Ron Seibel: Here are the teams to watch next month
The high school basketball season is quickly approaching bracket time.
Only three weekends remain in GHSA play prior to region tournament time. Tournament brackets are starting to take shape, and there's not much time remaining for teams to tweak what they have before the postseason.
Which teams have the potential to make deep runs? Which teams have the potential to reach the Macon Coliseum and the state finals? Here's a quick Middle Georgia top three for the boys and the girls:
BOYS
1. Central (17-2): Everything seems to be going the Chargers' way this season. Kentrevious Jones is back following last season's leg injury, and the inside-outside combination the Chargers have going has been extremely productive. Central has won 10 straight, and the Chargers won't have to face their two most competitive rivals, Westside and Southwest, again until the region tournament. Central is the most exciting team to watch in Middle Georgia right now, and they seem to have the tools to do something big next month.
2. Warner Robins (12-2): Heading into the final round of Region 2B-AAAAA play, Warner Robins has won seven straight since falling to Central in the Washington County holiday tournament. A semifinalist last year, Warner Robins went to overtime with Mary Persons earlier this month and had close wins against Northside and Jones County. Still, with Marquez Callaway appearing to wrap up his football recruiting race Thursday with a commitment to Tennessee, the focus can shift totally to basketball, and Warner Robins has the potential for another deep run.
3. Southwest (14-5): This season's breakout team in Middle Georgia, Southwest made a lot of teams take notice Saturday when it took Central to double-overtime. Justin Slocum is averaging 21.5 and 12.6 rebounds, while Nick Hargrove is putting up 20.7 points and 5.6 assists per contest. There have been some hiccups -- a 75-62 loss to Howard on Jan. 9 comes to mind -- but the recent close call against Central and an early victory over Westside gives the Patriots the edge for third.
Seven more to watch: Westside (15-4), Vidalia (17-2), Crawford County (15-2), Upson-Lee (15-3), Treutlen (15-1), Wilkinson County (13-5), Stratford (12-4).
GIRLS
1. Warner Robins (14-1): The Demons are surging under first-year head coach Tracy Fendley. They have won 11 straight since an early December to Tift County, and they have a pair of one-point wins over 2014-15 Class AAAA semifinalist Veterans.
2. Veterans (15-4): The Warhawks are again a threat to make a run in the Class AAAA playoffs. Outside of the close losses to Warner Robins, the only other setbacks for Veterans have come to perennial basketball power Laney and an out-of-state school, Ribault of Jacksonville, Florida.
3. Peach County (15-2): It's Nausia Woolfolk's senior year, and her 18-point scoring average has carried the Trojans. The Trojans' only losses so far have come to Region 2-AAA leader Kendrick.
Seven more to watch: Stratford (16-2), Tattnall Square (16-1), Putnam County (16-4), Baldwin (15-4), Northside (12-4), West Laurens (14-5), Taylor County (16-2).
Contact Ron Seibel at 744-4222 or rseibel@macon.com
This story was originally published January 21, 2016 at 9:14 PM with the headline "Ron Seibel: Here are the teams to watch next month ."