Lanierland boys final: Bluff holds off GHS for 1st-ever title

OAKWOOD, Ga. — Boston Kersh said there was never a doubt.

“We came into today feeling like we could win.”

The junior Cherokee Bluff forward was instrumental in helping the Bears cash in on that belief in a 62-52 win over Gainesville in the finals of the Lanierland tournament on Friday for the program's first-ever title.

“We had a good game plan and everyone played great,” said Kersh, who was named the tournament MVP after his 15-point, 12-rebound performance on Friday. “We knew we had to come straight at (Gainesville) and try to hit them with a punch early.”

The Bears punched early and often, jumping out to a quick 9-0 lead on a 3-pointer from Tyler Underwood, baskets by Cooper Glover and Kersh, and then another basket from Glover. An Andy Quirarte 3-pointer two minutes later gave Bluff a 12-2 lead. Only once, early in the fourth quarter, did the Red Elephants get closer.

“That fast start was everything,” Bluff coach Josh Travis said. “We needed it because it was a 9 to 11-point cushion late in the game. If it was only 3 or 4 points down the stretch, it could’ve gone very differently very quickly.

“So getting that fast start was huge. But we’ve done that a couple of times this year and given it away. Tonight we were able to hang onto it. I think it was our most complete game of the season from that standpoint.”

Bluff didn’t stop with just that quick start. They continued to fire away in the second quarter, hitting 6-of-10 3-pointers in the first half, eventually taking a stunning 36-14 lead into the half.

Gainesville, who buried Flowery Branch in the semifinals hitting 6-of-7 3-pointers to open that game, was a dismal 0-for-11 from 3-point range in the first half.

But the Red Elephants did not go away. They opened the third quarter with a 7-0 run as Jay Walls, Xavier Griffin, Amari Chatman, and Luke Nordholz all scored to pull them within 36-21. It eventually turned into a 16-3 run after Ellis Pitts scored to make it 39-30 late in the third quarter.

Holmes, however, hit two free throws and then completed a 4-point play to push the lead back to 45-31 and Bluff led 50-39 going into the fourth.

A Brandon Nelson 3-pointer early in the fourth pulled Gainesville within 50-44 but a three-point play from Glover and then a Kersh basket off a feed from Holmes gave the Bears a 61-50 lead with 43 seconds left essentially sealing their historic title.

“This means a lot to these kids for sure,” Travis said.”But for the program and the school  it probably will mean more next year and beyond when they’ll see ‘Bluff’ in the winners list and then hang a banner. Now we’re one of those teams on the list.”

“As for this season, we’re moving on to the next thing. We have to get ready for region play in the best region in the state (Region 8-4A).”

Holmes finished with 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists for Cherokee Bluff. Glover poured in 15 points to go with 5 rebounds and Quirarte had 9 points, all on big 3-pointers, for the Bears. Underwood finished with just the one 3-pointer but pulled down 5 rebounds as well.

Chatman led Gainesville with 15 points. Nordholz added 11 points and Nelson had 10. Griffin finished with 9 points before fouling out early in the fourth quarter.