Top stars, best performances in Georgia high school boys and girls basketball (Jan. 24-30)

Here are some stars from the past week's boys and girls basketball games across Georgia.
If you know of a top performance we should include, please let us know in the comments.
Pictured above is Newton's Marcus Whitlock (photo by Ed Turlington).
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Stephon Castle, Newton boys basketball
Castle showed why he is committed to UConn with a 30-point performance against Wheeler in one of the games of the year.
F/OT
— Kyle Sandy (@KyleSandy355) January 30, 2022
6A No. 1 @WheelerHoops 74
7A No. 1 @NewtonRamsHoops 69@isaiahcollier04 26p (9-10 FT) 7r 5a 3s@Kyleburns11_ 16p 7r 3a 3s@arrintenp22 10p 7r 2b@StephonCastle 30p (15-16 FT) 4r 2a 5s@1MarcusWhitlock 19p 8r pic.twitter.com/MIgyHo0ANx
Crystal Henderson, Kell girls basketball
Henderson scored a game-high 26 points and added three assists to help beat Lassiter.
Final
— Kell Lady Longhorns Basketball (@kell_longhorns) January 29, 2022
78 Lady Longhorns
57 Lassiter @TheUnguarded30 26p 3a@GregoryJamiah 17p 6r 2b@JPjadapeterson 14p @JadaGreen_11 11p 5r 3b@moss_amaya 10p 9r 3s 3a pic.twitter.com/fZiEODWjEa
Malique Ewin, Berkmar boys basketball
Ewin dropped another big-time double-double with 27 points and 15 rebounds in Berkmar’s win over Habersham Central.
#🅱️elieve pic.twitter.com/VpdecqHKwR
— Coach Greg Phillips (@CoachPhillipsX) January 30, 2022
Brinkley Kate Reed, Coahulla Creek girls basketball
Reed led all scorers with 31 points, which was her seventh 30-point game of the season.
Lost on the road today to a really good Dalton team 71-52.@brinkleykate_22 led us with 31!!!!
— Coahulla Creek WBB 🏀 (@CoahullaWBB) January 29, 2022
If she is not on your radar, she should be! 7th 30 point game this year!@KyleSandy355 @DCitizenSports @AJCsports @PGH_Georgia @brinkleykate_22 @MReedfamily5
Wade Kahl, Centennial boys basketball
Kahl’s 17 points, 12 boards and three blocks were huge for Centennial to be able to get a win on its Senior Night.
FINAL: Knights 72, JC 60
— Matt Barksdale (@CHSKnightsBball) January 29, 2022
Big dub for our Seniors!@KahlWade 17P 12R 3B
@TheRealMansir 12P 6R 4A 2B@AbdulhDiaby 11P 5R 2B 2S@carter_wit 9P 4R 2B@Mark_AsareJr 7P 5R 4A 2S@KiwaneGarrisJr 5P 3A@DarionGway_11 4P 2R 2A@cameronjasper5 3P@HibbertJonah 2P 3A@BrianBaylor9 2P
Grace Ridley, Dalton girls basketball
Ridley had a game-high 19 points while controlling the boards with 14 rebounds.
DALTON DEFEATS DOUGLAS COUNTY 46-40! 🔥@GraceRidley16 - 19pts, 14reb@joliewingfield - 8pts@therealkemara_ - 8pts@KyleSandy355 @GPBsports @northgareport @PGH_Georgia @CGBR27 @ABHpreps @PassThaBallLive @BatsonBBall @InsiderExposure @DCitizenSports @SBLiveGA @AJCsports pic.twitter.com/wPGrea253S
— DHS Lady Cats Basketball (@dhs_cats) January 29, 2022
Connor McKay, Rabun County boys basketball
McKay had a monster night versus Union County. He dropped 47 points, adding 16 rebounds, three steals and four blocks.
Rabun 76
— Rabun County MBB (@RabunWildcat) January 28, 2022
Union 61
Win brings us to 16-5 and 4-0 in the region.@Connor12McKay 47p 16r 1a 3s 4b@GusHood2 11p 8r 7a 1s@CooperWelch1414 8p 2r 1s 1b
Andrew Truelove 3p 2r 2a 1b
Crayson Carver 3p 2r 2a@BlitzSportsGA@northgareport@AJCsports @AJCclassAAblog @KyleSandy355
Akirria Mountain, Glynn Academy girls basketball
Mountain dropped 31 points and went 6-for-12 from behind the arc.
Player of the Game @akirriaaaa_m finished last night with 31 points and 6-12 from behind the arc. #EAT @PGH_Georgia @KyleSandy355 pic.twitter.com/Pad3oH5dtD
— Glynn Academy Lady Terrors Basketball (@GA_LadyTerrors) January 29, 2022
Mansir Williamson, Centennial boys basketball
Williamson flirted with a triple-double in a win over Cambridge with 19 points, seven boards and nine assists.
Sophie Woodard, Rabun County girls basketball
Woodard dropped a team-high 19 points but was most impressive with her sticky fingers, collecting 10 steals.
