GAINESVILLE — The North Hall girls shook off a shaky first half and used a dominating fourth quarter to pull away from a pesky Pace Academy team for a 59-46 win Friday night at Cottrell Court in the first round of the Class 3A state tournament.
The Region 7-3A champion Lady Trojans led 16-10 after the first quarter but the Lady Knights, the No. 4 seed from Region 5-3A, rallied with a 17-11 second quarter run to go into halftime tied at 27. It stayed close through the third quarter with North Hall holding a slim 43-42 advantage.
Pace Academy was able to stay with the Lady Trojans behind the shooting of Jordan Upchurch, who had a game-high 26 points on eight 3-pointers for the game.
But behind Rylee McCall, who had 7 of her team-high 18 points in the final period, North Hall used a 16-4 fourth quarter to pull away. Ansley Smallwood helped keep the Lady Knights at bay hitting four free throws down the stretch. They also held Upchurch to just one 3-pointer over the final eight minutes.
Grace Hollifield added 14 points and Lauren Swanson 10 points for North Hall.
North Hall moves into the second round and will play host to Savannah, which knocked off Worth County 51-48.
JEFFERSON GIRLS 62,
COAHULLA CREEK 55
Livi Blackstock and Deshona Gaither poured in 17 points apiece to lead the second-ranked Lady Dragons to a tough opening round win in the Class 3A tournament at The Arena.
Jefferson led throughout holding a 16-13 lead after the first quarter and extending it to 33-23 by halftime. The Lady Dragons looked poised to blow it open taking a 49-36 lead into the final period.
But Coahulla Creek chipped away getting the lead under double-digits before Jefferson put the game away at the free throw line.
Courtney Kidd added 13 points for Jefferson.
The Lady Dragons next will get the Pierce County-Kendrick winner in the second round next week.
LAKEVIEW ACADEMY GIRLS 82,
MT. PISGAH 66
The Lady Lions got huge games from Maddy Towles and Jackie AAllen in taking a win in the opening round of the Class A Private tournament.
Towles and Allen each poured in 21 points with Allen adding 5 assists as well. Joelle Snyder had 19 points and 5 rebounds and Eliza Snyder chipped in 12 points and 6 rebounds for Lakeview (22-7).
Lakeview, the No. 11 seed, next will travel to take on No. 6 seed Greenforest in the Sweet 16 round next week
DOUGLASS GIRLS 44,
RABUN COUNTY 42
The Lady Wildcats pushed the No. 1-ranked and defending state champions to the brink but could not close out the win after leading more than a dozen after three quarters.
The two high-powered teams played a standstill the entire first half with the game tied at 5 after one quarter and the Lady Astros leading just 20-19 at the break.
Rabun County stormed out of the intermission with an 18-2 third quarter for a 37-22 lead. But the Lady Wildcats could not hold it.
Douglass mounted its own rally and closed out the game with a 22-5 explosion to steal the win in the first round of the Class 2A tournament.
Laken Stiles paced Rabun County with 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. Destiny Deetz added 7 points and 10 rebounds and Carley Haban had 6 points and 8 rebounds for the Lady Wildcats.
TROUP GIRLS 63,
CHESTATEE 37
The Lady War Eagles run in the Class 4A playoffs was a short one falling on the road.
Chestatee went toe-to-toe with Troup for one quarter finishing tied at 19. But Troup held the Lady War Eagles to just 14 total points over the next two quarters while running out to a 46-33 lead.
The Lady War Eagles did not go quietly closing to within four points with just over four minutes left in the third quarter. But Troup pulled away down the stretch at the foul line.
Emma Easterwood led Chestatee with 14 points. Maggie McNair added 13 for the Lady War Eagles.
SONORAVILLE GIRLS 61,
JACKSON COUNTY 42
Jackson County held an early lead but could not hang in a first round loss to the Lady Phoenix in the first round of the Class 3A tournament.
The Lady Panthers led 5-4 late in the first quarter and Carson Anderson kept Jackson County in the game in the second quarter with four 3-pointers. But Sonoraville took a 30-21 lead into halftime.
The Lady Phoenix extended their lead to 38-26 before eventually taking a 46-31 advantage into the final quarter.
Sonoraville silenced Anderson after her opening barrage holding to just two points in the second half. Kennedy Harris added 12 for the Lady Panthers.
Maliyah Parks had 22 points to lead Sonoraville.
JOHNSON-SAVANNAH GIRLS 66,
LUMPKIN COUNTY 38
The Lady Indians kept it close early trailing the defending state champions just 17-12 after the first quarter.
But Johnson held Lumpkin County to just 14 points over the next two quarters while running out to a 54-26 lead. The Lady Indians never recovered and were knocked of the Class 3A tournament in the first round.
Isabel Davenport led Lumpkin with 16 points.
SANDY CREEK GIRLS 50,
FLOWERY BRANCH 43
Like several of the other teams on Friday, the Lady Falcons could not hold a fourth quarter lead in falling in the first round of the Class 4A tournament.
Sandy Creek led early, 12-8, before and took a 20-19 lead into the intermission in a tight defensive battle.
Flowery Branch exploded in the third quarter using a 15-10 run to grab a 34-30 lead. But the Lady Falcons could not hold it.
Sandy Creek opened the fourth quarter with a 15-5 run for a 45-39 advantage and held off one last charge by Flowery Branch for the win.
