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Hate it or love it, Wildcat Nation is on Top!

Wildcats Final Four Bound

-Elite Eight- Wheeler 78, Berkmar 56

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Final Four Match Up Boys Basketball Game Preview

Wheeler Wildcats vs Hiram Hornets

Thursday, 03/06/08 5:30 PM

Gwinnett Arena

Home Visitor This Year Recent Games This Year

Region 6-AAAAA Region Record 16-0, 1.000 Overall Record 29-2, 0.935 Tot Points Scored 2453 Avg Points/Game 79.1 Tot Points Allowed 1939 Avg Points/Game 62.5

N/A Region 4-AAAAA Region Record 9-3, 0.750 Overall Record 24-6, 0.800 Tot Points Scored 2076 Avg Points/Game 69.2 Tot Points Allowed 1808 Avg Points/Game 60.3

Wheeler 27-2 Region 6 tournament champions Wins Against Tournament Teams: McEachern 87-78, Centennial 93-64, Sprayberry 68-59, Sprayberry 85-79, Miller Grove 82-77, Northview 84-66, Northview 74-42, Centennial 76-67 Notable losses: None to Georgia teams Tournament Results: Defeated Parkview 92-72, Defeated McEachern 70-67, Defeated Berkmar 78-56 Notes: The Wildcats keep rolling. After a convincing win over the Berkmar Patriots Wheeler looks to be a team on a mission. If they keep the playing at the level they displayed at Mt. Zion it will be tough for anyone in the state to take them down. Hiram 24-6 Second Seed out of Region 4 Wins Against Tournament Teams: Mundy�s Mill 77-64, Morrow 76-71, Mundy�s Mill 86-81, Newnan 59-56, Morrow 89-79 Notable Losses: Lithia Springs 74-93, Osborne 52-54, Newnan 54-55, East Coweta 76-79, Morrow 70-77, Mundy�s Mill 61-68 Tournament Results: Defeated M.L. King 71-67, Defeated Lowndes 67-61, Stephenson 70-65 Notes: Hiram is a team that appears to be peaking at the right time. Coach Hood has turned this team into quick, fast, fluid machine. While Hiram lacks height, the guard play has been exceptional throughout the tournament. Hiram likes to run and that could bode well for Wheeler.

3 Savannah 29-2 Second Seed out of Region 4 Wins Against Tournament Teams: Liberty County 88-82 OT, Beach 65-50, Windsor Forest 89-78, Richmond Academy 72-53, Savannah Johnson 89-75, Jonesboro 61-45, Irmo (S.C.) 62-38, Tallahassee Lincoln (Fla.) 87-67, Bradwell Institute 76-69 (OT), Savannah Johnson 55-52, Bradwell Institute 64-81, Groves 75-65, Beach 62-54 Notable Losses: Mundy's Mill 69-71, Savannah Johnson 52-65 Tournament Results: Defeated Tift County 68-46, Defeated Mundy�s Mill 82-52, Defeated Douglass 68-65 Notes: Apparently beating a team three times in a season is as tough as they say. Johnson knocked out the Blue Jackets easily in the 3-AAAAA region tournament thus moving Savannah to Norcross� side of the bracket. Savannah has a great chance to knock off Norcross. Guards Kevin Williams and Norris Rumph continue to lead the way as two of the best scorers outside of Atlanta. Norcross 27-2 Region 7 tournament champions Wins against tournament teams: Collins Hill 76-43, Peachtree Ridge 70-37, South Forsyth 77-30, Westlake 62-57, Collins Hill 65-54, Peachtree Ridge 64-29, South Forsyth 61-47, South Forsyth 61-54, Peachtree Ridge 82-32 Notable losses: None to Georgia teams Tournament Results: Defeated Harrison 72-49, Defeated Centennial 69-54, Defeated Northview 75-60 Notes: Can Eddie Martin and his staff make it three in a row? If Al-Farouq Aminu continues to play like he has been this season, it isn't out of the picture. The Wake Forest bound big man is having the best season of any senior in the state and raised the level of play up for Norcross this season. He's truly embraced his role on his team and having a tremendous season. Big man A.J. Hawkins has proven himself as an interior defender while Denzail Jones can hit the big shot and Taariq Muhammad has tasted the big game before. Depth is the big question mark with this team.

