SBLive's Top 25 in Georgia high school boys basketball: Greenforest debuts at No. 20 behind three strong wins

Newton suffers its first loss of the season but stays at No. 1 since it came against Prolific Prep, one of the best teams in the country.

Several top Georgia high school boys basketball teams took the holidays off, while others played tough out-of-state opponents.

Greenforest (photo above by Willie Prince) scored three impressive wins over tough in-state competition to crack the Top 25 for the first time.

SBLIVE'S GEORGIA TOP 25

1. Newton (9-1)

Last week: 1

 Newton suffered its first loss at the hands of Prolific Prep of Napa (California), one of the best teams in the country. Newton will look to regroup against a tough opponent in South Gwinnett. 

2. Pebblebrook (12-2) 

Last week: 3

Pebblebrook has won five straight including four straight against out-of-state opponents. Pebblebrook’s most recent win came against a hot Windsor Forest team that the Falcons dismantled. 

3. Eagle's Landing (10-2)

Last week: 2

Eagle's Landing suffered two straight losses to Grayson and Pace Academy, but the Eagles found their footing and have won two straight against Crossroad and IMG Academy Blue, two tough Florida teams. 

4. Wheeler (8-3)

Lask week: 4

Wheeler is on a five-game win streak and has done a good job turning around the early-season struggles. 

5. Berkmar (6-3) 

Lask week: 5

Berkmar’s win streak lasted two games, as the Patriots suffered their third loss at the hands of Long Island Lutheran (New York). That was Berkmar’s fourth straight out-of-state opponent, and the Patriots will now see only Georgia opponents, most of them in region. 

6. Grayson (9-3)

Last week: 6

Grayson suffered a tough overtime loss to Archbishop Stepinac (New York) but rebounded with a win over Lexington (South Carolina), which gave head coach Geoffrey Pierce his 200th career win. 

7. St. Pius X Catholic (10-2)

Last week: 7

St. Pius has faced some tough out-of-state competition, as the Lions went 2-1 in the Christmas Classic, with wins over Canisius (New York) and Cardinal Newman (South Carolina). The lone loss came against Charlotte Latin (North Carolina). 

8. Norcross (10-4)

Last week: 8

Norcross has won four of its last five games, with the lone loss being by one point to one of the top-ranked programs in North Carolina in Brentwood Academy. 

9. South Gwinnett (13-1)

Last week: 11

South Gwinnett suffered its first loss against Bergen Catholic, one of the top programs in New Jersey. South Gwinnett will look to regroup but has a tough opponent in Newton on Tuesday. 

10. North Gwinnett (10-3)

Last week: 13

North Gwinnett has won four straight games behind big games from RJ Godfrey and Thomas Allard. The Bulldogs will square off against a talented West Forsyth squad Wednesday. 

11. Pace Academy (8-4)

Last week: 10

Pace Academy is 2-2 in its last four games but scored big wins against Eagle's Landing and Sandy Creek. 

12. McDonough (13-1)

Last week: 21

McDonough extended its win streak to eight games after taking down Jonesboro. 

13. Milton (7-5)

Last week: 9

Milton suffered its fifth loss on the season and third to an out-of-state opponent. Milton fell to Bishop O’Connell (Virginia) 71-49 in the Beach Ball Classic. 

14. Sandy Creek (9-2) 

Last week: 14

Sandy Creek has won two straight after losing two straight to Kell and Pace Academy. The Patriots will try to extend that winning streak into their long stretch of region games ahead. 

15. McEachern (7-5)

Last week: 15

McEachern’s season has been up and down to say the least, starting off losing four of its first five games, then winning four straight, then losing and now blowing out Kell 84-43. The Indians have a break before their next game Jan. 11. 

16. Shiloh (11-0)

Last week: 17

Shiloh continued its winning ways after back-to-back blowout victories over Lowndes and Fayette County. 

17. Centennial (10-1)

Last week: 16

Centennial hasn’t played since Dec. 18, with its tournament games being canceled. 

18. Westlake (9-4)

Last week: 18

 Westlake took a break over the holidays and will face region opponent Morrow on Tuesday. 

19. Osborne (8-0)

Last week: 19

Osborne will see its first action since Dec. 18 against region opponent Allatoona on Tuesday. 

20. Greenforest (9-4)

Last week: Unranked

Greenforest has won five straight, with its last three wins being extremely impressive against Pace Academy, Grayson and Cross Creek. 

21. West Forsyth (13-2)

Last week: 22

West Forsyth went 2-1 in the Smoky Mountain Winter Classic, all opponents being out of state. 

22. Buford (10-2)

Last week: 20

Buford’s eight-game win streak came to an end after falling to Wheeler in the Tournament of Champions by a score of 69-64.

23. Hillgrove (10-1)

Last week: 23

Hillgrove took the holidays off and won’t play again until Saturday. 

24. Tri-Cities (7-2)

Last week: 24

Tri-Cities has yet to play since its loss to Etowah. 

25. Alexander (8-1)

Last week: 25

Alexander suffered its first loss to North Gwinnett in the Lemon Street Classic but finished strong by beating Etowah.