GAINESVILLE - The worst thing that could happen to the Carrollton girls basketball team happened in its first round, Class AAA state playoff game against No. 1 Gainesville Friday night.
The Lady Trojans scored first. The Lady Red Elephants then went on an 8-0 run and never trailed again in taking a 55-30 win at the Gainesville gym.
The Lady Elephants (25-3) move on to play the winner of the Spalding-Elbert County game. Gainesville beat Elbert last year in the playoffs.
Gainesville, however, led just 14-9 at the end of the first quarter and just 22-17 with just over 1:00 left in the second quarter. The Lady Elephants finished the first half with a 6-0 run to take a 28-17 halftime lead.
They would be finished, however. The Lady Elephants opened the third quarter with a 14-0 run to blow the game wide open. The forced six straight Carrollton turnovers during the run.
"I thought our defense was outstanding again. That was the key to me," Gainesville coach Manson Hill said.
Once the dust settled, Gainesville led 44-21 at the end of the third quarter.
Kita Waller led Gainesville with 19 points. Tasha Humphrey added 12 points, 5 assists and 6 blocks. Lauren Niles had 8 for the Lady Elephants.
Gainesville led by as many as 27 in the fourth quarter.
Hill said it was a good start to defending their Class AAA title.
"We just want to win the next one. (Winning state) is one of our goals but we have to focus on playing one game next Friday," Hill said. "But you can't defend it if you don't win the first one."
Sunday
July 6th, 2025
9:19PM