Impact Players

Dequan Jones #23 Al-Forouq Aminu#42 Kevin Williams #2 (Savannah)

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2007-08 Hiram Boys Basketball Team Roster

No First Name Last Name Gr HeightPosition

1 Position

2 2 Stewart Clark 12 5-9 PG 3 Mario Roland 10 6-2 PF 5 Marcus Middlebrooks 11 5-8 PG 13 Marquan Berry 11 6'3 SF 14 Arsenio Nuckles 12 5-8 SG 20 Joel Frasier 11 5'11 SF 22 Pierce Wilder 11 5-11 PF 24 Kody Wood 11 5'10 SG 30 Jarrell Benson 11 6-2 C 33 Jack Wilson 10 5'9 PG 40 Leighton Gasque 10 6'2 C 42 Justin Garner 12 6-2 SF 45 Alex Wagner 12 6-4 C

2007-08 Norcross Boys Basketball Team Roster

No First Name Last Name Gr HeightPosition

1 Position

2 1 Tarriq Mohammad 11 6-2 PG SG 3 Quintin Square 11 5-10 SG PG 4 Nick Jones 11 6-2 PF SF 5 Marty Johnson 10 6-0 SG PG

12 Jeremy Lamb 10 6-1 SG PG 21 Malcolm McDonald 10 6-4 PF C 23 Denzail Jones 11 5-9 SG PG 24 Jonathan Grant 12 6-2 SF SG 25 Prince Kent 11 6-3 PF SF 33 Taylor Killian 12 6-4 SF PF 35 A.J. Hawkins 12 6-6 PF C 42 Al-Farouq Aminu 12 6-9 SF PF 50 Zach Lamb 11 6-0 PG SG 55 Ariel Jones 11 6-6 PF C

2007-08 Savannah Boys Basketball Team Roster

No First Name Last Name Gr HeightPosition

1 Position

2 Caleb Banks 11 6'4 PF PF Andre Parker 10 6'4 PF PF

00 Khiry Waldburg 11 6'4 PF SF 1 Norris Rumph 12 6-1 PG 2 Kevin Williams 12 6'0 SG PG 3 David Waldburg 12 6'3 SF PF 4 Darnell Jackson 11 6'2 PF SF 5 Alonza Shields 12 5'8 SG PG

11 Marshall McFadden 12 5'6 PG SG 21 Dwayne Sutton 11 5'10 SF SF 23 Jason Ellison 11 5'9 SG SF 24 Greg Smart 11 6'0 PG SG 32 Charles Futch 12 5'11 SG PG 33 Rodney McGirt 11 6'3 SF SF 40 Melvin Young 12 5'11 SG SG 44 Brad Harris 12 6'5 C C 50 Jay Westbrook 12 6'5 C C 55 Chancellor Hudson 11 6'4 PF PF

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State Tournament Bracket

2005 State Champs

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Regional Rankings

South 1. Norcross, Ga. (27-2) 2. Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (34-4) 3. Wheeler, Marietta, Ga. (29-2) 4. Word of God Academy, Raleigh, N.C. (30-3) 5. North Crowley, Fort Worth (36-1) 6. Norland, Miami (26-6) 7. Dunwoody, Ga. (27-3) 8. Dillard, Fort Lauderdale (29-2) 9. Lexington (Ky.) Catholic (26-3) 10. Dulles, Sugar Land, Texas (33-4)

15th In the Nation per USA Today 15. Wheeler, Marietta, Ga. (29-2) Previous: 19. Results: Defeated McEachern (Powder Springs) 70-67 as Richard Howell and DeQuan Jones each had 16 points for the Wildcats. Howell had 19 points and 12 rebounds in a 78-56 win vs. Berkmar (Lilburn). Next: Thursday vs. Hiram.

