Cedar Grove’s Makale Carter (12) and his No. 8 ranked Saints’ team take on Westside of Augusta at Augusta University on Friday at 8:15 pm. (Photo by Travis Hudgons)

Four teams playing in the Elite 8 on Friday rounds out a stellar seven team appearance for DeKalb County Schools (DCSD) at the various quarterfinal sites across the state.

A team on the roll is the Class 3A No. 8 ranked Cedar Grove Saints who have quietly put together a 10-game winning streak since a 66-50 home loss to No. 6 ranked South Atlanta on January 19.

Since that point the Saints reeled off 10 wins including a Region 4-3A title run that included a win over South Atlanta (71-61) in the semifinals and a victory over North Clayton (60-55) in the championship game. The Saints defeated Dodge County (66-48) in the opening round of the state plays and knocked off East Jackson (68-54) in the Sweet 16 round.

Cedar Grove has gotten a big lift from Jalani Woods, who was late coming out due to being the quarterback on the Saints 3A state semifinalist. His height and inside presence has allowed the team to play an inside-out game that has provided dividends in the 10-win run. Woods has put up four double-doubles in five postseason games, including a 21 points, 17 rebound performance against East Jackson.

The Saints are balanced offensively with Makale Carter (11.0 pts/gm in playoffs), Jamari Dean (10.2 pts/gm in playoffs) and Ja’Quan Acie (9.4 pts/gam in playoffs).

The Saints take on Westside of Augusta (18-5) led by Demontrez Hawes (18.3 pts/gm) at Augusta University with the tip set for 8:15 pm on Friday. Westside is the Region 3-3A runner-up and has won 8 of their last 9 games, including a 79-59 second round victory.

The two teams have never met in the postseason as the Saints try to reach the state semifinals for the first time since a 2002 semifinal loss to Westlake. The Saints won a state title in 1997 against Greene-Taliaferro (88-65).

SW DeKalb’s Daisa Alexander and her No. 1 ranked Lady Panthers battle No. 7 ranked Columbus at Columbus State at 3 pm on Friday. (Photo by Mark Brock)

Class 5A Girls
SW DeKalb vs. Columbus
The Class 5A No. 1 ranked Southwest DeKalb Lady Panthers (24-6) go into their game Friday against No. 7 ranked Columbus (23-5) at 3:00 pm on Friday at Columbus State University having won 15 of their last 16 games.

The Lady Panthers only loss in that stretch came at the hands of then No. 1 ranked Norcross on January 30 and was also their first in-state loss of the season. The team is led by 1,000 Career Point Club member Daisa Alexander (14.0 pts/gm) and Jada Walton (13.0 pts/game).

Southwest is in the quarterfinals after a year’s absence (lost in Sweet 16 to Forest Park in 2015) and for the fourth time in five seasons. Convincing wins of 65-22 over Rome and 62-42 over Cross Creek in the first two rounds put the Lady Panthers in the Elite 8. Southwest won the Class 5A state title in 2013 and played against fellow DeKalb foe Tucker and lost in 2014.

Columbus has won four consecutive games including the region title to reach the quarterfinals. The Blue Devils defeated Mundy’s Mill (67-44) and Gainesville (47-42) in the first two rounds of the state tournament. Tatyana Wyatt leads Columbus averaging 22.1 points per game on the season.

It is the first playoff meeting between the two basketball programs.

Miller Grove’s season assist leader Aaron Augustin (1) takes his No. 1 ranked Wolverines to Columbus State on Friday for a Top 10 tussle with South Paulding at 4:45 pm. (Photo by Mark Brock)

Class 5A Boys
Miller Grove vs. South Paulding
A battle of Class 5A Top 10 teams is set for 4:45 pm at Columbus State as No. 1 ranked Miller Grove (27-2) faces off with No. 8 ranked South Paulding (25-4) in a first ever playoff meeting.

The Wolverines have won 20 in a row and have not lost to a Georgia opponent this season led by the backcourt tandem of Alterique Gilbert (20.5 pts/gm) and Aaron Augustin (10.6 pts/gm, 8.4 assists/gm) along with Naquante Hardy (10.9 pts/gm, 5.0 reb/gm) and Colin Young (10.4 pts/gm) and Raylon Richardson (9.9 pts/gm, 8.0 reb/gm).

Miller Grove has wins of 101-41 over Sprayberry and 64-57 over Richmond Academy in the first two rounds of the state play.

South Paulding is in the Elite 8 following a pair of close wins over Heritage (62-58) and LaGrange (62-60).

Arabia Mountain and sophomore Marissa Mills (14) make their first ever Elite 8 appearance with a 6:30 pm date at Ft. Valley State against No. 5 ranked Buford. (Photo by Mark Brock)

Class 4A Girls
Arabia Mountain vs. Buford
The Arabia Mountain Lady Rams (20-10) are making their first ever appearance in the Elite 8 for a program started in 2010 as they meet No. 5 ranked Buford (24-5) in a 6:30 pm game at Ft. Valley State University.

Arabia Mountain entered the state tournament as the No. 4 seed out of Region 6-4A and with road wins of 46-44 over Heritage-Catoosa and 53-38 over Burke County posted the program’s first 20-win season.

Samantha Pringle is the only senior on the team and leads with 10 points per game along with sophomore Marissa Mills. Sophomore Iyanla Kitchens (13 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks) and freshman Kennedi Manning (11 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks) came up big in the win over Burke County.

Buford has won 21 games in a row including state tournament victories over Whitewater (63-38) and Mt. Zion-Jonesboro (59-48).

GHSA Boys’ State Playoff Brackets

GHSA Girls’ State Playoff Bracketts

DCSD State Playoff Schedule

Friday, Feb. 26
Class 5A Girls
SW DeKalb (24-6) vs. Columbus (23-5), Columbus St., 3 pm

Class 5A Boys
Miller Grove (27-2) vs. South Paulding (25-4), Columbus St., 4:45 pm

Class 4A Girls
Arabia Mountain (20-10) vs. Buford (24-5), Ft. Valley State, 6:30 pm

Class 3A Boys
Cedar Grove (20-7) vs. Westside-Augusta (18-5), Augusta University, 8:15 pm