Of the nine varsity basketball teams that started the season, only two are left heading into the opening round of the state playoffs this weekend — the Spalding High boys and Spalding High girls teams.

The boys team has the tougher opening-round assignment by far. The third-seeded Jags (18-9) have to travel to Albany, Ga., to take on second-seeded and Class AAA No. 6-state ranked Monroe High (23-2) 6 p.m., Friday.

Meanhwhile, the second-seeded Lady Jags (20-6) get the benefit of playing third-seeded Crisp County (16-6) at home 5 p.m., Saturday.

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NEWLY RANKED: It took all season, but the Spalding High Lady Jags finally cracked the state ranking.

Spalding landed at No. 10 in the latest poll released Tuesday, a day after the Lady Jags fell 45-43 to Rutland in the Region 4-AAA tournament championship game at Locust Grove High School in Locust Grove, Ga.

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LADY JAGS REACH 20-WIN MILESTONE: The Spalding High girls basketball team reached the 20-win mark with a 48-39 win Feb. 18 against Jackson in the semifinal round of the Region 4-AAA Tournament.

It’s only the second time in the team’s 10-year history it has reached 20 wins, though it had 19 wins twice. The other 20-win season come during the 2003-04 campaign when the Lady Jags posted a team-record 22 victories against six losses.

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MAKING STATE: This is the second trip ever and the second in a row to state for the Spalding High boys team, while it’ll mark the fifth in the last eight years for the Spalding High girls team.

Trips to state for the Spalding High girls team have come in the 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2010 state playoffs.

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NEVER DONE: One thing neither Spalding High basketball team has ever done is win a state tournament game.

The Spalding girls lost to Elbert County 50-31 in 2003, Elbert County 59-53 in 2004, Richmond Academy 52-51 in 2006 and Baldwin 56-47 last year, while the Spalding boys lost to Burke County 70-31 last season.