RABBITTOWN — Just before tip-off of his team's Region 7-AAA tournament game with North Hall, Lumpkin County coach Jeff Steele told his group of six seniors that it was time to step up or go home.
Instead of taking a step, they made a statement.
Senior Zach Pulley, recently named the Region 7-AAA Player of the Year, poured in a game-high 21 points on a variety of shots and fellow senior Jacob Zarate added 12 points as the Indians stunned North Hall 55-49 on Wednesday to advance to the Class AAA state tournament and the 7-AAA semifinals.
Lumpkin County (13-13) had lost twice during the regular season to the Trojans, who finished the year 14-12. The Indians next will take on No. 1 seed Greater Atlanta Christian on Friday in the semifinals at Union County High School. They lost by 30 and 20 to the Spartans in their two regular season meetings.
Before the game Steele said free throw shooting had been a contributing factor to their mediocre record. But he also felt senior leadership would be a key.
“We had six seniors, North Hall had two, and I told the guys it was time for them to step up and play like I thought they could,” Steele said. “They really stepped up. I think this means a lot to the guys. I just feel proud of the guys and happy for them.”
The Indians, who have shot just above 50 percent for the season from the line as a team, found another zone on Wednesday. Despite a rim-denter by Zarate on his first attempt just a minute into the game, they finished 13-of-17 (76 percent), including hitting 7-of-8 over the final 26 seconds to seal the victory.
“If we would have shot 60 percent on free throws during the season we would have won seven more games,” Steele said. “It’s just a matter of focus. They made their free throws (tonight). That was the difference.
“We’re a pretty versatile team. But we’re a really good team when Zach is playing well. The rest of the region knows how good (Zach) is because they gave him the award on a fifth-place team.”
Lumpkin County trailed just once, 19-17, midway through the second quarter. North Hall got as close as 48-47 on a Cole Brooks steal and layup and then a Alec Volle stickback basket to cap a 13-4 run with 1:46 left in the game. The Trojans had three chances to take the lead over the next minute, but two straight turnovers while Lumpkin County was draining free throws put things out of reach.
Turnovers also killed North Hall. The Trojans had 19 for the game, with six coming in the final four minutes of the contest as they attempted to rally. North Hall also shot just two free throws for the game, making one.
The Indians jumped out to a 4-0 advantage in the opening minute and later built a 12-4 lead with just under two minutes left in the first quarter on five consecutive points by Pulley. North Hall climbed within 12-10 after a 6-0 run, but Lumpkin County took a 14-10 advantage into the second quarter.
After the Indians pushed the lead to 16-10 on a Zarate basket, the Trojans tied the game at 16-16 on back-to-back 3-pointers by Volle and Alden Lewallen. They took their only lead of the game, 19-17, on a Noah Holman 3-pointer with five minutes left in the half.
Lumpkin County answered with an 8-0 run, however, capped by consecutive 3-pointers from senior Matthew Hayes for a 25-19 lead. North Hall closed out the half with baskets by Lewallen and Evan Pitts at the buzzer to trail just 25-23 at halftime.
The Indians grabbed control with a 9-3 run to open the third quarter and later took their biggest lead at 44-34 on a Pulley jumper with 36 seconds left in the third quarter.
Hayes finished with 10 points for Lumpkin County.
Lewallen paced North Hall with 17 points. Volle finished with 10 points. Evan Easton was held to just two points for the Trojans.
DAWSON COUNTY BOYS 63,
UNION COUNTY 49
The Tigers are back in the state tournament for the first time since 2014 after knocking off the Panthers.
Dawson County (14-11) used a 6-0 spurt to start the third quarter as part of a larger 18-7 run to turn a 21-20 halftime advantage into a 39-27 lead after a Joseph Cronin 3-pointer.
Dawson County coach Chad Pittman said his team usually finds its groove after intermission and didn’t disappoint this time.
“I’ve felt like this group has been a second half team and they really responded,” Pittman said. “We shared the ball better and finished strong.”
Pittman also said there was no real need for a lot of talk or a, “win one for the Gipper” speech coming into the contest.
“They just missed out last year so they told me they didn’t need any speeches or anything. They were motivated for this one,” he said.
The first half was a nip-and-tuck affair with the teams tied at 11 at the end of the first quarter. Union County led 20-19 late in the second quarter but the Tigers took a 21-20 into halftime on a Cronin basket at the buzzer.
It was all Dawson County the rest of the way. The Tigers used their big third quarter run to take control and the Panthers (10-16) never got closer than 10 the rest of the way.
Cullen Reed paced the Tigers with 22 points. Ryan Gallenkamp had 14 points, Jeremiah Crumley added 13 points, and Cronin finished with eight for Dawson County.
Marty Kronz led Union County with 11 points. Sawyer Drake added 10 for the Panthers.
Dawson County next will take on East Hall in the semifinals at 5:30 p.m. on Friday at Union County High School. The Tigers split two games with the Vikings during the regular season with each team winning at home.
EAST HALL BOYS 78,
FANNIN COUNTY 62
The Vikings had nine players score and forced 19 turnovers in advancing to state and the region semifinals.
Mahki Brown led the way for East Hall (18-7) with 19 points. Sedrion Morse and Trevor Rider each poured in 15 points for the Vikings, who will take on Dawson County at 5:30 p.m. on Friday at Union County High School.
The two teams split a pair of games during the regular season with each team winning at home. East Hall has won 10 of its last 11 with the only loss coming to the Tigers.
Against Fannin County (8-17) East Hall struggled at the start. The Rebels came out hot, running out to an 11-6 lead after a 3-pointer from Lucas Walden midway through the first quarter. But East Hall turned up the defense from there.
The Vikings closed out the first quarter on a 10-3 run, capped by a Luke Holtzclaw 3-pointer. They opened the second quarter with a 19-2 run on the strength of six Rebels turnovers, pushing the lead to 35-16. East Hall took a 46-24 lead into halftime, and it appeared the rout was on.
But the Rebels stormed out of the intermission, outscoring East Hall 22-11 in the third quarter to pull within 57-46. They got to within 65-55 midway through the fourth quarter.
East Hall coach Joe Dix said his group is still learning how to close out games.
“(Fannin) kept coming and never quit,” he said. “We had opportunities to put it away and didn’t do it. We’re still a young team learning how to do that. Defense will determine for us how far we go.”
The Vikings, however, exploded for an 11-2 run over a 1:42 span to push the lead back to 76-57 and put the game out of reach.
Logan Holt led Fannin County with 16 points. Clay Ware added 14 points and River Dixon had 13 for the Rebels.
