Class A-Div. I Blog: Southwest Macon looks to avenge 2024 state championship defeat with strong start

As the GHSA football state championships are in the rear view mirror, the focus shifts to basketball as the season is coming up on the midway point.

With plenty of good teams in Class A-Division I this season, the Southwest Macon Patriots are back at it as strong as ever in the 2025-2026 season.

The Patriots are coming off of an impressive 2024-2025 season where they finished with a 27-3 record overall and a 11-2 region record, earning the top-seed in the postseason a year ago.

While Southwest Macon was the top-seed in the postseason, the Patriots were defeated in the state championship 62-56 by BEST Academy, falling just short of the title.

As the Patriots turnover a new leaf onto this season, Southwest Macon has started its first 11 games this season with an 8-3 record with victories over Beach, Howard, Monroe, Rutland, East Laurens, Dublin, Westside and Dodge County and three losses to Peachtree Ridge, Harlem and Pebblebrook with plenty of basketball left to play.

The Patriots are led by a dominant senior guard tandem in Chase Dupree and Caron “CJ” Howard who are each averaging over 23 points per game on the young season.

The pair is ranked in the top-20 in points per game in the GHSA as Dupree is ranked fifth averaging 27.7 points and Howard in the top-20, averaging 23.5 points per game, combining for an impeccable duo.

Dupree has appeared in 10 games this season and has recorded 277 points while shooting 54% from the field and 32% from beyond-the-arc.

His counterpart, Howard, has recorded 188 total points this season on a 46% field goal percentage. He has appeared in eight games and has continued to play a major role in the Patriots success thus far.

The Patriots have two games back-to-back this weekend on Friday and Saturday as they will take on Northgate tonight at 5:30 p.m. before facing Houston County at 6 p.m. tomorrow night with both games being played at Southwest Macon.

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