“From What I’ve Seen..” – Other Match-Ups To Watch

<p>Continuing our look at opening-round playoff matches featuring teams I've seen this year, and again no disrespect to any team, we're having some fun March Madness-style going through the brackets, matchups, and players who could make an impact.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #0000ff;"><strong>AAAAA - Lithonia at Hiram</strong></span></p> <p>So, what did Hiram get for catching fire in the last third of the season and riding a 10-game winning streak all the way to the 5A Region 7 title? The pleasure of hosting a Lithonia team that opened the season 15-0, was ranked in the state top 10 most of the season, and if not for a somewhat surprising slip up in the Region 5 playoffs, would almost certainly have been home hosting someone else. But, they dropped to the 4-seed, and off to they go to visit the Hornets Saturday afternoon. Hiram looked the part of a team whose found it's identity when I saw them play a terrific 2nd half at Cass two weeks ago, and they're led by a slew of athletic guards and wings in <span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong>Arshad Crepsac</strong></span>, <span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/deandre-brown/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/deandre-brown/">Deandre Brown</a></a></strong></span>, <span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong>Tyler Merriweather, </strong><span style="color: #333333;">an</span></span><span style="color: #333333;">d</span> <span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong>Joseph Johnson. </strong></span>And if developing big man <span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong>Jackson Price</strong></span> can be the kind of factor at both ends he's shown the ability to be, it will pose all kinds of problems for a slightly smaller Lithonia bunch.</p> <p>The Bulldogs are of course led by electric guard <span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong><a style="color: #ff6600;" href="https://prephoops.com/player/eric-gaines/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/eric-gaines/">Eric Gaines</a></a></strong></span>, one of the state's surprising sleepers in that his game is clear as day, yet somehow he's evaded the attention of the big boy programs. Don't let his lean 6-2 build fool you, he can light it up from all spots on the floor and is an A+ athlete getting to the rack. Gaines gets plenty of help from his frontcourt in fellow seniors <span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong>Broderick Jones</strong></span> and <strong><span style="color: #ff6600;">Franklin Champion</span></strong>, and they will be keys in their dual match with Hiram's Price. Point guard <span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong>Javontae Jackson</strong></span> may not stretch the measuring tape far, but as a fourth key senior contributor for coach Wallace Corker he is a poised floor leader who can still break down a defense with his speed.</p> <p><em><strong><span style="color: #00ff00;">PREDICTION: Lithonia 63-61</span><br /> </strong></em></p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt; color: #0000ff;"><strong>AAAA - LaGrange at Denmark</strong></span></p> <p>Admittedly, I haven't seen LaGrange this season, I live north of Atlanta and the Grangers hug the Alabama border to the southwest, but I have caught some video highlights. They posted 19 wins on the year, and while they struggled a bit with highly ranked Atlanta-area teams Sandy Creek and Chapel Hill in their region, I don't expect them to be a walkover for the top-seeded and Region champ Danes. The backcourt of <span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong>DJ Burks</strong></span> and <strong><span style="color: #ff6600;">Taylor Stephens</span></strong> will present problems for sure, Burks a deft ballhandler and deadeye 3-point gunner and Stephens a definite threat off the bounce getting to the rim. Yet still, Denmark is on fire and it's hard to see them slowing down much, especially on their home floor. Its lone setback since Christmas break was a narrow 2-point loss on the road at a 25-2 Dawson County team which took home the 3A Region 7 crown in fairly easy order. Sophomore wing <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/robert-cowherd/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/robert-cowherd/">Robert Cowherd</a></a></strong> had a spectacular final against Blessed Trinity Monday night, and he's ably backed by point guard <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/sutton-smith/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/sutton-smith/">Sutton Smith</a></a></strong>, one of the area's best floor generals, and forwards <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/adonnis-tolbert/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/adonnis-tolbert/">Adonnis Tolbert</a></a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/joseph-scott/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/joseph-scott/">Joseph Scott</a></a></strong><span style="color: #ff6600;">,</span> a pair of strong, athletic high fliers who can dominate a game on the glass and inside the painted area. </p> <p><em><strong><span style="color: #00ff00;">PREDICTION: Denmark 72-62</span><br /> </strong></em></p> <p><span style="color: #0000ff; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>OTHER CLASSIFICATIONS</strong></span></p> <p>AAA is Pace Academy's to lose, with future D1 triumvirate of <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/matthew-cleveland/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/matthew-cleveland/">Matthew Cleveland</a></a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/cole-middleton/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/cole-middleton/">Cole Middleton</a></a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/madison-durr/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/madison-durr/">Madison Durr</a></a></strong> setting them up as an awfully tough out if on. I saw AA defending champs Therrell come up just short in a thriller against 7A playoff team North Gwinnett over Christmas, and that was without <strong><span style="color: #ff6600;">Robby Armbrester</span></strong> and <span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong>Cameron Fortson</strong></span>. Region POY <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/roman-son/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/roman-son/">Roman Son</a></a></strong> at the point and <strong><span style="color: #ff6600;">Rasean Frederick</span></strong> at the off-guard are two other terrific options for the Panthers, and at full strength they are a strong bet to make it back to back titles. And in A-Private, while St Francis is loaded behind <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/dwon-odom/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/dwon-odom/">Dwon Odom</a></a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jusaun-holt/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jusaun-holt/">Jusaun Holt</a></a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/chase-ellis/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/chase-ellis/">Chase Ellis</a></a></strong>, and <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kai-simmons/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kai-simmons/">Kai Simmons</a></a></strong> and appears a strong favorite, Mt Pisgah (led by terrific guard <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jojo-peterson/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jojo-peterson/">JoJo Peterson</a></a></strong>), Walker (guard <span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/chandler-baker/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/chandler-baker/">Chandler Baker</a></a></strong></span> and forward <strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/burke-chebuhar/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/burke-chebuhar/">Burke Chebuhar</a></a></strong> lead) and Greenforest are among a group of teams that are more than capable of taking down the top seed.</p>