CLICK HERE TO VIEW 2021 LANIERLAND MAGAZINE
CHEROKEE BLUFF LADY BEARS
-- COACH/YEARS AT SCHOOL: Lindsay Justice, 4th season
-- REGION: 7-3A
-- CURRENT 2021-22 RECORD: 6-7, 2-2 Region 7-3A
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 5 seed
-- KEY PLAYERS: Sr. PG Timber Gaither (13 ppg, 2.3 apg, 3.2 spg, 4 rpg), Sr. F Finley Millwood (6.5 ppg, 1.5 apg, 2 spg, 4 rpg), So. G Kaitlin Cook (10.4 ppg, 2.2 apg, 3.3 spg, 6 rpg), Fr. PG Taliah Gaither (13.2 ppg, 9 rpg), Sr. G Emilee Scott (5 ppg, 2 apg)
-- FIRST ROUND RECAP: The Lady Bears powered to a 9-0 lead on three straight 3-pointers in the first quarter, but couldn't take total control in the 42-37 loss to North Hall in the opening round on Tuesday. North Hall answered the Bluff's run with an 11-4 spurt to pull within 13-11 and continued the run into the second quarter to grab a 21-20 lead. Finley Millwood gave the Lady Bears the momentum going into the half on a buzzer-beating bucket. The score gave Bluff a 22-21 advantage at the half. The second half was nip and tuck North Hall’s Sarah Davidson provided the spark down the stretch. The junior poured in all 7 of her points in the fourth quarter, including a pair of free throws with just over four minutes left to give the Lady Trojans the lead for good. Millwood had a game-high 14 points to lead Bluff. Timber Gaither finished with 10 points and Emilee Scott had 9 for the Lady Bears.
-- SECOND ROUND RECAP: The Lady Bears had 10 different players score in a 54-17 win over Johnson to advance to the fifth-place game on Wednesday. Johnson got off to a hot start with two quick baskets but Cherokee Bluff closed out the opening period with a 16-3 run and then turned up the defense. The Lady Knights were held to just 10 points over the final three quarters. Bluff took a 27-11 lead into the intermission and led 39-13 heading into the fourth quarter. Timber Gaither paced the Lady Bears with 16 points. Taliah Gaither had 9 points for Bluff.
-- SEASON RECAP: The Lady Bears have been up-and-down so far in the early going. They have not lost more than two in a row but also have not been able to win back-to-back games to this point. However, they are 3-0 vs. Hall County teams this season. They beat Lakeview 63-55 on Nov. 27, North Hall 61-59 on Dec. 7, and West Hall 60-7 two weeks ago. They open the tournament against the Lady Trojans but are just 2-3 since their win over North Hall. The offense is becoming a little consistent of late. However, they are scoring 52.1 ppg in their six losses compared to 57.8 ppg in their five wins. Cherokee Bluff will play Johnson in the consolation round at Gainesville on Wednesday. Tip-off is set for noon.
-- REMAINING SCHEDULE: CLICK HERE
CHESTATEE LADY WAR EAGLES
-- COACH/YEARS AT SCHOOL: Sutton Shirley, 4th season
-- REGION: 8-4A
-- CURRENT 2021-22 RECORD: 8-5, 1-1 Region 8-4A
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 3 seed
-- KEY PLAYERS: Sr. W Bowen Corley (7 ppg, 10 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.5 spg), Sr. G Riley Allison (12 ppg, 1 spg), So. G Riley Black (18 ppg, 8 rpg, 2 apg, 2 spg)
Fr. Addison Boyd (8.5 ppg, 2 apg, 1 spg)
-- FIRST ROUND RECAP: The Lady War Eagles couldn't stop Flowery Branch's Shaina Kriews in the 49-44 opening-round loss. Kriews was unstoppable, scoring a game-high 33 points, 10 of which came in the final minute to seal the win for the Lady Falcons. But it was a defensive slugfest the entire first half. Chestatee led just 7-4 after the first quarter on a 3-pointer from Sierra Yarbrough. The Lady Falcons, however, used a 7-2 run to open the second quarter, capped by a 3-pointer from Kriews, and eventually took a 15-13 lead into the intermission. The teams traded 3-pointers and then Branch took the lead for good on an Amiya Scott basket to spark a 6-0 run. Chestatee twice got within a point, the final time at 41-40 on a Riley Black basket with just under four minutes left. But the War Eagles managed just four free throws the rest of the way. Chestatee was led by Riley Black with 14 points. Bowen Corley added 10 and Riley Allison had 8 for the Lady War Eagles. Chestatee will play East Hall in the consolation round at Gainesville High on Wednesday. Game time is set for 2 p.m.
