Basketball: Gainesville sweeps North Hall at home <b> (VIDEO) </b>

GAINESVILLE -- Gainesville had more rebounds, more assists, more steals, and fewer turnovers than North Hall.<br /> <br /> But you wouldn't have guessed the Red Elephants had just finished off a 64-56 win over a scrappy Trojans group Tuesday night at the Gainesville gym.<br /> <br /> At least, not according to Gainesville boys coach Benjie Wood.<br /> <br /> "We were out-coached, out-hustled, out-played. We were very fortunate to get a win," Wood said. "I have to learn how to do a better job of getting our guys ready to play."<br /> <br /> Gainesville (8-0) trailed just once, 7-5, after a pair of Carson Heinen free throws early in the first quarter and answered with an 11-2 run to reclaim the lead. But the Red Elephants could never completely shake the Trojans (4-4).<br /> <br /> Gainesville took a 16-13 lead at the end of the first quarter and junior D'Marcus Simonds pushed the lead to 20-14 on a nifty basket. But North Hall cut the lead to 22-21 before the Red Elephants' Jermaine Fleming scored six consecutive points to help give Gainesville a 28-23 halftime lead.<br /> <br /> In the third quarter Heinen, who finished with a game-high 26 points, pulled the Trojans within 29-28 on two more free throws but freshman Bailey Minor capped a 6-0 run by Gainesville for a 35-28 lead and North Hall would not get closer than four points the rest of the way.<br /> <br /> "Carson played a great game and we had a hard time guarding him," Wood said. "We need to become more of a team if we really want to start getting to where I think these guys can go. We got the win but we have a lot of areas we need to improve in."<br /> <br /> Gainesville looked be putting things away building a 60-47 lead with just 2:25 left. North Hall chipped away with a 9-3 run, helped by the Red Elephants hitting just 2-of-8 free throws in the final 1:21, to get within 63-56 but Gainesville would run out the final 12 seconds.<br /> <br /> North Hall coach Tyler Sanders was pleased despite the loss.<br /> <br /> "Gainesville is so athletic and Simonds can just take over a game. We had a hard time matching up," Sanders said. "But the guys fought their butts off for 32 minutes. I couldn't ask any more of them."<br /> <br /> Simonds finished with 25 points and six rebounds to lead Gainesville. Fleming added 12 points, Luke Maddox nine, and Minor finished with seven for the Red Elephants.<br /> <br /> Sam Jackson, Brock Wingo, and Evan Easton each had nine points for the Trojans.<br /> <br /> <b>Gainesville girls 43,<br /> North Hall 32</b><br /> <br /> Nine different players scored for Gainesville in a win over rival North Hall.<br /> <br /> The Lady Red Elephants (5-3) used a 13-0 run to start the second quarter and took a 21-8 lead into halftime. The two teams had traded the lead three times in the first quarter, which ended in a 6-6 tie.<br /> <br /> Taylor Hawks poured in 14 points to lead the Lady Elephants. Shikiya Brown added eight points for Gainesville.<br /> <br /> Gainesville kept the pressure on in the third quarter running out to a 33-10 lead. The Lady Trojans responded with an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 15, 33-18, but could not get any closer until the final score. <br /> <br /> The Lady Red Elephants maintained a 16- to 19-point lead through most the fourth quarter. However, North Hall finished the game with a 9-2 run for the final score.<br /> <br /> North Hall (4-4) was playing without leading scorer Sydney Cleveland for the second straight game. Cleveland, a senior, injured her knee last week.<br /> <br /> Sadie Cleveland and Tatum McQuillen led the Lady Trojans with seven points apiece. Taylor Anne Kelley added six points for North Hall, which has lost four straight.<br /> <br /> Gainesville next will travel to Buford on Friday in non-region contest. North Hall will play Lakeview Academy in the White County Christmas Tournament on Friday in Cleveland.