BOGART, Ga. — With one upset win and a Class 4A state tournament berth already in hand, a second upset against No. 4 North Oconee in the semifinals of the Region 8-4A tournament on the Titan's home floor was almost asking for too much for a surging North Hall squad.
The Titans made sure, however, that they would not become the Trojans’ latest victim. They never trailed and took advantage of a poor shooting North Hall team to take an 80-49 win at the North Oconee gym on Thursday.
“(North Oconee) just did what they were supposed to do. They made shots, and we didn't make shots. And that's what it really boils down to,” North Hall coach Jarvis Davenport said afterward.
The Titans (24-3) opened the game with a 5-0 run, and Luke Sanders hit a 3-pointer to get the Trojans within 5-3. But North Oconee closed out the first quarter with an 18-7 run for a 23-10 lead.
North Hall chipped away in the second quarter, trimming the lead to 31-23 on an Andrew Bales 3-pointer, but it was all Titans from there. North Oconee responded with a 7-0 run and would take a 44-28 lead into halftime.
They blew it open in the third, outscoring North Hall 24-10 for a 68-38 lead, and then cruised in the fourth quarter.
Cole Hulsey paced North Hall with 14 points but just 2 after halftime. Matt Ray had 11 points, and Sanders finished with 7 for the Trojans.
Byrd Carter had 20 points to lead North Oconee. Khamati Brooks added 16, Justin Wise had 13, and Evan Montgomery had 12 points for the Titans.
Despite the loss, the Trojans (12-15) still will have a spot in the state tournament and now will turn their attention to Walnut Grove in the third-place game on Friday.
“It's great to be in a state tournament,” Davenport said. “It would have been nice to have a home game in the first round, but that's not the way it's going to play out. So, we're going to try and get the No. 3 seed.”
