ELLIJAY — North Hall clinched a playoff berth with a tough 56-52 win over Gilmer on Tuesday in Region 7-3A action.
The Trojans (20-4, 11-2, 7-6 Region 7-3A) opened up a 31-23 lead at halftime with a big second quarter and then held off the Bobcats (17-8, 8-5 Region 7-3A) in the fourth quarter.
North Hall dropped in 9 3-pointers for the game, as Matthew Ray (17 points) and Sam Gailey (11 points) both hit three each for the contest. Robert Terry had 12 points for the Trojans.
Gilmer, who hit just four 3-pointers, was able to stay in the game at the foul line hitting 14-of-21 for the game. North Hall was just 7-of-11 from the line for the game.
Lewis Mulkey scored 14 points to lead Gilmer. Ethan Banks had 12 points for the Bobcats but was held to just 2 points in the second half.
WEST HALL 54,
LUMPKIN COUNTY 53
The Spartans rallied from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to pull into a fifth-place tie with Lumpkin County and Dawson County in Region 7-3A action at the West Hall gym.
West Hall (8-16, 4-9 Region 7-3A) trailed 31-27 at halftime and 44-34 going into the final period. But Owen Jenkins led the Spartans comeback, scoring 9 of his 11 points in the fourth quarter.
The Spartans chipped away and cut the lead to 53-50 with 1:30 left. Andrew Malin got an offensive board and put back for West Hall to pull within 53-52 and then Jenkins got a steal and found Calvin Norman for the go-ahead score.
West Hall had a chance to ice the game but missed three free throws in the final 30 seconds.
Lumpkin County (7-16, 4-9 Region 7-3A) had a chance to win it but missed a shot at the buzzer.
Malin and Norman both finished with 8 points for West Hall.
Jones Harris paced the Indians with a game-high 25 points.
DAWSON COUNTY 64,
CHEROKEE BLUFF 54
The Tigers held the Bears to just 22 first-half points en route to a Region 7-3A win at home.
Dawson County (5-19, 4-9 Region 7-3A) led 30-22 at the break and then outscored Bluff (12-12, 6-7 Region 7-3A) in the second half to maintain its lead.
Caden Reed and Trey Harvey both poured in 16 points to lead Dawson County. Ethan Parker added 11 points, all in the second half, for the Tigers.
Cade Simmons paced Bluff with 18 points, 14 coming in the second half. Carlos Marlowe had 15 points for the Bears.
LOGANVILLE 87,
JOHNSON 15
The Knights, who are playing four injured starters for the remainder of the year, are still looking for their first Region 8-5A win of the season.
Loganville used a 26-6 first quarter to take control.
Senior Jake Shaw led Johnson with 7 points.
Johnson next will travel to Eastside on Friday.
SOUTH FORSYTH 51,
GAINESVILLE 50
Gainesville (5-16, 1-9 Region 6-7A) controlled the entire first half, then the third quarter happened.
That's when South Forsyth (11-13, 5-6 Region 6-7A) went on a run, and Gainesville went cold. The War Eagles outpaced Gainesville 15-4 in the third period to take a 43-37 lead and led, with 4:23 to go, 41-31.
Ethan Underwood was tough in the third quarter, scoring eight of his 21 points, 12 total in the second half, to lead the comeback for the War Eagles.
The fourth quarter started in South Forsyth's favor, going up 47-37 off a Baylor Hicks basket with 6:15 to go.
The Red Elephants then outpaced South Forsyth 12-4 Qua Coley and Chamarion Bush to cut the lead to just one point, 51-50 with less than 12 seconds to go.
Gainesville had a shot at the end to win it but the shot didn't fall.
Bush led the Red Elephants with 12 points, Charlie Reisman and Coley had 11 each.
RABUN COUNTY 84,
RIVERSIDE MILITARY 47
Connor McKay scored a game-high 27 points to lead the Wildcats (17-5, 5-0 Region 8-2A) past Riverside (0-15, 0-4 Region 8-2A) on Tuesday.
Gus Hood added 21 points, while Cooper Welch had 10.
Rabun County remains atop the Region 8-2A standings.
JEFFERSON 60,
EAST HALL 49
JT Fulkrod scored 12 points, and Kaden Bailey had 11 to lead the fifth-ranked Dragons (21-2, 10-1 Region 8-4A) in the win over East Hall (16-6, 5-5 Region 8-4A) at home on Tuesday.
CJ Agborsangaya scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Vikings. Christian Torres also added 11 points and eight boards for the Vikings. Riley Hullman knocked down 10 points for the Dragons.
Jefferson has clinched the No. 1 seed in next week's region tournament. As for the Vikings, the loss and North Oconee's win over Chestatee (44-39) on Tuesday, drops East Hall to No. 4 in the standings.
