Five Newton County basketball teams begin their state playoff runs this weekend, with Newton and Alcovy tipping off action tonight in the Class AAAAAA opening round.

The Newton boys and girls program will host a doubleheader tonight beginning at 6 p.m., with the Lady Rams facing off against North Cobb in the night's opening contest.

The Rams will face Hillgrove, following the girls' contest, at 7:30 p.m.

The Lady Rams enter the game with a 21-6 overall record, breezing through the Region 2-AAAAAA tournament with wins over Alcovy and Luella.

Newton will put its 13-game win streak on the line at home against North Cobb. The Lady Warriors bring a 20-9 overall record to tonight's contest and are winners of two of their last four contests.

North Cobb defeated South Cobb 56-34 in the opening round of the Region 4-AAAAAA tournament before defeating Campbell 75-63 in the quarterfinal round.

The Lady Warriors reached the tournament consolation game after falling 74-54 in the tournament semifinals to Hillgrove. North Cobb earned the region's No. 4 seed with a 53-46 loss to Marietta in the consolation game.

The Rams take on the Hillgrove Hawks after finishing the season with a 21-7 overall record. Newton reached the Region 2-AAAAAA tournament finals, dropping a 50-46 decision to Luella in the title game.

The Hawks enter tonight's contest with a 20-7 overall record after being upset in Tuesday's semifinal round against South Cobb. South Cobb, Region 4's No. 9 seed, defeated the second-seeded Hawks 55-53, sending the Hawks into the consolation game.

Hillgrove defeated Campbell 62-53 in the consolation final to earn the region's No. 3 seed.

Lady Tigers in action
The Alcovy girls varsity basketball team will also be in action Friday night, as it travels to Hillgrove to take on the Lady Hawks at 6 p.m.

The Lady Tigers earned the No. 3 seed in Region 2-AAAAAA with a 42-38 victory over rival Rockdale County in the tournament consolation game.

Alcovy enters tonight's contest with a 10-18 overall record, but won two of three region tournament games, including a quarterfinal victory over Lovejoy.

Hillgrove finished second overall in Region 4-AAAAAA, reaching the region tournament game with a quarterfinal win over Kennesaw Mountain and a semifinal victory over North Cobb.

The Lady Hawks fell 72-60 in the region championship game to McEachern.

Hillgrove had won four consecutive contests before falling to McEachern.

The Lady Hawks are 9-1 at home this season, while the Lady Tigers sport a 5-9 record on the road.

Eagles host Saturday
The Eastside girls and boys varsity basketball teams wrap up opening- round tournament action on Saturday with a doubleheader.

The Lady Eagles will host Marist as Region 8-AAAA's No. 2 seed at 4 p.m.

Eastside reached the region tournament final as the region's No. 6 seed with a 46-42 upset victory over Lumpkin County in the tournament quarter finals. The Lady Eagles then defeated Walnut Grove 46-29, their third win of the season over the Lady Warriors, to reach the tournament championship game against Chestatee.

Eastside dropped a 57-56 contest to the Lady War Hawks in the title contest.

In Region 6-AAAA, Marist reached the tournament consolation game with an opening-round victory over Washington, 60-36.

In the tournament quarterfinals, Marist defeated South Atlanta 55-42, but it fell 70-1 to Redan in the semifinals.
Marist rebounded with a 54-50 win over Grady in the tournament consolation final.

The Eastside boys team will also host its opening -round Class AAAA state tournament game at home on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. against Grady.

The Eagles saw their 18-game win streak snapped in the Region 4-AAAA tournament final against Johnson, falling 88-67 against the Knights.

Eastside reached the championship contest with a 72-35 opening- round victory against Chestatee and a 76-45 semifinal win over Walnut Grove.

Grady earned the No. 3 seed in Region 4 with a 53-50 win over Stone Mountain in the tournament's consolation game.

Grady earned a 53-32 win over Lithonia in the tournament quarterfinals before falling 56-52 to Columbia in semifinals action.