St. Francis prepares for battle with Holy Innocents' with a place in the championship on the line

St. Francis faces off against Holy Innocents in a matchup to keep its hopes of three straight championships alive. The Knights won the Class A-Division I title in both 2023 and 2024.

Holy Innocents is no pushover, however, having won championships in 2019 and 2020 and remaining a contender every season.

The Knights have been dominant all season, boasting a 28-2 record. Their only losses came against the top-ranked team in Arkansas and Langston Hughes, the No. 6 team in Georgia. They have played in only four games decided by fewer than 10 points all season. Their playoff run has been just as dominant, winning both games by 38 points, defeating Wesleyan 72-34 and Calvary Day 86-48. Additionally, in their region title game, they routed fellow Final Four team Galloway 69-32.

St. Francis is led by a trio of guards, Giaunni Rogers, Desi Taylor, and Cam Golston, who combine to average 41.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, 12.9 assists, and 7.4 steals per game. Together, they account for the majority of the Knights scoring and playmaking. Another key player is forward Amelia Basit. At 6-foot-2, she is a force inside, averaging nearly 10 points per game while leading the team in rebounds with 10.4 per game.

For the Knights to win, they must play elite defense. Holy Innocents' boasts one of the best offenses in the state, averaging 72.5 points per game. The Golden Bears have scored 80+ points in nine games, accounting nearly a third of their matchups. Additionally, St. Francis must keep its own offense on track, as Holy Innocents has held nearly two-thirds of its opponents under 50 points.

One advantage for St. Francis is its road dominance. The Knights have gone undefeated in nine true road games this season. Meanwhile, Holy Innocents lost two home games during the regular season, proving that while their home record is strong, they are not unbeatable on their home court.

Around the class boys - North Cobb Christian escaped Mt. Bethel with a 76-64 victory. GAC won a hard-fought battle against Darlington, 59-54, in the second round. Greenforest kept its hopes for a repeat championship alive with a 59-43 win over Providence Christian. Hebron defeated Walker 73-59 in the second round to set up a matchup with Holy Innocents. Paideia edged out Christian Heritage with a 61-54 victory.

Around the class girls - In the semifinals, Hebron Christian advanced with a 53-45 victory. Galloway ended GACs Cinderella run with a 50-39 victory. Holy Innocents cruised past North Cobb Christian, dominating in a 68-36 victory.