High School Sports

Class 3A No. 2-ranked Cherokee Bluff opened Region 8-3A with a solid 65-53 road win over Monroe Area on Friday night.

In a battle between top 10 teams for the Region 6-3A lead, Pickens County used a fourth quarter rally to beat White County 50-46 Friday night at the White County gym.

The holiday tournament season is over. NOW, the real drive for playoff spots will resume, or for at least one region, begin on Friday around northeast Georgia.

Union County successfully defended its Battle of the States title on Monday, holding off Franklin (N.C.) 79-71 in the finals at Towns County High School.

The North Forsyth girls stayed unbeaten and walked away with the championship of the Insfree Christmas at the Beach Basketball Tournament after beating Arlington (Tenn.) 68-42 Monday night.

The East Hall and Cherokee Bluff boys both came away with tournament titles on Saturday.

Class 3A second-ranked (PSR) Cherokee Bluff continued its strong play on Saturday, capturing the Bluff Holiday Classic at home.

Chestatee defeated Hickman County (Tenn.) 61-56 in the third place game of the Smoky Mountain Winter Classic on Saturday.

Jamarcus Harrison continued to light up the eastern Tennessee mountains on Friday night.

Brooklyn Phillips and Claire Carlson each scored 11 points to lead the Cherokee Bluff girls to a 58-29 win over Therrell in the Bluff Holiday Classic on Friday.