GAINESVILLE - For two years Flowery Branch girls basketball coach Angela Middleton has been waiting for senior Kristina Tyler to take control.
In her first-ever Class AAA state playoff game against Haralson County Friday night at the Gainesville gym, Tyler did just that.
Tyler scored 27 points and pulled down 19 rebounds to lead the Lady Falcons to a 66-43 first-round upset win.
"Kristina really stepped up and played we the way we expected her too the last two seasons," Middleton said. "When she plays like that she can be dominating."
The Lady Falcons (19-9) move on to play the winner of Saturday night's game between Grayson and Towers next Friday at Mt. Zion.
Flowery Branch opened the game with a 16-3 run and never looked back. The Lady Falcons led 16-8 at the end of the first quarter and blew the game open with a 21-7 second quarter to lead 37-15.
Tyler had already done most of her damage by halftime with 16 points and 8 rebounds by halftime.
"We're playing state ball and I just wanted to come out ready to play," Tyler said. "It was fun."
Haralson County (24-5) cut a 49-29 third quarter lead down to 53-38 early in the fourth quarter but Flowery Branch used an 11-2 run over the next three minutes to put the game away.
Middleton, who team had been up-and-down since winning the Lanierland Tournament in December, said Friday's win reminded her of the early part of the season.
"That was the best we've played since Lanierland," she said. "We ran our offense and took the shots we wnated to take, working it inside. If we can play like that the rest of the way, we can go a long way."
Junior Beth Adcock added 13 points for Flowery Branch. Freshmen Chelsea Fandl and Courtney Newton had 12 and 11, respectively for the Lady Falcons.
Amy Horton led Haralson with 17 points, about half her season average.
Sunday
July 6th, 2025
1:32PM
