team and moved to Georgia for one reason only and that is to defend Meadowcreek's title and to repeat as champions. The Mustangs this year are coming into the state playoffs with a 20-5 overall record. Now that is pretty impressive if you ask me, especially after you find out who they have battled this year. Meadowcreek has been battle tested all season long after facing programs like Wheeler, Holy Spirit Prep, Wasatch Academy (UT), Grayson, South Shore (NY), Discovery, Norcross three times, and others. </p> <p>Head Coach Curtis Gilleylen and his staff were not ducking from the national competition or the states best this year. After winning their region tilte and defeating their neighborhood rival Norcross High School, the Mustangs will have home court advantage during their state playoff run, if their is a run that is. They have been placed on the top right quadrant this year on the state playoff bracket and where they could possibly breeze through the competition. </p> <p>The Mustangs will host Duluth High School in their first round matchup and will face the winner of the Lambert/Newton matchup next week. Lambert and Newton are two teams the Mustangs should not sleep on as they are both competitve programs who will not give up without a fight. Newton should come out with this one, especially since they defeated Lambert already earlier in the season. If Meadowcreek can defeat Newton or Lambert, then their elite 8 matchup should come against Pebblebrook High School, assuming they win both of their first round matchups. </p> <p>Now Pebblebrook is not the same Pebblebrook we have known them to be in the past. This Pebblebrook squad is a young squad and does not have a bunch of big time playoff experience so Meadowcreek should also come out with the win if they were to meet them in the elite 8. Now in my opinion, I have Meadowcreek making it to the final four and that is when I believe the competiton for them will become even higher. They can possibly meet Wheeler, Tift County, Discovery, or Shiloh High School as they are all in the same quadrant, bottom right. </p> <p>No matter who they meet, my prediction stands and I believe Meadowcreek will at least make their second straight appearance in the class 7A state title game. Who do you think they will face if they were to make their second straight appearance in the title game? Well the McEachern Indians have been one of the nations best programs throughout the year and have not lost a game since last year's elite 8 game against Norcross High School, who is also on their side of the bracket. </p> <p>McEachern could potentially meet Meadowcreek in the state title game down in Macon, Georgia and what a game that will be. McEachern is on their own quest on capturing their first ever state title and also making an appearance in the 2019 Geico High School National Championships in New York, New York. Meadowcreek certainly has the team to defend their title and making another appearance in the title game. Tonight it will all begin, it is win or go home. </p>