Liberty County High School girls and boys basketball teams and Bradwell Institute girls basketball teams prepare for the 2017 Georgia High School Association State Basketball Tournaments, with first round matchups beginning this Friday Feb. 17 and Saturday Feb. 18.

The Lady Tigers of Bradwell will travel to Tucker, Georgia to compete against Tucker High School in the Class AAAAAA girl’s bracket. Tucker High won the state championship in 2014 when they were in the Class AAAAA division.

Liberty County’s Lady Panthers will be on the road too, traveling to Macon, Georgia to face the Lady Chargers of Central High School in the Class AAA girl’s bracket.

Liberty County’s boys basketball team now begin the quest to repeat as AAA state champions as the Panthers host the Kendrick High School Cherokees this Saturday at 3pm.

Liberty County High will also be holding a special ceremony during halftime to retire former Panthers basketball player, and current shooting guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Jordan McRae. McRae played for the Panthers from 2007 to 2010 and averaged 20 points per game as a senior. McRae then played four years of college basketball at The University of Tennessee and was drafted in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft.

The Panthers will also honor junior guard Will Richardson, as Richardson is the fastest Panther in Liberty County history to join the 1,000 point club.