FVSU to host Class 4A and 5A semifinals, which may be good news for Warner Robins and Upson-Lee

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          The basketball arena at Fort Valley State holds more than 5,000 or so fans for hoops.

          That probably won’t be enough for two days in early March.

          FVSU hosts the Class AAAA and AAAAA state basketball semifinals on March 2 and March 3, the GHSA announced Thursday.

          Ranked atop state polls in AAAA boys basketball? Upson-Lee, which is about a 50-minute drive.

          Ranked high in state polls in AAAAA boys basketball? Warner Robins, about 25 minutes away. And Demons’ head coach Jamaal Garman played football for the Wildcats almost two decades ago.

          Mary Persons’ boys in 4A are also a candidate to go deep into the postseason.

          And those are just the Central Georgia teams with a short ride.

          Harris County’s girls in Class 5A are top-5 team, and are less than 90 minutes away, as are top-ranked Carver-Columbus’s girls, with top-5 Spalding a little more than an hour from Fort Valley.

          Carver-Columbus in 4A boys and Stockbridge in 5A boys wouldn’t have tough drives if they advance.

          Valdosta State will host the Class A semifinals, with AA at Georgia State, AAA at Armstrong State, 6A at West Georgia and 7A at the Buford City Arena.

          The state championships are March 7 and 8 at the Macon Coliseum and March 9 and 10 at Georgia Tech. The GHSA will determine which classifications play where later in hopes of offering the most convenience for the most fans.