With the Georgia boys high school basketball season well underway, the quest to crown the state’s best team begins. While the playoffs will truly decide a champion, debates last throughout the season as to which squad is the most dominant. As of now, seven teams stand out as potential candidates for the state’s top ranking.
Kell
The Longhorns are MaxPreps’s top-ranked team in Georgia and stand undefeated at 8-0. They have scored close wins over Pebblebrook and McEachern and have defeated lower-class power Greenforest twice by four and five points.
Besides that, though, their schedule has left more to be desired. Dates with Centennial and Cambridge have hardly challenged the Longhorns, and their first matchup against a top-5 team in the state comes against Grayson early in January. If Kell can remain consistent through a grueling stretch of out-of-state opponents, they will easily retain the top spot in Georgia.
Grayson
The Rams’ only loss in their eight games came against Pebblebrook at Norcross High School. Besides that, Grayson has been flawless. A 30-point win over perennial 5A finalist Tri-Cities showcased the Rams’ offensive firepower, while beatdowns of Berkmar, King’s Ridge Christian, and Grissom (AL) demonstrated suffocating defense. No opponent has scored more than 70 points on Grayson.
Wins over Etowah and Alexander also add to the Rams’ resume, but the three-point loss to Pebblebrook is a blemish that may keep Grayson from claiming the title of best boys basketball team in Georgia.
McDonough
Undefeated at 7-0, McDonough has rarely been challenged on the court. The Warhawks are coming off a 26-3 campaign last season, and Avante Nichols and Amon McDowell have shouldered much of the offensive load, just as they did a year ago. The duo has been greatly successful against over-.500 squads, such as Langston Hughes, Woodland-Stockbridge, and Lovett.
However, McDonough has yet to face a top-15 team in the state. Additionally, they struggled to put away Johnson-Savannah, allowing nearly 60% shooting from the floor. The Warhawks’ strength of schedule and defensive concerns may be challenged in future tilts against Buford, Lowndes, and Greenforest.
Milton
Success in basketball is a standard for the Eagles, and a 9-0 start to the 2022 season is indicative of their potential to be the best boys basketball team in Georgia. The highlight of the season so far is a thrilling victory over Pebblebrook in a rematch of last season’s quarterfinals. Milton has also collected double-digit wins over Gwinnett opponents Shiloh, North Gwinnett, and Parkview, and has recently entered the national scene with victories over a pair of Arizona schools.
A stumble against Chapel Hill stands as the only criticism against the Eagles, and a favorable region schedule might increase the chances of Milton snagging the No. 1 ranking.
Eagle’s Landing
The Eagles always have a talented roster with physical on-court play, but this season has resulted in more questions than answers. Eagle’s Landing followed a 70-48 blowout of North Gwinnett with a six-point win over Southwest DeKalb and a close three-point win against St. Pius X. They also blew out Hillgrove and Warner Robins, but escaped Jones County.
This rollercoaster of results and a lack of consistency is likely what holds undefeated Eagle’s Landing back from the top spot. With three out-of-state opponents and dates with Marist and Buford ahead, the Eagles may experience their first loss of the season soon.
Norcross
It’s hard to find a weak spot on Norcross’s resume so far. The Blue Devils’ first win of the season came against Sandy Creek by 12, and they have yet to cool down, defeating Marist, Meadowcreek, Newton, and Berkmar along the way. Only Newton managed to stay within single digits of the Blue Devils.
The defending 7A state champions have a favorable road ahead and could enter the playoffs with three or fewer losses if they remain as consistent. It would be tough to deny them the highest ranking with that level of regular season success.
Wheeler
To some, the Wildcats are an easy choice as the best boys basketball team in Georgia. Led by the nation’s best player, Isaiah Collier, Wheeler is off to a 5-1 start with season-opening victories over Etowah and North Gwinnett (both by double digits). A 10-point victory over two-win Grovetown does not appear as enticing, but a close loss to nationally ranked Columbus (FL) restores faith for Wildcat fans.
Wheeler will not return home until January 10, and having played only three games against opponents from Georgia, ranking them highly may require a larger sample size first.
Who do you believe is the best boys basketball team in Georgia? And which team will prove their consistency with a state championship in their classification? An exciting second half of the Georgia high school season is on the horizon!
