Jeff Hart

Social Circle outscored Lakeview Academy 18-10 in the third quarter to blow open a close game and then sealed a 51-42 win at the foul line in the fourth quarter in Region 8-A action Friday night.

The North Hall girls basketball team pushed No. 5 Gilmer the entire way but came up short in the fourth quarter in a 53-49 Region 7A-AAA loss on the road.

The Class AA No. 1-ranked Buford girls built a quick first quarter lead and then cruised to a big Region 6-AA 54-37 win over rival Greater Atlanta Christian Friday night.

Union County jumped out to a quick 26-8 lead in the first quarter and then cruised to a 57-27 win over Dawson County Friday night in Region 8-AA play.

The Chestatee girls basketball team rebounded from a tough loss to Pickens Tuesday with a solid 46-33 win over Class AAA ninth-ranked Creekview Friday at the Chestatee gym.

Riverside Military Academy remained perrfect in Region 8A-AA after taking a 56-47 road win over Fannin County Friday night.

It wasn’t the way Pickens girls basketball coach Kevin Jacobs drew up the final play but he was more than pleased with the improvisational skills of sophomore Jamie Waterman.

Johnson boys basketball coach Jeff Steele said he knows exactly when his team will break out of its now five-game losing streak. “When the kids decide they want to win more than the coaches do,” he said after watching his Knights fall 78-66 to Creekview Saturday night at the Johnson gym.

Gainesville held Flowery Branch to just 14 points in the second and third quarters combined en route to a dominating 53-31 win Friday night in Region 7B-AAA girls basketball action at the Gainesville gym.

In the first major skirmish for control of the Region 7B-AAA subregion, Gainesville put on a tremendous first quarter shooting exhibition to take a quick lead and then held on in the second half to beat Flowery Branch 76-71 Friday night at the Gainesville gym.