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THE CHAMPION, THURSDAY, MARCH 7 - 13, 2024 • PAGE 10
Greenforest head coach Rory Griffin wants to change the narrative surrounding Greenforest won a title in 2022 and reached the championship game again this season, but results were
his program, which has competed for two of the past three state titles. File unknown at press time.
photos
Greenforest makes statement with dominant Final Four sweep
BY JAY PHILLIPS
JAY@DEKALBCHAMP.COM
Greenforest McCalep
Christian Academy is a
small school with a recent
basketball history as rich
and successful as anyone
in DeKalb, and boys' head
coach Rory Griffin said
recent history proves the
Decatur area school can
compete with anyone.
However—due to its
small size—the school isn't
mentioned in the same
way that the county's other
basketball powerhouses
are, but Greenforest's
accomplishments rival
anyone's in the county.
"This is the year that
we want the program to
receive the notoriety for
the culture we've built and
the system we have for
developing and training.
I want people to see that
we're onto something; this
school knows how to win
and get kids into college,"
said Griffin.
A recent addition
to Greenforest's list of
accomplishments was its
girls' and boys' basketball
teams winning Final Four
games by more than 20
points each - advancing the
teams to state title games on
March 6, which results were
unknown at press time. On
its way to the title game, the
boys' team won its playoff
games by an average of 38
points per game.
It's not just the four
state championships under
three different coaches that
speak to the boys' program's
success — but also the
regular season success,
region championships, and
college scholarships paired
with the next level success
seen from the program's
alums.
Greenforest doesn't play
in the toughest classification,
considering the school is
the smallest public school
in DeKalb that participates
in athletics, but Griffin has
made up for that with brutal
non-region schedules.
This season, Griffin
had his team play against
powerhouses in the state's
top classifications such
as Kell, Pebblebrook,
Meadowcreek, Grayson,
Berkmar, and Milton.
Greenforest also regularly
competes in the southeast's
top showcase events—such
as Holiday Hoopsgiving in
Atlanta—where some of the
best teams from across the
country compete.
"The way we've
responded this year [after
losing seven-foot seniors
Dhiaukuei "DK" Dut and
Gai Choi, among others],
we haven't scaled back our
schedule. We played all the
powerhouses and still won
some," said Griffin.
According to Griffin, the
schedule and results show
Greenforest is a program
capable of competing
with anyone in the state
and not just a dominant
lA-classifcation school.
The recent success also
transfers from coach-to-
coach, which is another
impressive feat considering
several DeKalb programs
dropped off after losing
storied coaches. Griffin has
been an assistant or a head
coach for all four of the state
title wins, which David Jones
and Larry Thompson led the
school to before Griffin took
over.
When comparing his
program to other DeKalb
powerhouses, Griffin noted
that those schools' coaches
mentored him.
"I'm able to have the
success I've had because
I was in the gym learning
from those guys, taking
notes," said Griffin. "Look
at my style, I mimic [Tucker
head coach] James Hatrty.
I mimic [Columbia head
coach] Phil McCrary. Those
guys are like family."
As a head coach, Griffin
has led Greenforest to five
consecutive region titles,
made the final four in three
out of the last four seasons,
and is now returning to the
state title game after last
winning it in 2022.
"I think it's time for us
to change the narrative," he
added. "Regardless of who is
here, we've built something
at Greenforest that is true,
it's consistent, it's sound,
and it works."
Another mark of a
powerhouse is the college
scholarships that are offered
and the success the alums
have. Greenforest requires
all its students to have a
college acceptance letter
to graduate. The basketball
program is no different,
but it earns a few athletic
scholarships on top of the
acceptance letters.
Alums such as Lamar
Oden started every game for
Drexel last season and Jalen
Forrest averaged 11 points
per game as a freshman
at Presbyterian before
transferring to Georgia Tech.
Dut and Choi joined college
teams at Georgia State and
Mississippi State this past
offseason, and the list goes
on with the school regularly
sending multiple athletes
to the college ranks every
season.
Visit
thechampionnewspaper.
com for results from
Greenforest's championship
games.
WWW.THECHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.COM
NOTICE OF 2023 ANNUAL REPORT
AND 2024 BUDGET OF THE
URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF
THE CITY OF CHAMBLEE, GEORGIA
The Urban Redevelopment Agency (the “URA”)
of the City of Chamblee, Georgia (the “City”) has
filed its Annual Report for calendar year 2023 with
the Mayor and Council of the City, as required by
O.C.G.A. Section 36-61-18.
Additionally, a copy of the proposed 2024 Budget
for the Urban Redevelopment Agency (the “URA”)
of the City of Chamblee has been prepared. The
2023 Annual Report and the Proposed 2024 Annual
Budget are available for inspection during business
hours or by appointment at City Hall and in the office
of the URA located at 3518 Broad Street, Chamblee,
GA 30341. The report is also available on the city
website at www.chambleega.com.
The URA will meet on Thursday, March 14, 2024
at 5:50 p.m. to review and vote to adopt the Annual
Report, as well as the 2024 Budget. The meeting will
be held at Chamblee City Hall located at 3518 Broad
Street, Chamblee, GA 30341. Please check the city
website for regular updates.