-- SECOND ROUND RECAP: Chestatee couldn't hold on late as they fell to East Hall, 56-47, on Wednesday in the consolation bracket. The War Eagles will play Johnson in the seventh-place game on Thursday at North Hall. Chestatee led 16-9 after the first quarter and took a slim 30-28 lead into halftime. East Hall turned up the defense in the second half. The Lady Vikings outscored the Lady War Eagles 17-9 in the third quarter to grab a 45-39 advantage and held Chestatee to just 8 points in the final period to pull away. Riley Allison led Chestatee with 16 points, including four 3-pointers. Riley Black added 12 points and Addison Boyd and Caroline Bull each chipped in with 6 points for the Lady War Eagles.
-- SEASON RECAP: The Lady War Eagles opened the season with four straight wins and their two losses have been by a combined 5 points. They currently are on a 4-game win streak. They also are 3-1 vs. Hall County teams so far. However, one of those losses was to their first-round opponent, Flowery Branch (47-43) on the road Dec. 10 in region play. They beat East Hall, a possible second-round matchup, 52-43, in another region battle on Dec. 17 at home. They are coming off a pair of wins in the Carrollton Showcase tournament last week. They open the tournament against Flowery Branch, a rematch of last year’s first-round game won by the Lady War Eagles, 54-33. They have the firepower to put up some big numbers averaging 57.7 on offense. But they have been one of the better defensive teams in the area giving up just 43.2 ppg on the season.
-- REMAINING SCHEDULE: CLICK HERE
EAST HALL LADY VIKINGS
-- COACH, YEARS AT SCHOOL: Justin Wheeler, 9th season
-- REGION: 8-4A
-- CURRENT 2021-22 RECORD: 8-4, 1-2 Region 8-4A
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 2 seed
-- KEY PLAYERS: Sr. G Alexis Burce (12.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg), Sr. G Audrey Griffin (10.7 ppg, 2.5 apg), Jr. G Maleah Harrison (2.0 apg), Fr. G Kaylana Curry (2.6 spg)
-- FIRST ROUND RECAP: Lakeview opened the game with a 9-0 run. The Lady Vikings rallied, however, tying the game at 11 at the end of the first quarter and closed out the first half with a 13-5 spurt for a 30-26 lead at the break. The Lakeview defense, in the second half, was the difference. East Hall led 36-32 midway through the third quarter after a pair of Audrey Griffin free throws. The Lady Lions held the Lady Vikings to just 16 points over the final 11-plus minutes. Lakeview took a 37-36 lead on a Joelle Snyder 3-pointer and pushed its lead to 44-37 on an Ashley Henderson trey to open the fourth quarter. East Hall never led again. The Lady Vikings got as close as 44-41 on a Griffin 3-pointer and free throw but Lakeview hit 7-of-8 free throws over the final 43 seconds to seal the win, which also snapped a seven-game losing streak. Joelle Snyder, who came in leading Hall County in scoring, paced Lakeview with 23 points. Ashlyn Henderson finished with 12 points and 4 blocks and Dynasty Putnam added 11 points. Lakeview will play Flowery Branch in the semifinals at Gainesville on Wednesday. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.
-- SECOND ROUND RECAP: The Lady Vikings (8-5) rallied from an early deficit to beat Chestatee, 56-47, to advance to the fifth-place game on Wednesday against Cherokee Bluff. Chestatee led 16-9 after the first quarter and took a slim 30-28 lead into halftime. East Hall turned up the defense in the second half. The Lady Vikings outscored the Lady War Eagles 17-9 in the third quarter to grab a 45-39 advantage and held Chestatee to just 8 points in the final period to pull away. Freshman Amari Burce poured in 17 points, including four 3-pointers, to pace East Hall. Senior Audrey Griffin had 15 points and senior Alexis Burce 12 points for the Lady Vikings.
