Alexander Cougars

Record/ranking: 27-5, No. 1 seed from Region 5, ranked No. 2

Coach: Jason Slate

Top players: Braedan Lue (16.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.9 blocks), Jay’Quan Nelson (13.8 points, 3.8 assists), Marvin McGhee IV (11 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 blocks), Noah Melson (9.3 points). Lue, a junior, was named the Region 5 Player of the Year.

How they got there: def. Rome 65-57, def. Shiloh 64-57, def. Jonesboro 54-53, def. Etowah 54-51.

Previous championships: None

 

Lee Country Trojans

Record/ranking: 28-3, No. 1 seed from Region 1, ranked No. 10

Coach: Kirven Davis

Top players: D.J. Taylor (11.3 points, 12.5 assists), Ousmane Kromah (10.1 points, 10.7 assists), Christian Brown, Josiah Parker, Harrison Skinner. Taylor was named the Region 1 Player of the year and Kromah, an all-state football player, was named Defensive Player of the Year. Taylor made two free throws with four seconds left in the semifinal to beat Lanier.

How they got there: def. Evans 61-49, def. Riverwood 70-63, def. Blessed Trinity 65-61, def. Lanier 49-48.

Previous championships: One - 1985