Boys basketball: Bluff survives Lumpkin; Banks, Dawson, NHall, West Hall win; Branch, Johnson fall

DAHLONEGA — When Lumpkin County and Cherokee Bluff took the court at the Longhouse on Friday, it was a back-and-forth Region 7-3A battle.

But a cold-shooting third quarter by the Indians (6-12, 2-5 Region 7-3A) proved to be the difference as the Bears (11-8, 4-3 Region 7-3A) edged Lumpkin County, 69-65.

Bosko Norman led the Bears with 19 points, while Jacob Cumbie scored a game-high 22 points -- 15 in the first half -- to pace the Indians.

The two region foes played identical in the first half, ending the first quarter tied at 16 and the half at 37. But the third quarter is where the Indians fell behind, 52-46. 

In the fourth, both traded baskets with Bluff's Norman hitting for 8 points, and Lumpkin's Chandler Pulley nailing three 3-pointers. Bluff's third-quarter win, although outscored, 19-17, in the fourth quarter, helped guide the Bears to the win.

The Bears play at Winder-Barrow on Saturday. Tip is 6:30 p.m., while Lumpkin plays at East Hall on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

CEDAR SHOALS 75,   
JOHNSON 40   

Jesse Harbin scored 20 points to lead the Knights in the loss to No. 4-ranked Cedar Shoals in Oakwood Friday night. 

The Knights fell behind 18-5 at the end of the first 8 minutes but rallied in the second quarter to cut the lead to 10 points, 25-15. However, Cedar Shoals outshot the Knights 50-20 in the second half to cruise to the Region 8-5A win. 

Buddah Johnson chipped in 11 points for the Knights. Quincy Canty led Cedar with 22 points. 

Johnson (3-14, 0-4 Region 8-5A) will travel to West Hall on Saturday. Game time is 3:30 p.m. 

NORTH HALL 48,   
EAST HALL 33 

The Trojans led the entire way in the win over East Hall at home on Friday.

Clark Howell paced the Trojans (13-6, 5-2 Region 7-3A) with a game-high 21 points.

After a close first quarter, the Trojans upped their lead 30-16 at the break and 41-24 at the end of the third.

Christian Torres and Malachi Vance scored 8 points each for the Vikings (5-11, 1-6 Region 7-3A). 

North Hall will play Chestatee at home on Saturday. Tip is 7:30 p.m.

East Hall will travel to Lumpkin on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

BANKS COUNTY 46,   
SOCIAL CIRCLE 39 

Carl Cleveland scored 19 points and pulled 13 rebounds to help the Leopards beat Social Circle in a close on the road Friday night.

Piece Martin added 9 points, and Clay Gosnell scored 8 points.

The Leopards (16-2, 7-0 Region 8-2A) will travel to Putnam County on Tuesday. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

WEST HALL 51,   
FLOWERY BRANCH 33 

The Spartans fell behind 11-7 after the first quarter, but Chase Reed and Colton Smith rallied the Spartans in the second quarter to give them the lead for good in the win over Flowery Branch on Friday in Oakwood. 

Reed and Smith scored a combined 9 of the Spartans 14 second-quarter points giving the Spartans a 21-18 halftime advantage.

Sawyer Passmore led the Spartans with 16 points followed by Chase Reed with 11, and Canaan Koger and Quincy Holcomb will 7 each. 

Judson Burney and Trevor Garske led the Falcons with 10 points each. 

West Hall (4-10, 1-5 Region 7-4A) will play Johnson at home on Saturday. Game time is 3:30 p.m.

Flowery Branch (0-17, 0-7 Region 7-4A) will play Chestatee at home on Tuesday. Tip is 7:30 p.m.

DAWSON COUNTY 90,
FANNIN COUNTY 41

Leading by one in the first quarter, the Tigers went on a 43-1 run to blow open the game and blow out Fannin County in Blue Ridge on Friday night.  

Campbell Reed netted a team-high 17 points to lead the Tigers. Tate Adkins scored 13. Ty Whitmire added 12, and Jaden Gibson chipped in 11. 

The Tigers (17-2, 7-0 Region 7-3A) will play Greater Atlanta on Tuesday. Game time is 7:30 p.m.