Both Newton Rams varsity basketball teams will play host to first round Class AAAAAAA state tournament action this Friday. 

The Lady Rams, who lost a 73-70 double overtime heartbreaker to Archer in the Region 8-AAAAAAA championship game Saturday, will host Duluth (15-12, 10-4 in Region 6-AAAAAAA) Friday at 6 p.m. The Lady Wildcats boast an athletic, high-scoring senior lefty in 5-foot-9 Endia Banks, while Newton’s backcourt of Lexi Chatman, Jurnee Smith and Janelle Cook have been playing solid over the last few games. 

Meanwhile, the top-ranked Newton boys (26-1, 9-1), fresh off its 75-61 Region 8-AAAAAAA championship game win against Shiloh, will face Peachtree Ridge (16-12, 8-5 in Region 6-AAAAAAA) at 7:30 p.m.

If the Newton boys win, it will host the winner of the Roswell-Westlake matchup. If the Lady Rams win, they too will play the winner of a Roswell-Westlake contest. 

As for the county’s two other state tournament representatives, the Eastside boys and the Alcovy boys will travel to Mary Persons and Lee County respectively this week. Alcovy's game is set for a Saturday tip off at 6 p.m. We will update the specific day and time for Eastside as soon as the information becomes available, along with full state tournament basketball capsules for each of our teams.