Jeff Hart

Gainesville used a 19-2 third quarter to rally past and then pull away from West Hall in a 46-23 win Friday night in Region 7B-AAA girls basketball action.

When Flowery Branch needed him most, Ishmael Hollis responded.

It wasn’t neat and it wasn’t pretty. But East Hall girls basketball coach Joey Rider doesn’t care about style points.

The Dawson County boys basketball team rebounded from its first loss of the season with a 54-51, come-from-behind win over White County Saturday night.

White County used a 10-2 opening quarter to grab the lead and then held on to beat Dawson County 50-42 Saturday in girls basketball action.

The 16-year wait for a Lanierland Tournament title is finally over for North Hall basketball fans.

The Class AAA second-ranked Gainesville girls came into the 50th annual Lanierland basketball tournament looking for their second straight title and to show they were still the top lionesses in Hall County and Region 7-AAA. Apparently, North Hall didn’t get the memo.

East Hall’s brief hiatus from the finals of the Lanierland Tournament ended Thursday as the Vikings advanced to the boys championship game with an 81-76 win over host Flowery Branch in the semifinals at the Flowery Branch gym. North Hall will join the Vikings in the finals after knocking off defending champion West Hall 60-39 in the other semifinal.

The North Hall girls are back in the Lanierland finals after taking a 51-29 win over Lakeview Academy Thursday in the semifinals at the Flowery Branch gym. Defending champion Gainesville also advanced with a 57-45, come-from-behind win over East Hall.

Ishmael Hollis poured in 38 points to lead Flowery Branch to a thrilling 68-67, come-from-behind win over Gainesville Saturday in the first round of the Lanierland Tournament at the Lakeview Academy gym.