SUGAR HILL — For all the offensive firepower of the Gainesville boys basketball team, it was their defense that had coach Benjie Wood smiling after a 53-32 win over Lanier Thursday in a key Region 8-AAAAA contest.
The Red Elephants (15-4, 12-0 Region 8-AAAAA) held the Longhorns (8-14, 3-8) to just 10 second half points and just three in a pivotal third quarter where they turned a slim 26-22 halftime lead into a 44-25 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
“Our defense was outstanding, especially in the third quarter and the second half,” Wood said. “That’s the kind of defense we’re capable of playing when we want too. I can’t say enough about the effort.”
The Red Elephants needed their defense to shine with the offensive side missing key starters D’Marcus Simonds and Tae Turner for undisclosed reasons.
With a revamped starting lineup, Gainesville came out determined beginning the game with a 7-0 run on a Bailey Minor 3-pointer and baskets from Harry Oliver and K.J. Buffen in the first three minutes.
But Lanier answered with a 10-0 spurt on a pair of 3-pointers by Adrian Martin and capped by a stick-back basket by Derrick Brown for a 10-7 lead with 3:01 left in the first quarter, The Red Elephants answered back with an 8-2 run, capped by a Michael White basket and took a 15-13 lead into the second quarter.
Lanier’s Brown and Tyler Taylor proved a tough matchup inside for the smaller Red Elephants as they pounded the ball inside. Martin capped a 6-0 run for the Longhorns with his third 3-pointer of the half for an 18-15 lead. But Gainesville reclaimed the lead for good with a 7-0 spurt for a 22-18 lead after two Messiah Dorsey free throws. They took a 26-22 lead into halftime after a Buffen stick-back basket at the buzzer.
Gainesville blew the game open in the third quarter holding the Longhorns to just one Brown field goal forcing four key turnovers and turning a 14-13 rebounding deficit into a 25-20 advantage during a 19-3 run.
Six different players scored for the Red Elephants in the quarter, including 3-pointers by Oliver and Dosey and a running layup by Austin Long.
“We got contributions from a lot of guys,” Wood said. “We just told them at halftime to just be themselves and be a team. That was a great quarter for us. Harry gave us some great minutes all game and Messiah was a real leader out there. K.J. was just K.J. He can do it all out there.”
Lanier got as close as 44-29 early in the fourth quarter but Gainesville led by as many as 24 following a 9-0 run.
Minor led Gainesville with 13 points to go with four rebounds. Buffen had 11 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and two steals for the Red Elephants. Oliver added 10 points and six rebounds, Dorsey finished with eight points, and White had seven for Gainesville.
Martin finished with 11 points and five rebounds to lead Lanier. Brown added seven points and four rebounds and Taylor had four points and 10 rebounds for the Longhorns. Martin and Taylor came into the game averaging over 27 points combined for Lanier.
GAINESVILLE GIRLS 48
LANIER 30
Gainesville trailed just once at 2-0 and used its defense to spark several big runs as the Lady Red Elephants rebounded from their tough loss to Flowery Branch on Tuesday.
The win temporarily moved Gainesville (15-4, 11-1 Region 8-AAAAA) one-half game ahead of Flowery Branch for first place in the region standings.
A pair of Baily Bassette free throws gave Lanier (8-14, 6-6) a 2-0 lead just moments inot the game. Taylor Hawks tied the game for Gainesville and then a Kayla Kelly put-back gave the Lady Red Elephants a lead they would not relinquish.
The Lady Longhorns pulled within 6-5 on a Kalen Surles 3-pointer but Gainesville closed out the first quarter with a 15-6 run for a 21-11 lead. The Lady Red Elephants sparked the run forcing six of 10 first quarter turnovers by Lanier.
Gainesville continued to apply an aggressive defense holding Lanier to just 11 total points over the second and third quarters while building a 40-22 lead.
Hawks had a huge game with 17 points, eight steals, six rebounds, and four rebounds to lead Gainesville. Shikiya Brown added 14 points and Sydney Payne had her best game of the season eight points, five rebounds, and two steals of the bench.
Both Gainesville teams will be in action Friday at home against Discovery in a pair of Region 8-AAAAA battles.
