3@3: Will a GA HS team go undefeated this season?
Welcome to the 2015-2016 season in the state of Georgia. The March to Macon has officially begun and we couldn’t be more excited to get things rolling here in the Peach State. Every day for the next couple of weeks we will tackle three questions at 3 p.m. about the upcoming season.
Justin Young and Carter Wilson will jump right into the conversation about the best teams, best players, best games and much more as the opening tip looms around the corner.
Have a question? Please use #AskHoopSeen and our guys will be sure to tackle your questions along the way!
What metro Atlanta county is the basketball county this year?
Every county always wants to have bragging rights. This year, I think Gwinnett County is the best basketball county. Gwinnett has a number of teams that could make runs in the state playoffs with Shiloh, Norcross, Berkmar, Collins Hill, and Dacula being the five big ones. Also, don’t sleep on Buford with Eddie Martin at the helm as well as Greater Atlanta Christian, who returns a solid core of players. - Carter Wilson
This is a tough call because every county, especially in metro Atlanta, thinks they have the goods to stand the tallest at the end of the season. Gwinnett certainly is loaded but I like the appeal of Fulton County this season. Pace Academy could be the AA winner. Milton is deep and talented at the right places. Westlake could make a push for a Macon date. St. Francis is the defending Private Class A champs. Pound for pound, we could see four state titles come back to the state’s biggest county. - Justin Young
Will any team in Georgia go undefeated?
I don’t see any teams going undefeated this year. The state is very competitive among the top teams, whose coaches are not afraid to challenge their players with difficult schedules. With the competitive scheduling, I think it will be very difficult for any teams to go undefeated. There are teams that are certainly talented enough to go unbeaten, but it would take a special run for anyone to finish the season with an unblemished record. - CW
I’d love to see it just for history’s sake. McIntosh came awfully close last season, going 29-1. The region schedule is favorable and there are some talented out-of-state teams on the schedule like IMG Academy at the Holiday Hoopsgiving. But undefeated? That’s going to be a tough run. If I had to pick one school to make such a run, the Chiefs would be my pick. - JY
What are your thoughts on the state championship games being held in Macon?
I’m not a fan of it. Without question, there are better much better venues that the state championship games can be played. I understand that Macon is centrally located, but metro Atlanta is where the games belong and has much more relevant venues like Gwinnett Arena, McCamish Pavilion, or Kennesaw State’s Convocation Center. I would always prefer to be at the games, but as long as the games are in Macon it is much more convenient to watch them on television, especially with the format of the games being spread out over the course of three days. - CW
I don’t like it. I’ve never liked it. I probably never will like it. Truth be told, I think the venue is disrespectful to the talent and pageantry we have in the state of Georgia. I work in the basketball logistics business on a daily basis. I understand how difficult it is, sometimes, to maintain positive and profitable relationships with venues. I 100 percent get that. But the Centreplex is an outdated venue for the allure of a championship. The semifinals - at every classification - are played in better facilities. There are several high school gyms that would be better facilities than the Centreplex. Georgia Tech would be great. Mercer’s gym is gorgeous. The Gwinnett Arena served nicely during the run. Football holds the championship games at the Georgia Dome. AT THE GEORGIA DOME! I’m sure the cost for that is the highest of any venue in the state. So, when are we going to end the season at Philips Arena? - JY