Boys basketball: NoFo rallies past Gville; Banks Co. routs Union; Hab, Jefferson, Lakeview win; Commerce, Lumpkin Co. fall

GAINESVILLE, Ga. — In what turned out to be a game of runs, the North Forsyth boys basketball team had the last one. 

After Gainesville (12-9, 5-4 Region 8-6A) grabbed 51-49 lead on an Octavion Demory bucket with 3:55 to go in the third quarter, the Raiders (13-10, 6-4 Region 8-6A) stormed back to take the lead for good en route to an 88-77 win. 

Will Sokol's 3-pointer with 3:44 left in the third gave the Raiders a 52-51 advantage. He hit another one late in the third to push the lead to 61-53. It was part of an 6-0 run. 

Gainesville crawled back in it with 6:37 left in the game when Simmons converted a 3-point play and cut the lead 65-63, but that's the closest Big Red would come in the final quarter. 

In the first half, the game was back and forth, with the Raiders jumping out to a 16-9 lead on a Cole Kirouac basket with 2:31 left in the first quarter. 

Gainesville closed the quarter outscoring NoFo, 8-4, to close the gap 22-17. 

In the second quarter, Demory, who scored a team-high 22 points, and Cade Simmons, who finished with 19, set the Red Elephants on a 20-8 run and a 38-30 lead, but the Raiders finished the first half on a 7-2 spurt to cut the lead, 40-37. 

Kal-el Delgadillo finished led the Raiders with 22 points, while Sokol added 21. Kirouac had 17, Brayden Turner tossed in 14 points, and Brayden Mullis had 12. 

Charlie Reisman added 10. 

The win pushes North Forsyth a half-game ahead of Gainesville and into third place in the region standings. The Raiders have a hot Habersham Central team at home, and Gainesville plays host to region leader Lanier on Friday.

BANKS COUNTY 89,
UNION COUNTY 62

The Leopards (16-7, 6-2 Region 8-2A) avenged an 72-58 loss on Jan. 1o to Union County in a rout on Tuesday at home. 

Banks County go double digits out of four players to blow past Region 8-2A rival Union County (15-8, 6-2 Region 8-2A). 

Luke Dale led the way with 22 points, followed by Kolby Watson with 20 points. Hunter Youngblood scored all 18 of his points from behind the 3-point line, while Aaron Scott also netted 18. 

The Leopards went up 28-21 after the opening quarter, in which the team made seven 3-pointers and extended the lead to 12 points by the half, 48-36. 

In the third quarter, Banks County pushed the lead, 69-55, and outscored the Panthers 20-7 in the fourth. 

Houston Henry scored 19 points to lead Union County. Cade Dockery and Eli Underwood both added 16 points each. 

With the win, Banks County ties Union County for second place in the region with two games remaining against Athens Academy and region leader Providence Christian.

LAKEVIEW ACADEMY 101,
CROSS KEYS 27

Justyce Sadler scored 24 points to lead the Lions past Cross Keys at home on Tuesday. 

Lakeview was in control from the get-go, leading 25-12 after the opening period. They led at the half, 68-17. 

Jack Collins scored 21 points, while Tayden Ware tossed in 15. The Lions (11-11, 3-2) will travel to Riverside Prep on Friday.

HABERSHAM CENTRAL 73,
APALACHEE 48

Enzo Combs scored 15 points, and Justus Gober had 14 to lead the Raiders (14-7, 4-5 Region 8-6A) past Apalachee on Tuesday at home. 

Brighton Paul finished with 10. 

The Raiders are now one game back of Gainesville in fifth place in the region standings. 

JEFFERSON 55,
LOGANVILLE43

Jaden Butts scored 18 points, and Micah Hooper had 15 to lead the Dragons past Loganville on Tuesday. 

PICKENS 64, 
LUMPKIN COUNTY 59

Despite a 28-point effort from Cal Faulkner, the Indians (4-19, 1-9 Region 7-3A) didn't have enough in the fourth quarter to pull out the win at Pickens on Tuesday. 

Stephen Sherrill added 11 points in the win, while Hunter Cooper chipped in 7. 

TALLULAH FALLS 71, 
COMMERCE 54

Jackson Morris scored 21 points in the Tigers' loss to Tallulah Falls on Tuesday.