-- SEASON RECAP: The Lady Vikings opened the season with three consecutive victories but have gone just 3-4 since including just 1-2 against Hall County teams. They dropped a 47-45 heartbreaker to North Hall on Dec. 3, beat Flowery Branch 35-22 on Dec.14 to open region play, and then lost 52-43 to Chestatee on Dec. 17, also in 8-4A play. The Lady Vikings own the stingiest defense in the field surrendering just 35.1 ppg on the season. They have not allowed more than 52 in any game this season. East Hall takes on Lakeview Academy in the first round in a rematch of last year’s opening-round matchup, a 59-33 Lady Vikings win.
-- REMAINING SCHEDULE: CLICK HERE
FLOWERY BRANCH LADY FALCONS
-- COACH/YEARS AT SCHOOL: Courtney Newton, 7th season
-- REGION: 8-4A
-- CURRENT 2021-22 RECORD: 5-7, 1-2 Region 8-4A
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 6 seed
-- KEY PLAYERS: Sr. G Shaina Kriews (13.2 ppg, 5.1rpg, 2.8 apg), Jr. G Bella Brick (11.7 ppg, 34% from three, 4.1 rpg), Sr. G Alana Veiga (4ppg 5 rpg), So. Deniya Randolph
FIRST ROUND RECAP: Shaina Kriews was unstoppable, scoring 33 points, to lead the Lady Falcons past Chestatee, 49-44, in the opening round. Kriews scored 10 points in the final minute to seal the win for the Lady Falcons. But it was a defensive slugfest the entire first half. Chestatee led just 7-4 after the first quarter on a 3-pointer from Sierra Yarbrough. The Lady Falcons, however, used a 7-2 run to open the second quarter, capped by a 3-pointer from Kriews, and eventually took a 15-13 lead into the intermission. The teams traded 3-pointers and then Branch took the lead for good on an Amiya Scott basket to spark a 6-0 run. Chestatee twice got within a point, the final time at 41-40 on a Riley Black basket with just under four minutes left. But the War Eagles managed just four free throws the rest of the way. Chestatee was led by Riley Black with 14 points. Bowen Corley added 10 and Riley Allison had 8 for the Lady War Eagles. Flowery Branch will play Lakeview in the semifinals on Wednesday at Gainesville. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.
-- SECOND ROUND RECAP: Lakeview never trailed in its stunning 50-36 win over the Lady Falcons at the Gainesville gym. A 22-5 first-quarter explosion set the tone for one of the biggest upsets in recent tournament memory. Dynasty Putnam and Joelle Snyder broke down the Branch defense for a combined 22 points in the opening period. Meanwhile, the Lady Falcons offense struggled mightily hitting just 2-of-13 shots and committing four turnovers. It didn’t get any better for Branch as the Lady Lions opened the second quarter with a 6-2 run for a 28-7 lead. Lakeview eventually took a 32-12 lead into halftime and led by as many as 24 points in the fourth quarter. Shaina Kriews led Branch with 17 points. Alana Veiga had 12 points for the Lady Falcons.
-- SEASON RECAP: The Lady Falcons have played perhaps the toughest schedule in the field so far, with four of their six losses against Class 3A No. 1 Lumpkin County (twice), to Class 4A No. 4 Jefferson, a 45-36 loss in region play, and to Class A Private No. 1 Holy Innocents. They also come in on a three-game losing streak. But they are 2-1 vs. Hall County teams, including a 47-43 win over first-round opponent Chestatee on Dec. 10. Defensively they are solid, giving up just 42.9 ppg, second-best in the field, and have only allowed one team -- Holy Innocents (75) -- to score more than 46 points in any game. Offensively they are relying more on outside shooting than in years past and if they are on, they can score in bunches.
