Top 10 games to watch in Georgia high school girls basketball: Woodward Academy headlines big week

The No. 5 War Eagles take on No. 20 Forest Park and 10-3 Mundy's Mill this week.

Woodward Academy scored a big win over Mount Paran last week, and the challenges keep coming for the No. 5 War Eagles.

Their game against No. 15 Hebron Christian is the biggest of the week, and they also face No. 20 Forest Park.

Rankings are based on last week's SBLive Top 25.

(Feature photo by Jamie Spaar)

TOP 10 GAMES OF THE WEEK

10. No. 12 Buford (16-3) vs. Habersham Central (14-4), 6 p.m. Friday 

This is another game where one of the top teams, Buford, could fall in a spot to a familiar team with a good record. Buford did trounce Habersham 60-17 on Jan. 7, but Habersham Central is playing better as of late, now winners of five in a row.

9.No. 2 Holy Innocents' (17-2) vs. Atlanta International (9-6), 5:30 p.m. Tuesday 

Holy Innocents' is starting to hit its stride at the right time and is on a five-game winning streak. The Bears have recent wins over No. 9 Luella and No. 17 Greater Atlanta Christian. A win here can help Holy Innocents' start a stretch run closing out region play going into the postseason. 

8. No. 11 Jefferson (17-2) vs. Chestatee (14-6), 6 p.m. Friday 

Jefferson has won five games in a row and looks like a dangerous threat in the postseason. When you look at this game on paper, you’ll see Chestatee has fared well this season and has some good wins. Yet, Jefferson did win 72-43 earlier this season. Can Chestatee have a better showing this time around?

7.Cross Creek (14-1) vs. Thomson (8-3), 7 p.m. Friday

Cross Creek is trying to make a push for the Region 4 Class 3A crown and is making a good case, with six wins in a row. A big 61-35 win over Burke set the stage for this big road test against Thomson, which Cross Creek will play again at home on Feb. 5. 

6. No. 13 Lumpkin County (19-1) vs. North Hall (15-6), 6 p.m. Tuesday 

Stop if you’ve heard that Lumpkin County won again this season. That seems to be all the Indians can do lately, now on an incredible 17-game winning streak. Again, it seems as if there’s a team that can stop Lumpkin County, it maybe could be North Hall, yet the Indians already won 68-40. 

5.No. 4 River Ridge (19-1) vs. Cambridge (14-5), 6 p.m. Friday 

It seems as if River Ridge can do no wrong of late, now winners of 10 in a row. The Knights could be looking for win No. 12 in this matchup with a Cambridge team that has played well this season. A loss doesn’t derail River Ridge’s goals, but a win can get momentum going toward another deep run. 

4. No. 7 Mount Paran (13-4) vs. Darlington (15-3), 6 p.m. Tuesday 

Mount Paran gave No. 5 Woodward Academy everything it could ask for in a 56-51 loss on Jan. 15, but the Eagles bounced back with a huge 71-26 win over North Cobb Christian. This is an important game with Darlington, however, as Mount Paran looks to lock up a region title and will need to survive a four-game road trip after Tuesday. 

3. No. 5 Woodward Academy vs. No. 20 Forest Park, 6 p.m. Wednesday

Woodward hasn’t lost in Georgia since Nov. 26, but that was to another Atlanta school, No. 16 Maynard Jackson. If there is a team capable of snapping Woodward’s five-game losing streak, it could be Forest Park, which lost 55-42 on the road to the War Eagles but will be looking for a big home win. Woodward follows that up with a game at 10-3 Mundy's Mill on Friday.

2.No. 8 North Forsyth (16-3) vs. West Forsyth (17-4), 6 p.m. Tuesday 

How about this for a county battle? North Forsyth is on a five-game winning streak, while West Forsyth has won six in a row. Not only that, but North Forsyth is in first place in Region 6, while West Forsyth is second. A lot of implications on the line sets up one of the biggest games in the state this week. 

1.No. 2 Holy Innocents' vs. No. 15 Hebron Christian, 6:45 p.m. Friday 

Hebron Christian has some nice wins, including over Greater Atlanta Christian and Westminster, but prevailing over Holy Innocents' could be one of those season-defining wins.