The Portal Panthers basketball team has a chance to make history in Macon. The Panthers have made two title game appearances in 1948 and 1957.

On Thursday, the Panthers get a third shot at their first state crown as they battle No. 1 ranked Clinch County (28-3) at 3 p.m. for the Class A championship at the Macon Coliseum. The game will be broadcast live on 99.7 FM and on GPB TV and streamed live at https://www.gpb.org/television/watch

The Panthers are an unlikely title contender having won only 12 games last year and dressing only one senior on the 2026 team. Their leading scorer David Thomas missed the entire 2024-25 season with a torn ACL and they lack size in the post.

Head coach Jeff Brannen said while a similarly competitive team from a few years ago may have had more talent, he believes this year’s squad makes up with hustle, defense and shooting.

“If there is a 50/50 ball, our guys are going to get it,” Brannen said. “We have some really quick guards who get their hands on a lot of loose balls and are scrappy and they can all shoot. Our post players are not tall, but they are strong and crafty, they find a lot of unique ways to score."

For Portal, everything starts with junior guard David Thomas. Thomas is averaging 16 points and four assists per game and is the leading free throw shooter at 83 percent. Thomas played one year with his brother Joe, who now plays at Arkansas-Little Rock, before missing last year with a knee injury suffered in the Panthers' season opening football game.

"He was a complimentary player on our team that made four-straight trips to the quarterfinals,” Brannen said. "I think he gained some experience there but then missed all of last year. He has worked hard to get back in shape and you can see how he has constantly improved throughout the season."

The Panthers' second leading scorer is C.J. Harden. Harden is only a sophomore, so, like Thomas, he only has one year of high school experience prior to this season.

"Both he and David have carried much of the load as far as ball handling and scoring," Brannen said. "Brian McQueen is the other guard who can heat up on any given night and lead the team is scoring as well. He is our only senior and has really improved his confidence throughout our run."

In the post, the Panthers have counted on juniors Josh Coleman (6-2) and K.J. Hunter (6-0). Coleman is averaging 11 points per game and just over six rebounds per contest, while Hunter scores just over 10 points per contest and leads the team in rebounds at just over nine per game.

"K.J. and Josh have had to go up against much taller players throughout most of the season and especially the last couple of games," Brannen said. "They may be shorter, but they have big hearts and find ways to get points and rebounds against the taller opponents. They really work well together."

Thursday's opponent is the No. 1 ranked Clinch County Panthers, who sport a 28-3 record and are coming off an impressive 53-44 win over Chattahoochee County.

Known more for their football team, the other Panthers are not as tall as the last couple of Portal opponents, but make up for that with their strength. They are led by point guard A.J. Barr and his backcourt teammates Traviian Miller and JaKyri Posely.

“These guys are football players so they are really strong,” Brannen said.  “Thursday, the key is using our quickness and putting a little pressure on them. We need to try to turn them over and get them in a faster paced game. We have no trouble playing fast. We're going to have to speed them up a little bit, but I think defensively we can do that.”