North Gwinnett Boys, Girls Advance in 7-AAAAA Basketball

Updated 9:29 a.m., Feb. 15, 2012

Things went pretty much according to form Tuesday in the opening round of the 7-AAAAA basketball tournament at in Suwanee.

The defending state champion Norcross boys and girls teams won, and the North Gwinnett boys and girls -- both ranked in the statewide Top 10 -- also advanced to semifinal play.

Apparently, this would qualify the winners for state tournament action beginning Feb. 24-25. According to GHSA brackets, four teams from each of the state's eight AAAAA regions qualify for state play.

A summary of the Suwanee teams' action Tuesday: 

North Gwinnett 66, Mountain View 56 (boys): The top-seeded Bulldogs, who led the entire game, got 30 points from Chris Bolden and 16 points from A.J. Clements. The winner of Wednesday's Mill Creek-Duluth game will take on North in the semifinals Friday (8:30 p.m.) at Meadowcreek High. Sean Starke led Mountain View with 18 points

North Gwinnett 71, Meadowcreek 27 (girls): Peyton Whitted scored 16 points and had eight rebounds as No. 3-ranked North rolled. Ariel Johnson added 11 points and Lexie Brown had eight points, nine rebounds and eight assists. The winner of Wednesday's Duluth-Peachtree Ridge game will play North on Friday at Meadowcreek.

Material from the Gwinnett Daily Post was used in this report.