Several key first place battles will be on the line on Tuesday around northeast Georgia.
It will be a busy night on the hardwood with 22 of 26 area schools in action on both the boys and girls side of things.
Region 8-2A may have the biggest matchup with the tenth-ranked Banks County boys (14-6, 5-0 Region 8-2A) playing host to No. 9 Union County (15-3, 2-1 Region 8-2A) in Homer. The Leopards, who have won eight straight, can take a two-game lead in the standings with a win. The Panthers can pull into a tie for first with a win.
Region 8-4A has several crucial games on tap Tuesday.
On the boys side, Cherokee Bluff (15-5, 6-1 Region 8-4A North) will try to increase its lead in the subregion playing host to second-pace East Hall (11-9, 6-2 Region 8-4A North) on Tuesday. A Bears win would give them no less than a one-game lead over a surging North Hall (9-11, 5-2 Region 8-4A North) team, who takes on winless Johnson. A Vikings win would give them a half-game lead over Bluff.
On the girls side, Chestatee (16-4, 7-0 Region 8-4A North) and Bluff (16-4, 6-1 Region 8-4A North) can put more distance between themselves and the rest of the subregion. The Lady Bears play host to East Hall (5-14, 1-6 Region 8-4A North) while the Lady War Eagles entertain East Forsyth (11-9, 3-4 Region 8-4A North).
In Region 8-6A, the No. 2-ranked North Forsyth girls (19-0, 6-0 Region 8-6A) will battle a surging Lanier group (10-9, 5-1 Region 8-6A) that has won five straight for first place in the region. On the boys side in Region 8-6A, Habersham Central (15-4, 4-2 Region 8-6A) will travel to No. 2 Shiloh (16-3, 6-0 Region 8-6A) trying to move into second place all alone with Gainesville (6-13, 4-2 Region 8-6A) idle on Tuesday.
(See the entire schedule for Tuesday below.)
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SCHEDULE FOR Tuesday, Jan. 23
Athens Christian at Commerce, 6 p.m.*
Buford at Mountain View, 6 p.m.*
Dawson County at Gilmer, 6 p.m.*
East Forsyth at Chestatee, 6 p.m.*
East Hall at Cherokee Bluff, 6 p.m.* -- WDUN AM 550/102.9 FM
East Jackson at Fellowship Christian, 6 p.m.*
Habersham Central at Shiloh, 6 p.m.*
Jackson County at Apalachee, 6 p.m.*
Jefferson at Winder-Barrow, 6 p.m.*
Johnson at North Hall, 6 p.m.*
Lakeview Academy boys at Riverside Prep, 6 p.m.*
Lanier Christian Academy at Young Americans Christian, 6:30 p.m.*
Rabun County at Tallulah Falls, 6 p.m.*
Rabun Gap-Nacoochee girls at Lakeview Academy 6 p.m.
Lanier at North Forsyth, 6 p.m.*
Towns County at Lake Oconee, 7 p.m..* -- (moved from Jan. 12)
Union County at Banks County, 6 p.m.* -- (moved from Jan. 9)
Wesleyan at White County, 6 p.m.*
West Hall at Lumpkin County, 6 p.m.*
(* -- denotes region contest)
