GAINESVILLE — Chestatee got its first Region 8-4A win of the season on Tuesday, holding off Flowery Branch 69-61 at Lynn Cottrell gym.
The War Eagles (8-11, 1-6 Region 8-4A) led most of the way but hit 8-of-10 free throws in the fourth quarter to fight off a furious Falcons (11-8, 3-4 Region 8-4A) rally.
Chestatee jumped out to a 16-12 lead after the first quarter and took a 33-30 advantage into the break. The War Eagles pushed the lead to 47-43 heading into the fourth.
Both offenses got hot in the final period combining for 40 points. Chestatee’s Hugh Pruitt poured in 11 of his 18 points in the fourth, including going a perfect 6-of-6 from the line down the stretch.
Colton Wilbanks added 17 points, Jarius Weaver had 13, and Cade Williams 9 for Chestatee.
Flowery Branch stayed in the game at the free-throw line going 21-of-28 for the game. Tyleek Worth had a big game with 19 points but was held scoreless in the pivotal fourth quarter.
Jackson Owens added 12 points, Trey Shaw had 10 points and Jeremiah Ware 9 for the Falcons.
MADISON COUNTY 67,
JEFFERSON 48
The Class 4A second-ranked Dragons were the last team in Region 8-4A to suffer a region loss on Tuesday, losing to a surging Red Raiders squad, who also moved into a tie for first place with Jefferson with the win.
Madison County (16-2, 6-1 Region 8-4A) held Jefferson (16-2, 6-1 Region 8-4A) to just 5 points in the first quarter en route to a 28-17 halftime lead. The Red Raiders, who have won 7 straight, increased their lead to 42-29 heading into the fourth, and then exploded for a 27-point fourth quarter to blow it open.
Jefferson was led by Dalen Gales with 16 points. JT Fulkrod added 15 and Kadin Bailey had 13 for the Dragons, who saw their 9-gam win streak snapped with the loss.
GREENBRIER 72,
JOHNSON 29
The Knights, still looking for their first Region 8-5A win of the season, found the going tough against the Greenbrier defense on Tuesday night.
Johnson (1-16, 0-7 Region 8-5A) was held to just 8 points in the first quarter and just 1 free throw in the third against the first place Wolfpack (12-6, 6-1 Region 8-5A).
Greenbrier opened with a 21-8 first quarter and would take a 34-18 lead into halftime. The Wolfpak exploded for a 26-1 third quarter o put the game out of reach.
Jaiden Riley led Johnson with 14 points.
WEST FORSYTH 85,
GAINESVILLE 54
The first half was close. The second half not so much.
The Wolverines (15-4, 7-0 Region 6-7A) outpaced Gainesville, 49-27, in the second half to march to an 85-54 rout of the Red Elephants (5-13, 1-6 Region 6-7A) on Tuesday at home.
Gainesville actually opened the first quarter with a 5-0 lead but West Forsyth's Will Moore, who finished with 23 points, heated up from the 3-point line, firing off three-in-a-row to give the Wolverines a 13-12 lead. But the Red Elephants showed some fight taking back the lead with a 6-0 run, sparked by Octavion Demory, 18-13.
West Forsyth, however, fired right back to tie the game on a 7-0 spurt, 18-18, at the end of the opening period.
In the second quarter, Moore hit another trey, and big-man Jake Mooney took over the inside and outside shooting threat. He nailed a 3-pointer late in the second quarter to give the Wolverines a 33-23 lead. He scored 14 of his game-high 25 points in the first half.
In the second half, it was all West Forsyth. The Wolverines, behind Mooney, upped the lead 58-33 mid-way through the third quarter and remained ahead, 63-40, after 24 minutes of play.
The fourth was just as ugly for the Red Elephants, and West Forsyth continued pouring it on, grabbing a 73-44 advantage with 4 minutes left.
Grant Moore added 14 points for the Wolverines, while Charlie Reisman led Gainesville with 13 points. Julius Jackson and Chamarion Bush both added 9 points.
