Canes win Region 7-AAAA basketball title

The Cartersville boys basketball team won the Region 7-AAAA championship Saturday night by defeating Heritage-Catoosa, 46-43. For the Canes, it is their fourth consecutive region title.

Trase Fezzia scored 11 points and Jaylon Pugh scored nine points with nine rebounds for Cartersville.

The Region 7-AAAA tournament was hosted by Southeast Whitfield High School in Dalton. The Canes improved their season mark to 20-6 and will host St. Pius X in the first round of the Class AAAA state tournament Wednesday, Feb. 17 at the Storm Center. With a first round win, Cartersville will also be eligible to host the second round as a region winner.

Heritage-Catoosa will also play at home in a first round state tournament game. The Generals will host Columbia on Wednesday.

Northwest Whitfield routed Pickens, 92-59 in the Region 7-AAAA third/fourth place game. Those two teams will play the opening round on the road. Northwest Whitfield travels to Lithonia. Pickens will open the state tournament at Grady.

CALHOUN GIRLS 71, ADAIRSVILLE 41

Calhoun jumped out to a 25-11 lead after one quarter and extended their lead to 37-20 at halftime on their way to a 30-point win over the Lady Tigers in the Region 6-AAA third/fourth place tournament game.

Adairsville (13-16) will open the Class AAA tournament on the road Tuesday.

The Sonoraville girls defeated Ringgold for the region championship Saturday night, 51-34. Those two teams will host opening round games in the state tournament that begins Tuesday.

In Region 7-AAA, West Hall defeated Dawson Co. 71-53 to win that title. Adairsville, as a 4-seed, will travel to Oakwood on Tuesday to open the state tournament.

The first round of the GHSA Class AAA Girls State Tournament pairs Region 6-AAA against Region 7-AAA as follows:

Tuesday, Feb. 16

Adairsville at West Hall

Calhoun at Dawson Co.

East Hall at Ringgold

Banks Co. at Sonoraville