East Cobb Teams Start State Tourney at Home

A strong finish in regional competition means all the difference when the state high school basketball tournament begins. 

Three of the five East Cobb high school teams competing in the Georgia High School Association tournament that begins this weekend will be playing at home, and all three gained homecourt advantage by reaching their respective regional tournament finals. 

The No. 2 Wheeler boys (22-6), fresh off a 69-66 win over Walton in the Region 5-AAAAA championship game, will play host to North Gwinnett Saturday in a game that starts at 6 p.m. 

Walton (19-6), ranked 8th in Class AAAAA, also is at home Saturday against Mill Creek in a game beginning at 7 p.m. (Class AAAAA boys bracket)

Ticket prices for both games are $7. 

The Pope girls (22-6) who reached the Region 5-AAAA finals, will be at home on Friday, when they face Forsyth Central. The starting time for the game has not yet been announced. (Class AAAA girls bracket)

The Lady Greyhounds also will be competing without Taylor Schwan, their leading scorer, who suffered a knee injury in Saturday's loss to Douglas County. 

The Pope boys (21-7) qualified for the state tourney in Class AAAA but have to hit the road against No. 7 Chattahoochee (24-4) in a game starting at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. It will be televised live on Georgia Public Broadcasting. (Class AAAA boys bracket)

Ironically, the Greyhounds football team reached the state playoffs but fell in the first round to Chattahoochee, the eventual Class AAAA state champion. 

Perhaps the tallest order for any East Cobb school in the first round falls to the Walton girls, who play at 4 p.m. Saturday at Norcross, the defending Class AAAAA state champion. (Class AAAAA girls bracket)