Postseason play in high gear for area schools

ALBANY — The first round of the Georgia High School Association state basketball tournaments begin this week with a handful of Albany-area teams pursuing a deep postseason run.

While the GHSA begins its first-round play, the Georgia Independent Christian Athletic Association (GICAA) also begins its postseason play with quarterfinal action this weekend.

Meanwhile, the Georgia Independent Schools Association (GISA) begins region play.

The GHSA first-round pairings for Classes 7A-2A have been released. The Region 1-AAAAAA champion Lee County boys will entertain Alcovy on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Westover boys visit Region 3-AAAA champion Baldwin, Monroe’s boys visit Johnson-Savannah and the Albany boys visit Washington County.

The Worth County boys will play host to Islands on Saturday.

The first-round girls matchups are scheduled for Friday night. The Monroe girls, who captured the Region 1-AAA crown, will play host to Southeast Bulloch.

The Dougherty girls, meanwhile, will head to Savannah to meet Beach High.

The Class A pairings have not been announced because the classification uses a power-ranking system. Playoff seedings will be finalized on Wednesday.

Several area schools are expected to earn berths. The Pelham girls and Calhoun County boys, by virtue of winning the Region 1-A Tournament, earned automatic berths.

The GICAA, which has just three rounds of postseason play, begins Thursday with girls play.

In Division I-AA play, the Sherwood Christian girls will meet Creekside Christian Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Central Georgia Tech in Macon.

On Saturday, the Sherwood Christian boys will meet Praise Academy at 6 p.m. at Central Georgia Tech.

GICAA winners advance to the state semifinals and finals on Feb. 24-25 at the Cavalier Arena on the Albany State West campus.

The GISA Region 3-AAA Tournament begins Tuesday night with games involving four and five seeds. The winners advance to the semifinals on Friday which will be played at the Cavalier Arena on the Albany State West campus.

The Deerfield-Windsor girls and boys earned No. 3 seeds and will play on Friday. The Lady Knights will meet second-seeded Brookwood at 4 p.m., while the Deerfield-Windsor boys will play No. 2 seed Southland at 5:30 p.m.

Terrell Academy will play host to the GISA Region 3-AA Tournament which begins Monday night with a trio of girls games. The Westwood girls and Terrell Academy boys earned byes to Thursday’s semifinals by winning the regular-season titles.

The Region 3-AA championships will be played on Friday night.

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Georgia High School Association State Basketball pairings

Boys

Class AAAAAA

Alcovy at Lee County, Saturday, TBA

Class AAAA

Westover at Baldwin, Saturday, TBA

Class AAA

Monroe at Johnson-Savannah, Saturday, TBA

Islands at Worth County, Saturday, TBA

Class AA

Albany at Washington County, Saturday, TBA

Girls

Class AAA

Southeast Bulloch at Monroe, Friday, TBA

Dougherty girls at Beach, Friday, TBA

Georgia Independent Christian Athletic Association

Boys

At Central Georgia Tech, Macon

Division I-AA

Sherwood Christian vs. Praise Academy, Saturday, 6 p.m.

Girls

Sherwood Christian vs. Creekside Christian, Friday, 5:30 p.m.

Georgia Independent Schools Association

Region 3-AAA Tournament

At Southland Academy

Tuesday

Southland girls vs. Valwood, 5 p.m.

Tiftarea boys vs. Brookwood, 6:30 p.m.

At Albany State West

Friday

Brookwood girls vs. Deerfield-Windsor, 4 p.m.

Southland boys vs. Deerfield-Windsor, 5:30 p.m.

Tiftarea girls vs. Southland/Valwood winner, 7 p.m.

Valwood boys vs. Tiftarea/Brookwood winner, 8:30 p.m.

At Albany State West

Saturday

Girls consolation game, 2 p.m.

Boys consolation game, 3:30 p.m.

Girls championship game, 5 p.m.

Boys championship game, 6:30 p.m.

Region 3-AA Tournament

At Terrell Academy

Monday

Southwest Georgia girls vs. Georgia Christian, 4:30 p.m.

Terrell Academy girls vs. Grace Christian, 6 p.m.

Crisp girls vs. Highland Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday

Westwood boys vs. Georgia Christian, 4:30 p.m.

Highland Christian boys vs. Grace Christian, 6 p.m.

Crisp boys vs. Southwest Georgia, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday

Crisp/Highland girls winner vs. Terrell/Grace winner, 4 p.m.

Crisp/SGA boys winner vs. Highland/Grace winner, 5:30 p.m.

Westwood girls vs. SGA/Georgia Christian winner, 7 p.m.

Terrell Academy boys vs. Westwood/Georgia Christian winner, 8:30 p.m.

Friday

Girls consolation game, 4 p.m.

Boys consolation game, 5:30 p.m.

Girls championship game, 7 p.m.

Boys championship game, 8:30 p.m.