Georgia high school basketball teams have two weeks to make their moves before the start of the postseason. In northwest Georgia there are several region top seeds still up for grabs - most coming with region tournament byes and automatic state berths - and a handful of showdown boys' and girls' games.
Take Region 6-AAAA, for example. The girls' race likely will be decided next Friday when Heritage hosts Northwest Whitfield. Northwest's Lady Bruins (15-4, 9-0) own a 10-point win over the Lady Generals (19-2, 7-1), but a Heritage win likely would lead to the dreaded coin-flip tiebreaker for the region tournament top seed.
"You want to be that No. 1 seed because of the bye and the automatic spot in the state," Northwest coach Greg Brown said. "If the two of us tie, there are tiebreakers we go through, but I think it would come down to a coin toss."
The boys' race was altered by an upset Friday night when Gilmer downed Heritage (15-6, 5-3). The Generals, having split with LaFayette (16-2, 7-2) and lost a game at Northwest (13-5, 8-1), could have forged a possible three-way tie with a win over the Bruins next Friday. Northwest, which split with LaFayette, can now win the top seed outright with wins in its final three league games.
You want drama? Head to Region 6-AAA, one of Georgia's few subdivided leagues and one that, apparently, is still trying to work out the kinks in its tiebreaking and tournament seeding system.
It's especially important in this region since the overall top girls' seed will get to host the tournament. Right now any one of five teams could end up with the best record - Ringgold (14-5, 7-1), Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe (14-7, 7-2) and North Murray (13-7, 7-2) from the north subregion and Calhoun (16-4, 7-2) and Haralson County (17-3, 7-2) from the south side.
"Some of us are not really sure," Ringgold coach Margaret Stockburger said when asked who is in line to host. "It really doesn't matter until you play that last game. You've got tiebreakers that will come into play, too. I do know if we win out and Calhoun wins out it will be an interesting scenario."
Calhoun defeated Ringgold in an earlier crossover game, while LFO holds a win over Calhoun. If the Lady Warriors defeat Ringgold next Friday, it would create a tie in the north subregion. North Murray still has two games left with Ringgold, where a sweep likely would give the Lady Mountaineers the subregion top spot.
Calhoun lost at Haralson Friday night and the two teams play again on the 28th, so the south top spot is still up for grabs as well. There is a possibility that five teams could end up with two league losses. What then?
"Well, I guess we will have to sit down and figure it out," Stockburger said with a laugh.
The boys' side of 6-AAA is a bit more clear-cut. Coahulla Creek (13-6, 6-2) is the north subregion top seed. Calhoun (14-4, 9-0) assumed the No. 1 spot with a win over Sonoraville (17-3, 8-1) this past week, but the two meet again Feb. 3 to close out the regular season in style with a top seed likely on the line.
In 7-AA, Model (15-4, 10-0) clinched the top seed with a win Friday, with Dade County (15-6, 7-3) sitting in third behind Armuchee (9-9, 8-2).
On the boys' side Chattooga (17-1, 9-0) has the area's top resume - including a win over 4A power Cartersville and 3A's Sonoraville - and secured the regular-season title Friday with a road win at Rockmart. Dade County (9-12, 6-4) earned a huge road win over Coosa (8-11, 5-5) and took over third place with its sixth consecutive league win.
In 6-A, where power ratings set the public and private fields after region tournament champions are crowned, the Christian Heritage girls (11-6, 6-2) were sitting at 13th on the private side before a damaging one-point loss to Gordon Lee Friday. The Lady Trions (10-9, 5-3) were ranked 21st in public school but should move up with the win.
The Christian Heritage boys (11-7, 6-2) are ranked No. 14 on the private side, while Trion (9-8, 5-5) is 29th on the public side.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296; follow on Twitter @youngsports22.