After two rounds of the state tournament, just three Cobb boys teams remain.

Of those three, two will play one another.

North Cobb Christian and Whitefield Academy will square off tonight at Marietta High School for a chance to play in the final four.

The Class A upstart, once a powerhouse in the Georgia Independent Schools Association, will be playing the two-time state champion - virtually in their own backyards.

"I think that's a good thing, not only for both programs, but also for the fans," Whitefield Academy coach Tyrone Johnson said. "Both teams have done pretty well this year. Regardless of that, you have to throw the records out of the window because so much is at stake."

The teams were in the same region two years ago, but have only faced each other once in the last five years. Whitefield won when Kenny Gaines drained a buzzer-beater to give the Wolfpack a 59-58 win.

Looking at this season, North Cobb Christian (28-2) is on a 20-game winning streak and has yet to lose to a team from Georgia. Whitefield Academy (27-3) has rattled off nine straight wins since its last loss.

When the Eagles and Wolfpack take the floor for their 8:30 p.m. tip, it will be a battle of up-tempo teams - one that likes to shoot the ball from long range, and the other that likes to cut and slash its way to the basket.

North Cobb Christian has three players who can shoot from long range in guards Michael Matta, Corey Harris and Blake Ralling.

The Eagles also have the architect of their GISA state title team of three years ago, coach Greg Matta, who returned to the Kennesaw school after spending two years on Tony Ingle's men's basketball coaching staff at Kennesaw State.

Whitefield counts Gaines, Tekele Cotton and Kennard Backman as its primary weapons inside the paint.

"I think I've got some guys who can make plays off the dribble," Johnson said. "Hopefully, that will counter some of their length."

The team that prevails in the all-Cobb showdown will advance into Wednesday's semifinal against either Turner County or Terrell County at the Macon Centreplex.

In the Class AAAAA quarterfinal at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton, Wheeler (21-5) will take on its longtime postseason nemesis, Norcross (21-9), at 5:30 p.m.

The teams have met five times in the last seven years, with their biggest battles coming in the postseason - including twice for the state championship.

Their one regular-season matchup came earlier this season, with Wheeler winning 73-68 in the second game of the year. But regardless of what happened then, tonight's game will see different teams come together than the ones that played each other earlier this year.

"(Norcross) is a totally different team now, just like we are," Wheeler coach Doug Lipscomb said. "(The difference is) being battle-tested, so they are very experienced. I think we are coming together as well. Hopefully, we will have our best game of the year."

That best game would send the Wildcats on to the semifinals, where it would face either Newton or Valdosta on Thursday at the Arena at Gwinnett Center.

Chuck Mitchell, a key post player for the Wildcats, has played sparingly over the last couple of games, but will start tonight. While he was hampered by knee trouble at the end of the season, it was an illness over the past week that forced him to miss some more time, according to Lipscomb.

Key to Norcross' success are three Division I signees: E. Victor Nickerson (Charlotte), Alonzo Nelson-Ododa (Richmond) and Josiah Moore (Nebraska).