GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Gainesville rallied from a 12-point third-quarter deficit to get the crucial 53-48 Region 8-6A win over North Forsyth on Friday at home.
The Red Elephants (4-11, 2-1 Region 8-6A) used a 13-2 run in the third quarter and a 10-0 spurt in the fourth to come from behind in the second half and get the win.
North Forsyth (4-13, 1-3 Region 8-6A), on the other hand, went cold late in the third quarter. After taking a 33-21 on a Brogen Casey 3-pointer with 4:05 left in the third period, the Raiders didn't score again for almost four minutes.
Gainesville freshman Luke Nordholz had two huge treys in the quarter, including one with 8 seconds left to give Gainesville its first lead since early in the second quarter, 36-35.
Despite North Forsyth's Brogen Casey, whole led the team with 19 points, busting a 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer for the lead, 38-36; Gainesville continued its push to the lead in the fourth quarter.
Pitts tied the game with the first basket of the final period, 38-38, then Brayden Turner splashed a 3 with 6:45 left to give the Raiders back to the lead.
That was the last time NoFo would lead. Gainesville went on a 10-0 run and outscored the Raiders 17-10 in the quarter to seal the win.
Nordholz led the Red Elephants with 13 points, and Pitts finished with 10. Brayden Turner finished the night with 12 points for the Raiders.
CHEROKEE BLUFF 80,
EAST FORSYTH 67
Boston Kersh scored 23 points and pulled 10 rebounds to help the Bears (13-5, 5-1 Region 8-4A North) roll past East Forsyth on the road Friday.
Cooper Glover added 17 and seven boards, and Logan Holmes and Tyler Underwood both netted 13 points.
Bluff led from the start, taking a 25-18 first-quarter lead, but EaFo cut the lead to five by halftime, 39-34. In the second half, Kersh poured in 18 of his 23 points to pace the Bears to the win.
Hunter Holbrook led the Broncos (5-14, 3-4 Region 8-4A North) with 19 points, and Louie Koulouvaris had 15 points. With the East Hall loss to North Hall, the Bears claim sole possession of the top spot in the Region 8-4A North sub-region.
JEFFERSON 63,
CLARKE CENTRAL 57
Micah Hooper scored 23 points, and Drew Williamson added 10 points to lead the Dragons (15-4, 5-1 Region 8-5A) past Clarke Central (7-9, 4-2 Region 8-5A) on the road Friday.
Tra Harrison added five points and 11 rebounds.
CHESTATEE 80,
JOHNSON 24
Jordan Harris scored 20 points, and Colton Wilbanks added 15 in the War Eagles' (5-11, 2-4 Region 8-4A North) win over Johnson (0-14, 0-6 Region 8-4A North) on Friday.
Josh Bull and Ellian Salcido added 10 each.
NORTH HALL 81,
EAST HALL 60
North Hall used a strong second and fourth quarter to knock off East Hall by 21 points at home on Friday.
After trailing 16-14 at the end of the first quarter, the Trojans outscored the Vikings 24-15 in the second quarter to grab a 38-31 halftime lead. Cole Hulsey, who led with 23 points, scored 11 points in the second quarter.
East Hall cut the lead 54-51 by the end of the third quarter, but the Trojans, behind Andrew Bales' 11 points and a stingy defense, outpaced East Hall 27-9 in the final quarter to get the win.
Bales finished with 19 points, and Micah Jimmerson had 11.
Jamarcus Harrison had 21 points for the Vikings, and Kahlil Goss, Chasen Jones, and Chris Alford scored 11 each.
With the win, North Hall (8-10, 4-2 Region 8-4A North) is one-half game behind East Hall (10-6, 5-2 Region 8-4A North) in the sub-region standings.
BUFORD 50,
CENTRAL GWINNETT 48
The Wolves (14-3, 3-0 Region 8-5A) survived a close one with Central Gwinnett to stay atop the Region 8-7A standings on the road Friday.
Jackson Houston led Buford with 15 points, and Brennan Wansley chipped in 13.
Tim Smith led the Black Knights with 15 points, and Malik Rideout added 13.
LAKEVIEW ACADEMY 80
BETHLEHEM CHRISTIAN 58
Brock Graham had himself a night in Lakeview's region opener at home on Friday.
Graham scored 26 points, 18 from the 3-point line, to lead the Lions to the blowout win.
Lakeview (12-4, 1-0) opened the game with a 22-6 first-quarter lead and took a 41-26 advantage into the locker room at the half.
In the second half, the Lions held off a Bethlehem rally to hold on to a 60-49 lead at the end of the third quarter. The Lions outscored Bethlehem 20-12 in the final quarter.
Keelan Harper added 14 points, Tayden Ware with 11, and Eli Mayfield had 9.
Region 8-A Division 1 opened region play on Wednesday with No. 4 Rabun County (13-4, 1-0 Region 8-A Division 1) knocking off Commerce (10-7, 0-1 Region 8-A Division 1). Neither team plays in the region again until Tuesday.
(See the entire schedules for Friday and Saturday below.)
SCOREBOARD FOR Friday, Jan. 12
Banks County 68, Athens Academy 66*
Lakeview Academy 80, Bethlehem Christian 58*
Buford 50, Central Gwinnett 48*
Cherokee Bluff 80, East Forsyth 67*
Chestatee 80, Johnson 24*
North Hall 81, East Hall 60*
Habersham Central 50, Apalachee 33*
Jefferson 63, Clarke Central 57*
Gainesville 53, North Forsyth 48*
Rabun County 64, Prince Avenue Christian 49
Commerce 57, Tallulah Falls 49*
East Jackson 80, Union County 79*
Dawson County 60, White County 37*
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SCHEDULE FOR Saturday, Jan. 13
Fannin County at Union County, 3 p.m.
Habersham Central at North Forsyth, 3 p.m.*
Heritage-Conyers at Flowery Branch, 1:30 p.m.* (boys game first)
Jackson County at Shiloh, 4 p.m.*
Lanier at Gainesville, 4 p.m.* – RADIO: 94.5 FM The Lake
Lanier Christian at Providence Christian, 4:15 p.m.
Lumpkin County at Murray County, 1:30 p.m.
River Ridge at Buford, 6 p.m.
Washington-Wilkes at Towns County, 5 p.m.*
(* -- denotes region contest)
