The first round of the Georgia High School Association's state basketball tournament came to a close on Wednesday with five more northeast Georgia area teams advancing to the second round.
More than a dozen boys and girls teams combined -- 15 to be exact -- moved on to the second round in their respective classifications.
On Wednesday, the Buford boys, who have been up-and-down all season, found some magic and knocked off Alexander, 66-64, on the road in Class 6A.
In Class 3A, Region 7-3A added two more boys teams as Cherokee Bluff whipped Sonoraville, 57-39, on the road and White County won its first playoff game since 2002 with a 54-52 win over Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe at home. However, the North Hall boys were knocked out by LaFayette, 71-40.
In Class 2A, the Rabun County boys went on the road and stunned Heard County, 70-50, for their first playoff win since 2016. But both Union County teams were knocked out by Callaway on the road. The Lady Panthers fell 72-45 while the Union boys lost 65-42.
In Class A Public, the fourth-ranked Towns County boys held off Manchester 78-67 at home. The Commerce boys, however, could not rally past Chattahoochee County on the road, losing 64-56.
In Class 7A, the Gainesville boys dropped a heartbreaker in overtime to Archer on the road, 63-61, missing a potential game-winning shot at the buzzer in the extra period.
On the opening day on Tuesday, 10 area teams advanced. The big upset of the night was the Towns County girls, a No. 3 seed out of Region 8-A Public. The Lady Indians led most of the game and held off Central Talboton late, 45-37, to advance to the second round of the Class A tournament, while the No. 2 seed, Commerce girls, edged Taylor County, 48-46.
In Class 6A, the Buford girls and Habersham Central girls advanced.
In Class 4A, Flowery Branch took care of business against McDonough and will face former region foe Marist on the road this weekend. The Jefferson girls rolled with ease against North Clayton. The 2020 Class 3A runner-ups, Jefferson boys, fell to McDonough in double overtime with a tip-in at the horn.
In Class 3A, both the Lumpkin County girls and Dawson County boys danced into the Sweet 16, while North Hall, White County and East Jackson exited.
In Class 2A, the Rabun County girls and Banks County boys punched their tickets to the next round, and the Banks County girls lost in a close one to Heard County.
In Class A Private, Lakeview Academy was swept out of the tournament.
STATE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT SCOREBOARD, Wednesday, 1st round
(Area teams in bold)
CLASS 7A
Archer boys 63, Gainesville 61 OT
CLASS 6A
Buford boys 66, Alexander 64
CLASS 3A
Cherokee Bluff boys 57, Sonoraville 39
White County boys 54, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 52
LaFayette boys 71, North Hall 40
CLASS 2A
Rabun County boys 70, Heard County 50
Callaway girls 72, Union County 45
Callaway boys 65, Union County 42
CLASS A PUBLIC
Chattahoochee County boys 64, Commerce 56
Towns County boys 78, Manchester 67
STATE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT SCOREBOARD, Tuesday, 1st round
(Area teams in bold)
CLASS 6A
Buford girls 81, Alexander 45
Habersham Central girls 52, Douglas County 45
CLASS 4A
McDonough boys 54, Jefferson 53 2OT
Flowery Branch girls 59, McDonough 34
Jefferson girls 82, North Clayton 20
CLASS 3A
Sonoraville girls 69, North Hall 48
Dawson County boys 56, North Murray 35
Lumpkin County girls 58, Rockmart 49
Sandy Creek girls 48, East Jackson 41
Coahulla Creek girls 50, White County 46
CLASS 2A
Heard County girls 49, Banks County 42
Rabun County girls 71, Haralson County 38
Banks County boys 69, Temple 40
CLASS A PUBLIC
Commerce girls 48, Taylor County 46
Towns County girls 45, Central-Talbaton 37
CLASS A PRIVATE
Christian Heritage boys 54, Lakeview Academy 36
Mt. Paran girls 72, Lakeview Academy 15