-- REMAINING SCHEDULE: CLICK HERE
GAINESVILLE LADY RED ELEPHANTS
-- COACH, YEARS AT SCHOOL: Alan Griffin, 4th season
-- REGION: 6-7A
-- CURRENT 2021-22 RECORD: 7-6, 1-2 Region 6-7A
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 1 seed
-- KEY PLAYERS: Jr. Kiedra Young (11.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg), Jr. Coloni Young (10.6 ppg, 5.7 apg), Jr. Keke Jones (10.3 ppg, 4.7 asp, 3.0 spg), Sr. Amaya Topps (5.1 ppg), Jr. Zaria Williams (2.0 spg), Sr. Terry Putnam (5.6 rpg), Fr. Julia Payne, Jr. Jada Johnson, Jr. Kenya Jackson, Fr. Dreya Maddox
-- FIRST ROUND RECAP: Defending champion Gainesville opened defense of its 2020 title with a 55-30 win over Johnson on Tuesday in the first round of the 62nd Lanierland Tournament at Lakeview Academy. Caloni Young poured in 11 early points, including three 3-pointers, as the Lady Red Elephants ran out to a fast 16-1 lead in the opening three minutes. Johnson never recovered. The Lady Red Elephants closed out the first half with a 19-7 run for a 39-12 halftime lead. Gainesville eventually took a 48-21 lead into the fourth quarter. Caloni Young finished with 17 points, all in the first half, to pace Gainesville. Amaya Topps scored 14 points and Kinsleigh Teasley had 8 points for the Lady Red Elephants. Up next for Gainesville will be rival North Hall in the semifinals at Gainesville on Wednesday. Game time is set for 6 p.m.
-- SECOND ROUND RECAP: In a typical Gainesville-North Hall battle, it came down to the wire with the Lady Red Elephants relinquishing the lead for good in the fourth quarter to fall, 51-44. Gainesville will play Flowery Branch in the third-place game on Thursday at North Hall. The Red Elephants jumped out 23-13 in the second quarter, but Rylee McCall sparked the Lady Trojans to pull within one point by halftime, 27-26. In the second half, Gainesville held on to the lead heading into the final period, 38-33. The Lady Trojans, rallied past Gainesville on a Rylee Thompson bucket to go up 42-34 before Keidra Young scored seven straight points to cut the lead, 42-41 with 3:37 left. North Hall, however, survived the Big Red push with Kristian Peach scoring seven consecutive points, including a 3-pointer that gave the Lady Trojans just enough cushion to hold on. Keidra Young poured in a game-high 19 to lead Gainesville. KeKe Jones finished with 13 points for the Lady Red Elephants.
-- SEASON RECAP: If not for Flowery Branch’s schedule, the Lady Red Elephants would own the most difficult first month. And they started strong, winning four of their first five. They have gone just 2-4 since, however, with three of those losses by a total of just 10 points. They are considered the favorite to repeat and open against a Johnson squad that has not been in the tournament field since 2018. Defensively they are giving up just 49.8 ppg but may have to find more offense than the 51.0 ppg they are averaging in the later rounds.
-- REMAINING SCHEDULE: CLICK HERE
JOHNSON LADY KNIGHTS
-- COACH/YEARS AT SCHOOL: Jared Hodge, 4th season
-- REGION: 8-5A
-- CURRENT 2021-22 RECORD: 2-9, 0-3 Region 8-5A
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 9 seed
-- KEY PLAYERS: The LadyKnights return the entire roster from last year. Sr. F Ashley Mintz (9.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.1 spg), Sr. F Sarah Johnson (8.9 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 3.0 spg, 1.3 apg), Sr. G Emely Trejo, (4.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.0 spg) Sr. G Carleigh Odell (4.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg), Jr. G Alana Young (2.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.9 spg)
-- FIRST ROUND RECAP: Defending champion Gainesville opened defense of its 2020 title with a 55-30 win over Johnson on Tuesday in the first round of the 62nd Lanierland Tournament at Lakeview Academy. Caloni Young poured in 11 early points, including three 3-pointers, as the Lady Red Elephants ran out to a fast 16-1 lead in the opening three minutes. Johnson never recovered. The Lady Red Elephants closed out the first half with a 19-7 run for a 39-12 halftime lead. Gainesville eventually took a 48-21 lead into the fourth quarter. Ashley Mintz led Johnson with 14 points. Sarah Johnson had 11 points for the Lady Knights. Johnson next will play Cherokee Bluff at noon on Wednesday at Gainesville High in the consolation bracket.
