March to Macon: Five Second-Round Games to Watch in 7A
The first round of the state tournament is in the books. Now that we know who’s advancing, here are five 7A matchups to look forward to.
Pebblebrook at Newton: This is as good as it gets in the second round. These programs are perennial final four contenders, so this one feels more like a battle to get to Macon than one to get to the elite eight. Newton has a great home court, so you know that place is going to be jumpin’ when they host the Falcons.
Berkmar at Cherokee: This is the most intriguing part of the bracket because of the number of contenders, and these two are at the top of the list of that discussion. Berkmar was slept on, but the Patriots aren’t strangers to winning this time of year. They beat Buford—one of the favorites from this quadrant—so they can go toe to toe with anyone from this group. Cherokee has been consistently great all season. If the Patriots can pull another upset, brackets across the state will be on fire.
Parkview at Carrollton: Carrollton is on a heater right now. They beat Pebblebrook and Westlake to grab the No. 1 seed, and now, they’ve advanced to the second round to face a battle-tested, talented Parkview team. Jacob Wilkins is a sophomore who’s been on the ascent this season for Parkview, and he’s must see when he’s on the floor.
Westlake at McEachern: I’d say that most of the people who are deeply entrenched in Georgia basketball are eyeballing a potential matchup between Wheeler and McEachern in the elite eight. In order for that to happen, McEachern will have to get by a tough, scrappy Westlake group. Westlake is no pushover, so it’s not a guarantee that we’ll get the battle of the titans, but if we do, it will have the state buzzing.
North Gwinnett at Wheeler: For the aforementioned reasons, it’s going to be interesting to follow this game to see if Wheeler can do their part in setting up a heavyweight elite eight. Also, Isaiah Collier only has a maximum of four games left. He’s been a fixture of the community for years, so seeing him in his final days of high school feels important.
