Jeff Hart

The first round of the Region 7-AAA Tournament has not been kind to the Pickens girls basketball team the last several years.

After watching Lumpkin County upset Flowery Branch in the opening game of the Region 7-AAA Tournament Wednesday, East Hall made sure the trend would not continue against Gilmer.

Following a stunning 54-42 win over Flowery Branch in the opening round of the Region 7-AAA Tournament Wednesday, Lumpkin County coach Bobby Smith was making his case for senior guard E.J. Young as perhaps the most valuable player in the region.

Jordan Shaw poured in 23 points to lead Pickens to a 56-42 win over Lambert Wednesday in the first round of the Region 7-AAA Tournament at the East Hall gym.

A four-day layoff was the only thing to slow down North Hall Monday against arch-rival Chestatee in the two teams’ regular season finale. The Trojans started slow but then used two back-breaking runs to pull away from Chestatee in a 80-48 win at the Chestatee gym.

Chestatee’s Peyton Robertson saved her best for the end Monday against arch-rival North Hall.

Lakeview Academy boys basketball coach Seth Vining said he never doubted that his Lions could be the best team in Region 8-A by year’s end.

Maddie Haymore poured in 24 points and Louisa Jacobs had 12 assists to lead the Lakeview Academy girls to a 51-34 win over Commerce in their Region 8-A finale Thursday at the Lakeview gym.

Flowery Branch boys basketball coach Duke Mullis knows that playing Johnson means picking your poison between stopping the penetration of Tre Dudley or defending their plethora of 3-point shooters.

Despite watching its five-game win streak come to an end last week against Gainesville, the Flowery Branch girls basketball team may be peaking at just the right time.