-- SECOND ROUND RECAP: Johnson started strong but couldn't hold on in a 54-17 loss to Cherokee Bluff in the consolation bracket on Wednesday. The Lady Knights got off to a hot start with two quick baskets but Cherokee Bluff closed out the opening period with a 16-3 run and then turned up the defense. The Lady Knights (2-9) were held to just 10 points over the final three quarters. Bluff took a 27-11 lead into the intermission and led 39-13 heading into the fourth quarter. Sarah Johnson led Johnson with 5 points.-- SEASON RECAP: The Lady Knights are into the main bracket for the first time since 2018 after beating West Hall 47-22 on Dec. 4 in the play-in game. With a young roster, they already are showing marked improvement despite a tough schedule. The offense (33.2 ppg) is averaging seven points more than last season while the defense (53.7 ppg) is ahead of last year’s 55.1 ppg average. They face a difficult road against defending champion Gainesville in their opener and then the winner or loser of the Cherokee Bluff-North Hall matchup, two teams they have not beaten over the past three seasons. The goal for Coach Jared Hodge has been to be more competitive and they are. They also are looking for one win over the three days to avoid the play-in game for the first time since it began in 2018.
-- REMAINING SCHEDULE: CLICK HERE
LAKEVIEW ACADEMY LADY LIONS
-- COACH, YEARS AT SCHOOL: John Carrick, 12th season
-- REGION: 6-A Private
-- CURRENT 2021-22 RECORD: 3-7, 0-2 Region 6-A Private
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 7 seed
-- KEY PLAYERS: Sr. G Joelle Snyder (20 ppg, 3 apg), So. Ashlyn Henderson (14 ppg, 8 rpg), So. Sara Nivens, So. Annie Nivens, So. Emmie Finley, So. Madi Loggins
-- FIRST ROUND RECAP: Lakeview opened the game with a 9-0 run. The Lady Vikings rallied, however, tying the game at 11 at the end of the first quarter and closed out the first half with a 13-5 spurt for a 30-26 lead at the break. The Lakeview defense, in the second half, was the difference. East Hall led 36-32 midway through the third quarter after a pair of Audrey Griffin free throws. The Lady Lions held the Lady Vikings to just 16 points over the final 11-plus minutes. Lakeview took a 37-36 lead on a Joelle Snyder 3-pointer and pushed its lead to 44-37 on an Ashley Henderson trey to open the fourth quarter. East Hall never led again. The Lady Vikings got as close as 44-41 on a Griffin 3-pointer and free throw but Lakeview hit 7-of-8 free throws over the final 43 seconds to seal the win, which also snapped a seven-game losing streak. Joelle Snyder, who came in leading Hall County in scoring, paced Lakeview with 23 points. Ashlyn Henderson finished with 12 points and 4 blocks and Dynasty Putnam added 11 points. Lakeview will play Flowery Branch in the semifinals at Gainesville on Wednesday. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.
-- SECOND ROUND RECAP: Lakeview never trailed in its 50-36 stunning win over the Lady Falcons at the Gainesville gym. A 22-5 first-quarter explosion set the tone for one of the biggest upsets in recent tournament memory. Dynesty Putnam and Joelle Snyder broke down the Branch defense for a combined 22 points in the opening period. Meanwhile, the Lady Falcons offense struggled mightily hitting just 2-of-13 shots and committing four turnovers. It didn’t get any better for Branch as the Lady Lions opened the second quarter with a 6-2 run for a 28-7 lead. Lakeview eventually took a 32-12 lead into halftime and led by as many as 24 points in the fourth quarter. Synder scored 22 points. Putnam added 10, and Ashley Henderson finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds for Lakeview.
-- SEASON RECAP: The Lady Lions have played better than their record but are still a young team overall. They come in having lost seven straight. Snyder leads Hall County in scoring and can carry a team at any time. But offense overall has been the problem as only Henderson is averaging more than 5 ppg as well. They are averaging just 42.8 ppg and allowing 58.2 ppg on defense. They take on East Hall in the opening round in a rematch of last year's first-round game, a 59-33 East Hall win.