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Rise Magazine National Rankings (Top 10) 1. St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) � (27-0) *1 The Friars upended Morristown-Beard, 84-36, in the North Jersey, Non�Public Group B quarterfinals. Junior forward Dominic Cheek had 13 points and seven boards for St. Anthony, which played Paterson Catholic in the semifinals on Monday. 2. St. Benedict�s Prep (Newark, N.J.) � (24-1) *3 Senior forward Samardo Samuels tallied 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and two blocks in a 58-44 win over Benedictine (Richmond, Va.). The Gray Bees, who don�t compete in a postseason tournament, are now done for the season. SEASON OVER 3. Chester (Chester, Pa.) � (29-1) *5 Senior guard Karon Burton scored a game-high 26 points to lead the Clippers to a 67-59 win over Williamsport in the first round of the Class AAAA state tournament. Chester plays Harrisburg in the second round on Wednesday. 4. Norcross (Norcross, Ga.) � (27-2) *7 Senior forward Al-Farouq Aminu tallied 29 points, 10 boards, six steals and three blocks in the Blue Devils� 75-60 win over Northview in the Class AAAAA state quarterfinals. Junior guard Zach Lamb added 18 points for Norcross, which plays Savannah in the semifinals on Thursday. 5. Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) � (29-2) *8 The Wildcats cruised past Berkmar, 78-56, in the Class AAAAA state quarterfinals. Junior forward Ari Stewart scored 23 points for Wheeler, which will play Hiram in the state semifinals on Thursday. 6. Rice (New York, N.Y.) � (24-3) *9 Senior forward Dorvell Carter scored 19 points in Rice�s 71-40 win over Xaverian in the CHSAA Intersectional AA quarterfinals. Rice advances to play Holy Cross on Wednesday in the semifinals. 7. St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) � (24-4) *10 St. Patrick defeated Eastern Christian, 85-38, in the North Jersey, Non�Public Group B quarterfinals. Junior guard Dexter Strickland scored a game-high 18 points for the Celtics, who played Marist in the semifinals on Monday. 8. Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) � (34-4) *11 Senior guard Brandon Jennings tallied 33 points, 10 steals and eight assists as Oak Hill capped the season with a 59-48 victory over Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.). Jennings, who played in 37 of the 38 games this year, is the Warriors� all-time single-season scoring leader with 1,312 points, good for 35.5 points per game. SEASON OVER 9. North Crowley (Fort Worth, Texas) � (36-1) *13 Senior guard Willie Warren scored 17 points and junior forward Dontee Kinney added 12 points and 12 boards as North Crowley upset then-No. 4 and defending state champion Duncanville, 61-57, in the Class 5A Region I semifinals. Warren followed with a school-record 47 points in a 111-57 win over Midland Lee in the Region I finals. The Panthers play San Antonio Madison in state semifinals on Friday. 10. Taft (Woodland Hills, Calif.) � (25-3) *16 Senior guard Larry Drew Jr. had 25 points and six assists in the Toreadors� 65-55 win over then-No. 23 Fairfax in the CIF Los Angeles City Section finals. Taft took on Chino Hills on Monday in the first round of the Southern California Regional Division I playoffs.

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In The Country

Tahj �Freezepop� Tate and Phil �Ice Man� Taylor combine for the coldest one-two backcourt punch in

the country.

Two-Sport Baller Corey Tower knows a thing or two about keeping it cool.

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Ari Stewart Steps Up

Stewart showed off a mature skill set knocking down threes and elevating in the paint to knock down easy jumpers. Quickly in the first quarter Ari was able to find his rhythm and drain his outside shots due to great feeds by floor general Phil Taylor. Ari �the air up there� Stewart finished the night with 23 points.

First Timers

The youngsters get their first taste of what Wheeler Basketball is all about.

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