Region 7-6A title showdown setup

Region 7-6A title showdown setup

By Robert Alfonso Jr. Suwanee, Ga. — In February, style points disappear. Possessions tighten. Seasons hang in the balance. On Wednesday night, Peachtree Ridge didn’t chase perfection. The Lions chased survival — and earned another chance to play for a championship. Behind timely stops, clutch shot-making and a game-sealing alley-oop that rattled the gym, Peachtree Ridge outlasted rival North Gwinnett […]

Abrams wins 200, but the mission runs deeper

Abrams wins 200, but the mission runs deeper

By Robert Alfonso Jr. Savannah, GA — Long before the milestone, before the banners and the streaks, Mel Abrams Jr. understood the assignment on his life. For Abrams, basketball has never been just about the scoreboard. The game is a vehicle — a classroom where young men are shaped, challenged and prepared for the future. The wins, as he’ll tell you, […]

Commerce, Rabun Co set for Region 8 rematch

Commerce, Rabun Co set for Region 8 rematch

By Robert Alfonso Jr. Tiger, GA — A winter snowstorm paralyzed Northeast Georgia a few weeks ago, which was the only thing keeping two of Class A Division I’s heavyweights on the sideline preparing for something else entirely — a showdown that could shape the Region 8 title race. Weather permitting, Commerce will make the trip through the cold to Rabun […]

Washington’s legacy built on men, not moments

Washington’s legacy built on men, not moments

By Robert Alfonso Jr. MABLETON, Ga. — The game keeps changing. George Washington never stops changing with it. Schemes evolve. Players evolve. Even coaching styles bend with time. But at Pebblebrook High School, one thing has remained immovable for 15 years under Washington’s watch: the standard. “What excites me still about coaching is just turning these young men into men […]

Stroud coaching beyond the scoreboard

Stroud coaching beyond the scoreboard

By Robert Alfonso Jr. Lawrenceville, GA — Long before the milestone, before the handshakes and the box scores, Antoine Stroud understood what standing on the sideline truly meant. For Archer High School’s boys basketball coach, the job was never just about drawing up plays or cutting down nets. It was — and still is — about shaping lives. This season, that […]