Boys basketball: North Hall dominates West Hall, readies for key homestand

OAKWOOD -- If North Hall was trying to make a statement to the rest of Region 7-AAA Tuesday night on the road against West Hall, mission accomplished.

The Trojans dominated the Spartans from start-to-finish in a 79-60 win at the West Hall gym.

Even if they weren't trying to make a statement, the rest of the region was sure to take notice. North Hall (13-1, 5-0 Region 7-AAA) outrebounded West Hall and forced nearly two dozen turnovers while hitting five 3-pointers and getting a career-high 26 points from Griffin Olsen.

"No statements from us," North Hall coach Benjie Wood said. "We're just focused on ourselves. We don't worry about what other people think. It's a long season. Right now we're playing pretty well and hopefully we can keep it going."

Now, the Trojans will put a 10-game win streak and unbeaten region record on the line beginning Friday at home against Dawson County. It will be the first of three straight home games against the other top-tier teams in the region. They also will play host to Buford and Banks County in an eight-day stretch.

North Hall could put some distance between itself and the others with a perfect homestand.

"West Hall is a good team. Dawson is a solid team. We just take things one game at a time. But we definitely like playing at home," Wood said. "We'll see where we are after all that."

North Hall came out flying to open the game. The Trojans forced turnovers on West Hall's first two possessions and ran out to a 6-0 lead in the first 50 seconds.

Olsen nearly outscored the Spartans in the first quarter pouring in 14 points on a variety of shots.

"Griffin played very well. He just let the game come to him. He got us going," Wood said.

The Spartans would rally to within 8-6 on a Tyswon Cantrell 3-pointer but North Hall answered with an 8-0 on two more West Hall turnovers before finishing the first quarter with a 22-16 lead.

The Trojans were even hotter to start the second quarter. After West Hall cut the lead to 22-19 on a Deandre Peoples basket, North Hall exploded for a 12-0 run, powered by the defense forcing three more West Hall turnovers, for a 34-19 lead.

West Hall would not go away using a 10-2 run, capped by a Hunter Atkinson basket, to pull within 36-29 with just over three minutes left in the first half. But the Trojans finished strong with five consecutive points by Ethan Smith for a 46-33 halftime lead.

North Hall put the game away with a 12-5 run to start the second half for a 58-38 lead.

West Hall (7-7, 3-2) made one last push getting to within 67-54 with 4:13 left on three free throws from Cantrell. But the Trojans put the game out of reach with an 11-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Brock Wingo with just over two minutes left.

For the Spartans, it was their second straight loss at home. It doesn't get any easier for West Hall, which hits the road against Buford and Dawson County over the next week.

Ethan Smith finished with 15 points for North Hall. Avery Cagle added 13 and Adam Kelly 10 for the Trojans.

Cantrell finished with 20 points to lead West Hall. Atkinson had nine points and Mason Gaines eight for the Spartans.