GAINESVILLE — On the scale of things it’s not Ali-Frazier, Celtics-Lakers, or Alabama-Clemson.
But for the current crop of seniors on the Gainesville boys basketball team, Saturday night’s Class 6A first round playoff matchup with Langston Hughes at the Gainesville gym might as well be.
It will be the third straight year the two powerhouse programs have met in the postseason. Both previous playoff meetings have been gut-wrenching, hard-to-swallow losses for the Red Elephants.
The first was in the Class 6A 2017 quarterfinals at the Gainesville gym, a 72-69 defeat in overtime in a game the Red Elephants led by more than a dozen points in the second half. The second was in last year’s Class 6A state championship game, an 85-78 Hughes win at Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion where again Gainesville let a second half lead slip away.
So excuse seniors like Brent Kelly, the only player left on the roster to play in both losses, if they would like to exorcise that particular demon. The two teams will tip-ff at the Gainesville gym at 6 p.m.
“I thought we were the better team both times, and I still do,” Kelly said. “They’re a great team. But I thought we should have won both games. We’re definitely using this as a motivator.”
Even coach Chuck Graham, an assistant for the Red Elephants in those two games before taking over the head coaching duties this season, said it would be nice to reverse their fortunes against the Panthers.
“It’s fitting I think that we get another shot at them. Just as soon do it now as anytime,” Graham said. “We have definitely talked about those two games over the past week. We know we can beat them if we play our game.”
In both of their playoff losses to the Panthers technical foul calls against the Red Elephants changed the momentum, especially in the state championship game. Kelly, ironically, was called for a technical after inadvertently brushing up against the referee while heading to the bench with the Red Elephants leading. The Panthers turned that into a 10-point swing and the lead. Gainesville never recovered.
“I barely touched him walking by and the next thing I know I got a technical,” Kelly said. “We lost our identity after that. We just never could get back going. It was disappointing for sure.”
But Graham also knows that whatever happened in the past has to stay there. Saturday is a new opportunity, he said.
“I think our guys are looking forward to it,” he said. “This is a different group. We only have two guys that even played in (the championship) game so for us it’s about focusing on what this team does well. We play a different style than last year.”
Hughes (16-12) is ranked sixth in Class 6A and is the No. 3 seed from Region 5-6A. The Panthers have won 8 of their last 9 games, and 11 of their last 13 overall, including a win over Class 3A No. 1 Morgan County.
Unranked Gainesville (18-9) is the No. 2 seed from Region 8-6A but is coming off a stunning 51-47 loss to Apalachee in the region finals, which snapped a six-game win streak.
Graham said that loss may well serve as a key to any playoff run they can muster
“That game showed what happens when you don’t do the little things necessary to win,” he said. “Attention to detail has been our focus in practice this week. I think it was good for this group heading into the playoffs. I think we’re going to be even better now because of it.”
They’ll need to be.
Hughes’ still has senior Tyrel Morgan, who had 14 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks in the championship game last year. He’s averaging 19.6 points and 9.8 rebounds a game this season. Junior Patrick Carter offers another challenge as he’s pouring in 19.3 points and pulling down 4.6 rebounds a game for the Panthers. They are tall and have length aplenty on the wings defensively. What they will be missing is Landers Nolley, now at Virginia Tech, who single-handedly broke down the Gainesville defense in both games (34 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists in the title game).
Unlike the last two seasons, Gainesville does not bring a lot of height and length into the matchup with guys like KJ Buffen, the Rosser twins, Xavier Bledson, and Bailey Minor, who all graduated. This season the Red Elephants have primarily started five guards -- Kelly, Rafael Rubel, Maurice Hector, Julio Santana, and Datavian Buffington -- but have brought much more quickness and the ability to play more uptempo to the floor.
“It’s been our quickness vs. height and length in just about every game this season,” Graham said. “We’re used to it and we feel it gives us some good matchups against the bigger teams. But that also means that rebounding will be a huge key. If Hughes is able to get a lot of second-chance opportunities that will be trouble.
“Morgan and Carter are very good and they are a tough matchup for anyone. But I have to say I’m glad to see Landers out of there. He was the real deal.”
Kelly said the key in this one will be players on the current roster filling the roles left by Buffen, Minor, Bledson, and point guard Kujuan Hale in particular.
“This year we play a lot faster and I think that will be a strength for us,” Kelly said. “I think that style suits a lot of us on this group. But everyone is going to have to play their roles and do their part. I think we’re definitely capable of beating them.”
However, he did not hesitate to say there will be a little extra riding on this one and that they’re not listening to any outside chatter
“Personally, if we win, I think it will be a validation for me and Raffy because of what happened last year,” Kelly said. “But it’s really more about this team this year. I’m not worried if people think we’re not as good as last year. I mean, that was a great, great team. We think we’re a good team and that’s all that matters.
“But I do feel we have the talent to make another deep run in the playoffs. If we win, I’ll certainly enjoy it probably more than any win I’ve ever been a part of. I already know what I’ll say first:
"‘It’s about time.’"
FIRST ROUND BOYS
(Jefferson plays a doublehedaer with boys and girls on Saturday)
(Games listed by classification and time)
(Area teams in bold)
SATURDAY (Feb. 10)
Class 6A
Langston Hughes (Region 5, Seed 3) at Gainesville (Region 8, Seed 2), 7 p.m.
Class 4A
West Hall (R7, S4) at Southeast Whitfield (R6, S1), 6 p.m.
Class 3A
East Hall (R7, S3) at Calhoun (R6, S2), 6 p.m.
Lumpkin County (R7, S4) at North Murray (R6, S1), 6 p.m.
Ringgold (6, S4) at Dawson County (R7, S1), 6 p.m.
Cedar Grove girls (R5, S3) at Jefferson (R8, S2), 6 p.m.
Westminster boys (R5, S3) at Jefferson (R8, S2), 7:30 p.m.
Class 2A
Rabun County (R8, S4) at Bremen (R5, S1), 3:30 p.m.
Callaway (R5, S3) at Banks County (R8, S2), 6 p.m.
Union County (R8, S3) at Spencer (R5, S2), 7:30 p.m.
