March 4, 2025 - The high school basketball community in Georgia regularly produces some of the best talent in the country. Division 1 scouts can often be seen on the sidelines and in the stands at Cobb games. Last year's five-star standout and McEachern graduate, Ace Bailey, is having an outstanding season at Rutgers this year and is predicted to be a top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Other top names Cobb has turned out in recent years are Isaiah Collier, Sharife Cooper, Issac Okoro, and Jalen Brown, just to name a few.
Cobb began the 2025 postseason with 14 teams in the playoffs. By the quarterfinals, that number dropped to four teams: Hillgrove Girls and Pebblebrook, Walton, and Wheeler for the Boys.
"The high level of basketball talent that Georgia produces is across the board, and you've got to be on your game every night. Sometimes, the ball just doesn't fall your way. You can get away with a couple of those during the season, but the playoffs are a different story. It's win or go home," said District Athletic Director Don Baker.
Those words were proven true last week as three of the four remaining teams were eliminated from the GHSA tournament. The Hilllgrove Girls lost a very close game to Cherokee (57-54), Pebblebrook beat Walton in overtime (77-70), but the Falcons lost a close contest to Newton in the Final Four (56-53). Wheeler beat Grayson with an impressive second-half performance (68-53) to advance to the 6A Finals in Macon against Newton this weekend.
While the quarterfinal loss to Cherokee was a bitter pill, Hillgrove Coach and Region 3-6A Coach of the Year Sue Milam was proud of how her team responded this season, winning their first region championship in school history.
"I'm very proud of winning the first. The Hillgrove program has been strong since the school opened in 2006. We have competed at a high level and have been in the state tournament all but one year. We've been to the state finals, but we've never won the region. I'm excited to finally get the first one," Coach Milam said.
Despite being eliminated, Coach Milam recognizes the privilege of being a high school teacher and coach and influencing her students far beyond the hardwood.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to coach these girls at this stage in life, to share experiences both good and bad that help to prepare them for life beyond high school. The cool thing about sports is that these bonds leave a lasting mark that these girls will carry for the rest of their lives. Hopefully, they will look back on this season with great pride," Coach Milam concluded about her 2025 region champs.
Congratulations to all Cobb teams and players for another remarkable basketball season. Best of luck to Coach Thompson and the Wildcats as they prepare for Macon and winning another state title for Wheeler. Let's go, Cats!