Rabun County LadyCats over Union County, 60-41.
— RabunCountyWBB (@RabunWbb) January 28, 2022
‘22 Gracie Deetz 19p, 7r
‘22 Sophie Woodard 18p, 10s
‘22 Carley Haban 16p, 3s@KyleSandy355 @BlitzSportsGA @WDUNSports @northgareport @PGH_Georgia
Bruce Thornton, Milton boys basketball
Thornton did it all in a win over Cherokee with 17 points, six boards and got his teammates involved with his 11 assists.
Final from Cherokee:
— Milton Eagles Basketball (@milton_hoops) January 26, 2022
Milton - 58
Cherokee- 51
Stats:@Bruce2T_ - 17p 6r 11a@kanaancarlyle15- 16p 6r 2a@LebbeusO - 9p 15r 2a@SethFitzgerald0- 8p 10r 1a
@Avery_legit - 5p 1r 2a@chase3cormier- DNP
Milton remains undefeated in region play. We play Woodstock Friday @ 7:30pm!
Jay King, First Presbyterian Day boys basketball
King went off against Strong Rock with 45 points, seven boards and five steals, and he did it all in just three quarters.
FPD 78. Strong Rock 44. Final. @jayking_12 45 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals (3 quarters)
— Coach Lee (@Coach_Lee12) January 26, 2022
Garyah Fumbah 9 points
Nick Jordan 8 points@lil_dpatt 8 points @J_Goodrum06 DNP pic.twitter.com/aJh1hib3mi
Devin Story, Evans boys basketball
Evans needed all of Story’s 27 points and seven boards in its two-point win over Heritage.
Available Class of 2022 CG Devin Story had 27pts & 7rebs last night in a 56-54 win over Heritage. @evans_bball @Elev8edExposure
— Chadwick Hixon (@CoachHixonDimes) January 26, 2022
@AugBball @spazzdev @OTD_GA @TweetsbyCoachP @Relentless_Hoop @HoopSeenGA @SHReport @BTS_Report @BracketSage@GeorgiaPrepMag @hoopdreams_hd
Zion Fruster, Alexander boys basketball
Fruster’s double-double of 27 points, 10 boards and four assists helped Alexander get past Paulding County.
ALX- 80
— Alexander Basketball (@ALX_Bball) January 26, 2022
Paulding Co.- 69@Z2hardd 27p, 10r, 4a, 2s @braedanlue11 13p, 7r, 5a, 3b @_milankennedy_2 13p, 4s, 3r, 2a @SeanIvory10 13p, 5r @JoffreyJNunnal1 10p, 5r, 3s, 2a
Isaiah Collier, Wheeler boys basketball
Collier came up big in the overtime win over Newton with 24 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Wheeler (GA) G Isaiah Collier (@isaiahcollier04): 24 PTS, 7 REB, 5 AST in a win over Newton @WheelerHoops https://t.co/JBrOvi3fEy
— The HS Circuit (@HSCircuit) January 30, 2022
Marcus Whitlock, Newton boys basketball
Whitlock lit it up from behind the arc with seven 3s and 23 points to help get past Grayson.
FINAL: Newton 58, Grayson 56.
— Josh Tec (@_joshtec) January 29, 2022
Despite an impressive second-half run from Grayson, Newton hangs on to win a tough region matchup.
Marcus Whitlock finishes with 23 (7 3pm)
Stephon Castle adds a 14 and 11 double-double.
Tyrese Elliott leads Grayson with 16. pic.twitter.com/L1rM86wrBR
Sophie Smith, Denmark girls basketball
Smith stuffed the stat sheet with 18 points, six rebounds, eight assists and two steals to help Denmark squeak by Gainesville.
Chauncey Wiggins, Grayson boys basketball
Wiggins' 20-point, 11-rebound double-double was needed in Grayson’s win over region opponent Parkview.
Good Region win on the road.
— Grayson Basketball (@graysonhoops) January 26, 2022
Stats
@Gicarri1 25pts 8 rebs 3stls 2blks@cwiggins30 20 pts 11 rebs@tyrese_elliott 15pts 3stls@_calebblackwell 7pts 9assists pic.twitter.com/2Cn6peQFJW
Anthony Arrington Jr., Galloway boys basketball
Arrington hauled in 18 rebounds while adding 15 points, four assists and three steals in Galloway’s win over Mt. Vernon.
What a dog fight tonight vs Mount Vernon. That team is tough as nails. Pulled away early in the 4th to get to 2-0 in region.
— Andrew Tulowitzky (@CoachTulo) January 26, 2022
Banner 18p, 3r
Arrington 15p, 18r, 4a, 3s
Amir Arrington 10p, 2r, 2a
Grinberg 8p, 6r
Alterman 5p, 5a, 3r
Squilaro 5p, 4r pic.twitter.com/KtNEswNHtT

Mike Swanson is the VP of Content for High School On SI. He's been in journalism since 2003, having worked as a reporter, city editor, copy editor and high school sports editor in California, Connecticut and Oregon.