SUGAR HILL — The Winder-Barrow and Lanier boys basketball team both advanced to the state tournament taking big wins Tuesday night at the Lanier gym.
Winder-Barrow stunned Apalachee 71-60 in overtime in the opening game. The Bulldogs (11-15) had split a pair of games with the Wildcats but had lost four of their last six games coming into the tournament. It's the first state tournament appearance for Winder-Barrow in seven years.
Winder's Terence Butler hit a 3-pointer with under 10 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime. The Bulldoggs then pulled away in the extra period.
The Lanier boys routed Habersham Central 70-47 to advance to the state tournament for the first time in program history.
Bryan Mungai and Edmund Ruiz poured in 11 points apiece for the Longhorns (14-12).
Lanier will take on No. 2 seed Dacula at 5:30 p.m. and Winder-Barrow will take on No. 1 seed Gainesville at 8:30 p.m. on Friday in the semifinals at Apalachee High School.
