Georgia State Playoffs Underway
The 2002 Georgia High School Association State Basketball Tournament Finals
got underway yesterday in Macon, Georgia at the Macon Centreplex.
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The finals (both boys and girls) will be played over the next 7 days in 5
divisions. The days action featured Georgia's smallest schools who compete
in the single A division.
It was a battle of Northern Georgia (Atlanta area ) versus Southern Georgia,
small more rural towns in both contest. Claxton (23-8) ranked #7 in the
state, took on Southwest Atlanta Christian (30-2) and ranked #1. In a very
fast paced, almost frenetic at times game Claxton came away with the victory
70-63.
Claxton with no player over 6'2 was led by junior Jermaine Wilkerson
who scored 31 points, knocking down 5 3's. In defeat SWAC got 28 points 12
rebounds, and 7 blocks from 6'9 super sophomore Dwight Howard. Rivals spoke
with Howards father, who mentioned schools such as Florida, Georgia Tech,
Georgia, Kentucky and Alabama along with many others were showiing early
interest in Dwight. Howard, who suffered a leg injury last year played with
the Atlanta Celtics. He is definitely one to watch.
In the second contest last year's single A champ, Taylor County (26-5) ranked
#4 this year uphended Whitefield Academy (27-4) ranked #2 74-60. Taylor had
three players in double figures, led by junior Alvin Daniels with 22
points. Whitefield was led by top ranked junior Tim Morris with 18. Morris
who played well at the Nike camp last year is being heavily recruited by
several schools.>{?
Georgia Tech, Stanford, Vanderbilt and St.
Louis are some of the schools mentioned by his father.
We did notice Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt taking in the action, observing
both Morris and Howard in earlier action.