March 5, 2026 — It has been an incredible week for Cobb basketball. Last weekend, seven teams advanced to their classification's Elite Eight round of the GHSA state tournament: Kell Girls, Campbell Girls, Hillgrove Girls, Hillgrove Boys, McEachern Boys, Pebblebrook Boys, and Wheeler Boys. Four of those teams had to play road games—Kell, Pebblebrook, and both Hillgrove teams—while Campbell, McEachern, and Wheeler hosted in their home gyms. The first two rounds of the postseason eliminated 12 Cobb teams, leaving seven still standing in the quarterfinal round, the Elite Eight.

While it seemed unlikely, it was possible for all seven of Cobb's teams to advance to the Final Four semifinals. Unlikely or not, this is Cobb, and this is the playoffs. All seven teams won their Elite Eight games to advance to the Final Four! This means Cobb will be represented in the 4A Girls Final Four by Kell, in the 6A Girls FF by Campbell and Hillgrove, and in an all-Cobb FF in 6A Boys by Hillgrove, McEachern, Pebblebrook, and Wheeler!

"I'm so proud of George [Washington, Pebblebrook Head Coach] and [Greg] Moultrie [Hillgrove Head Coach] and Larry [Thompson, Wheeler Head Coach]," said McEachern Coach Tremayne Anchrum after his Indians downed Peachtree Ridge in their E8 game. "Region 3 was the best region in the state this year. We had three teams in the top six in the state. We would play them tough, and they would play us tough. This region is ready!"

"This is what it's all about," agreed Wheeler Coach Larry Thompson. "If you get to the Final Four, you give yourself a chance to plan for a state championship. We never take that for granted. I'm super proud of this team. We've been through a lot of adversity, but it was all a lesson that helped us get to this moment."

McEachern and Wheeler will meet on the court at Georgia State University (GSU) for one of the games in the 6A Final Four. They have played once before this season, with Wheeler coming out on top, 68-59. Both teams are very different from where they were in late November, and this game will be a fight. To add fuel to the fire, this is a rematch of the 2024 Final Four game, which McEachern won, 63-56.

"We had a down place in the middle of the year with Chase Lumpkin being hurt, and our guys were trying to figure out what their roles were," said Coach Anchrum. "We built it brick by brick, and it has now kind of clicked in. We are looking forward to this rematch [against Wheeler]."

Having Chase back on the floor has definitely energized the Indians. He dropped 36 points against Peachtree Ridge at Lovinggood Arena last night, 93-69. Zach Graves contributed 22 points, and Emmanuel Alofe added 13 to the dominant E8 win for the Indians.

Pebblebrook will match up with Hillgrove for the other half of the 6A Final Four. These Region 3 teams know each other well and have played three times already this season. The Hawks have won all three games, but every coach will tell you that beating any team, much less a nearby rival, four times in one season is a tall order. Both teams and coaches have already seen what the other can do and can make adjustments. This Final Four will come down to endurance and the sheer will to win.

"Competing in the toughest 6A Region in the state prepared this group to battle through adversity and grow together as a team," said Hillgrove Coach Greg Moultrie. "Our players have embraced the standard, holding each other accountable every day and fully buying into our coaching philosophy."

"Making the Final Four is an incredible accomplishment for our program, our players, our school, and community," said Pebblebrook Coach George Washington. "It reflects the hard work, discipline, and commitment our student athletes have shown all season long. Our team has embraced the challenge of representing our school with pride, and reaching this stage is a testament to their dedication both on and off the court."

Lady Hoopers of Cobb Eye the Prize

The Campbell and Hillgrove girls teams will be playing North Paulding and Grayson, respectively, at GSU this weekend. If they both win, they will face each other in Macon, also for the fourth time this season.

"We are thrilled to be returning to the Final Four, even more so with our boys team, too!" said Hillgrove Coach Sue Milam. "Our team created vision boards back during summer workouts with goals for the season, and they have worked hard to make them happen. I'm so proud of how hard they are competing. I feel like we are playing our best basketball right now and am excited to compete in the highest levels of the tournament. Nothing would be better than to see these young ladies finish the season as state champions."

This will be Coach Randy McClure's fifth appearance in the GHSA semifinals as the Campbell head coach. The 39-year coaching veteran is closing in on 650 careers wins, and this season's Region 3 championship was the 13th in his career. However, he is still chasing his first state title. The love he has for this year's team is obvious:

"These kids have worked very hard and are finally having some things come together," Coach McClure said. "They have really grown from good individual players to being a great team. It means so much to the returning players who were eliminated in the first round last year and remember the disappointment. It's also great for the Smyrna community. We are proud to have the privilege to represent the Campbell nation and Cobb County!"

In 4A, the Lady Longhorns have had an exceptional season, reminiscent of the 2022-23 state championship team. Both Kell teams went undefeated in region play and have only five losses this season. If this year's squad can replicate the postseason success of the 2022-23 team, Coach Kandra Bailey will be hoisting another trophy next Thursday evening in Macon.

"I’m really proud of this group and the grit and determination they’ve shown all season," Coach Bailey said. "We’ve faced a lot of adversity this year, but our girls never backed down. They stayed together, kept working, and kept believing in each other."

"For the past four years, we haven’t been able to get past the Sweet 16, so breaking through and making the Final Four means a lot for our program and our school," she continued. "Winning on the road to get here shows the toughness of this team. I’m proud of the way they’ve handled every challenge that’s come their way, but we know the job isn’t finished yet!"

Good luck to all seven Cobb teams this weekend in the Final Four! We can't wait to see who makes it through the March to Macon for next week's title games...