DeKalb County School District (DCSD) saw a 13-year streak with at least one state basketball championship come to an end last year.

DCSD won 31 state championships (16 girls’, 15 boys’) from 2004 to 2016 including multiple state titles in 2006 (3), 2008 (2), 2009 (3), 2010 (4), 2011 (2), 2012 (4), 2013 (3), 2014 (3) and 2016 (2). The 2010 and 2012 seasons included sweeps of the boys’ and girls’ titles in Classes 3A and 4A.

During this span Miller Grove set a record of six consecutive boys’ state championships (2009-2014) and seven overall (2016) while Southwest DeKalb won three consecutive girls’ titles (2008-2010) and five overall (2013, 2016).

The Columbia basketball teams won eight combined with the boys’ winning five (2006, 2008, 2010-12) and the girls’ winning three consecutive from 2010 to 2013. The Stephenson Lady Jaguars won three titles (2004, 2008, 2015), Dunwoody won two boys’ titles (2005, 2006) and Redan won two girls’ titles (2009, 2014).

Tucker won both a girls’ title (2014) and boys’ title (2007) in the string while Miller Grove (2012) and the now defunct Avondale (2006) won girls’ championships.

Columbia swept the Class 3A titles three consecutive years from 2010-2012 while Miller Grove took both Class 4A titles in 2012.

The 2018 season could be the start of a new steak with six boys’ teams and three girls’ teams ranked in the Sandy’s Spiel Preseason Polls.

Ranked teams heading into the 2018 season include five boys’ and three girls’ teams. The boys’ teams are Tucker (No. 6, 6A), Miller Grove (No. 4, 5A), Columbia (No. 5, 5A), Southwest DeKalb (No. 7, 5A), Lithonia (No. 9, 5A) and Cedar Grove (No. 3, 3A).

The ranked girls’ teams include Arabia Mountain (No. 5, 5A), Southwest DeKalb (No. 6, 5A) and Cedar Grove (No. 9, 3A).

Southwest DeKalb and Stephenson are hosting preseason showdowns on Saturday, November 11.

Southwest DeKalb has 13 other boys’ teams including eight from DeKalb playing in seven games beginning at 12:00 pm with DeKalb neighbors Stone Mountain and Clarkston opening the schedule.

Southwest DeKalb closes the night with a game against North Florida Educational Institute.

Eight games (4 boys, 4 girls) are on tap at Stephenson beginning at 11:00 am with the Shiloh and North Forsyth girls opening the day.

The Arabia Mountain rams take on Hapeville Charter at 3:30 pm and the night winds down with the Stephenson Lady Jaguars taking on defending state champion McEachern at 8:00 pm and the Jaguars facing off with Heritage in boys’ play at 9:30 pm.

DCSD BASKETBALL PRESEASON SCRIMMAGES
Wednesday, Nov. 8
SACA at Columbia (G), 7:00 pm
Salem at Redan, 5:30/7:00 pm

Thursday, Nov. 9
Peachtree Academy at M.L. King, 5:30/7:00 pm
Rockdale Co. at Columbia (B), TBD
Miller Grove at Wheeler, 6:00/8:00 pm
Mays at SW DeKalb, 6:00/7:30 pm
Decatur at Druid Hills, 5:30/7:00 pm
Drew Charter at Towers (B), 6:00 pm

IV SW DeKalb Showdown at Southwest DeKalb High School
12:00 PM, Stone Mountain vs. Clarkston
1:30 PM, Towers vs. Creekside
3:00 PM, Redan vs. Henry Co.
4:30 PM, Lakeside vs. Therrell
6:00 PM, Lithonia vs. Greenforest
7:30 PM, Tucker vs. Stockbridge
9:00 PM, SW DeKalb vs. North Florida Educational Institute

Battle on the Mountain at Stephenson High School
11:00 AM, Shiloh vs. North Forsyth (G)
12:30 PM, Cumberland Christian vs. Central Gwinnett (B)
2:00 PM, Westlake vs. Sandy Creek (G)
3:30 PM, Hapeville Charter vs. Arabia Mountain (B)
5:00 PM, Norcross vs. Greater Atlanta Christian (G)
6:30 PM, Drew Charter vs. Dawson Christian (B)
8:00 PM, Stephenson vs. McEachern (G)
9:30 PM, Stephenson vs. Heritage (B)