The first round of the Georgia High School Association basketball playoffs was completed Saturday with four more teams joining the eight who advanced on Friday.
In the most anticipated game of the night, the Gainesville boys were looking to avenge a pair of playoff losses to Langston Hughes in Class 6A. They got it holding off the Panthers 73-69 in front of a raucous Gainesville crowd in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs..
In Class 4A, West Hall got the biggest win of the night going on the road and shocking Region 6-4A No. 1 seed Southeast Whitfield, 76-75.
In Class 3A, Region 7-3A No. 1 seed Dawson County boys shook off a slow start to take down Ringgold 58-27 at home. The Jefferson boys were shocked by Westminster at home, 53-50, while Natalia Bolden and Livi Blackstock score 17 points each to lead the Lady Dragons past Cedar Grove 53-40. However, the East Hall boys dropped a 76-60 to Calhoun on the road while Region 7-3A No. 4 seed Lumpkin County boys put an early scare in Region 6-3A No. 1 seed North Murray before eventually falling 61-40 in Chatsworth.
In Class 2A, Callaway took a big road win over the Banks County boys 86-83 in overtime in Homer while the Rabun County boys could not get past Bremen in a 51-47 loss on the road.
SATURDAY'S FIRST ROUND BOYS SCORES
(Except where otherwise noted)
(Area teams in bold)
Class 6A
Gainesville 73, Langston Hughes 69
Class 4A
West Hall 76, Southeast Whitfield 75
Class 3A
Calhoun 76, East Hall 60
Dawson County 58, Ringgold 27
Jefferson girls 53, Cedar Grove 40
North Murray 61, Lumpkin County 40
Westminster 53, Jefferson boys 50
Class 2A
Bremen 51, Rabun County 47
Callaway 86, Banks County 83 OT
SECOND ROUND MATCHUPS
(Area teams in bold)
Class 6A
Gainesville boys at Cambridge, 7 p.m. Thursday
Class 5A
Carrollton girls at Buford, TBA
Villa Rica boys at Buford, TBA
Class 4A
St. Pius girls at Flowery Branch, TBA
West Hall boys at Cartersville, TBA
Class 3A
Dawson County girls at Lovett, TBA
Jefferson girls at Greater Atlanta Christian
North Hall girls at Hart County, TBA
Westminster boys at Dawson County, TBA
Class 2A
Banks County girls at Douglas-Atlanta, TBA
Chattoga girls at Rabun County, TBA
Class A Private
Darlington girls at Lakeview Academy, TBA
North Cobb Christian boys at Lakeview Academy, TBA
Walker boys at Riverside Military Academy, TBA
Class A Public
Towns County girls at Calhoun County, TBA
