Vikings answer challenge, rout Warriors for title

GAINESVILLE - There was no ranting and raving. No throwing of chairs.

East Hall boys basketball coach Seth Vining said he just calmly asked his team one simple question at halftime:

"Do you want to be champions?"

They gave him his answer with a 24-11 run to start the second half to blow open a close game with White County en route to an 87-64 win to take its second, and for now, last Region 7-AAA championship. The Vikings move back to Class AA next year.

"I just asked them if they wanted it. I didn't think they were playing up to the level they had been at the last couple of weeks. I was pleased with how they played in the second half," Vining said.

The Region 7-AAA teams - East Hall (1), White County (2), Johnson (3) and Gainesville (4) - will play the Region 6-AAA teams beginning next week in the state tournament at Gainesville High School.

The Vikings forced 8 third quarter White County turnovers during the run and Frank Davis, who finished with a team-high 20 points, began the barrage with the first of his three third-quarter 3-pointers. The Vikings (26-2) hit six 3-pointers in the quarter and nine for the game.

"(East Hall) played like champions in the third quarter," White County coach Todd Cottrell said. "Their half-court defense was as good as I've seen it in my five years here. Add that to the fact we couldn't get a rebound in the third quarter and it's usually trouble against them.

"But my guys played hard the entire game and we've had a great year. We'll be ready for the state tournament next week."

The Warriors (22-6) dictated the action in the first quarter using a 9-0 run to take a 16-8 lead. But East Hall answered with a 13-2 run to end the first quarter. White County tied the game at 30-30 but the Vikings closed the first half with a 6-0 run for a 36-30 lead. White County never got closer in the second half.

Keldrick Coleman set the tone for East Hall inside in the second half finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Walter Hill added 16.

White County was led by Adam Cash with 17 points. Heath Vinson had 13 and Emory Cain and Jeff Belflower each had 12. It was only the second game all season the Warriors lost when Cain, their point guard, scored in double figures.

"We tried to clamp down on the guards more in the second half and I thought we did a much better job. White County is a tough team and I think they'll win some games in the (state) tournament," Vining said.