-- REMAINING SCHEDULE: CLICK HERE
NORTH HALL LADY TROJANS
-- COACH/YEARS AT SCHOOL: Kristi House, 12th season (200-129)
-- REGION: 7-3A
-- CURRENT 2021-22 RECORD: 8-5, 1-3 Region 7-3A
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 4 seed
-- KEY PLAYERS: Sr. G Rylee McCall (11.5 ppg), Jr. G Kristina Peach (11.4 ppg), Jr. G Rylee Thompson, Jr. P Annabeth Gilleland, Jr. P Lexi Jarrard, Jr. G Amelia Shoemaker, Jr. P Sarah Davidson
-- FIRST ROUND RECAP: The Lady Trojans overcame a strong Cherokee Bluff start en route to a 42-37 win in the opening round on Tuesday. North Hall answered the Bluff's run with an 11-4 spurt to pull within 13-11 and continued the run into the second quarter to grab a 21-20 lead, but Finley Millwood gave the Lady Bears the momentum going into the half on a buzzer-beating bucket. The score gave Bluff a 22-21 advantage at the half. The second half was nip and tuck, but North Hall’s Sarah Davidson provided the spark down the stretch. The junior poured in all 7 of her points in the fourth quarter, including a pair of free throws with just over four minutes left to give the Lady Trojans the lead for good. AB Gilleland paced North Hall with 8 points. McCall and Amelia Shoemaker each finished with 7, and Kristina Peach and Thompson both had 5 for the Lady Trojans. North Hall will play Gainesville in the semifinals at Gainesville on Wednesday. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.
-- SECOND ROUND RECAP: In a typical Gainesville-North Hall battle, it came down to the wire, but the Lady Trojans had enough left in the tank to grab the win, 51-44, and advance to the finals against Lakeview on Thursday. The Red Elephants jumped out 23-13 in the second quarter, but Rylee McCall sparked the Lady Trojans to pull within one point by halftime, 27-26. In the second half, Gainesville held on to the lead heading into the final period, 38-33. The Lady Trojans, rallied past Gainesville on a Rylee Thompson bucket to go up 42-34 before Keidra Young scored seven straight points to cut the lead, 42-41 with 3:37 left. North Hall, however, survived the Big Red push with Kristian Peach scoring seven consecutive points, including a 3-pointer that gave the Lady Trojans just enough cushion to hold on. McCall finished with 11 points and Peach had 10 -- all in the second half -- to pace North Hall. Thompson and Amelia Shoemaker each had 7 for the Lady Trojans.
-- SEASON RECAP: The Lady Trojans started strong winning five of their first six games, including wins over a ranked Union County team and East Hall. They have dropped four of five since, including a loss to Cherokee Bluff (61-59) their first-round opponent, and blow out losses to White County and No. 1 Lumpkin County in region play. When they are hitting from the outside, they are as potent as any team in Northeast Georgia. When they aren’t, a lack of size has been an issue. But the defensive end may be the key. In their six wins, they have yielded just 45 ppg. In their five losses, they have allowed 64.4 ppg on defense.
-- REMAINING SCHEDULE: CLICK HERE
WEST HALL LADY SPARTANS
-- COACH, YEARS AT SCHOOL: Shawana Harrison, 4th season
-- REGION: 7-3A
-- CURRENT 2021-22 RECORD: 0-12, 0-4 Region 7-3A
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: Did not qualify for the 2021 tournament. Lost play-in game to Johnson, 47-22, on Dec. 4
-- KEY PLAYERS: So. G Katilin Cangiolosi (8 ppg, 3rpg, 2 apg), So. PG/G Mackenzie White (5 ppg, 2rpg), Fr. G Cayla Radich (3 ppg), Sr. P Macie Burell, Jr. P Lisa Osokalo, Jr. G Aniyah Thompson,
-- SEASON RECAP: The Lady Spartans are still rebuilding and played Madison County during the break after not qualifying for Lanierland. They are still looking for their first win of the season and will have to wait until after the New Year to get back in action.
-- REMAINING SCHEDULE: CLICK HERE
