ICYMI Basketball: Big region matchups have Friday's schedule on fire

The 2023 part of the high school basketball schedule is about to get insane for some teams around the area. 

Like stupid insane, you've got regions like 8-4A, which are subdivided, and if you go to MaxPreps, good luck finding out who is in the lead. 8-4A is only counting sub-region games in the standings. MaxPreps has it combined. So, forget that unless you have time to comb through every schedule of all 11 teams. 

And who saw this start coming from Gainesville? They're sitting at the top of the region standings with two massive games coming up this weekend. Can they stay atop the Region 8-6A standing? If so, they'll have to sweep both North Forsyth and Lanier. 

The Flowery Branch boys are on a roll. They knocked off Region 8-5A leader Eastside last week but remain one game back thanks to a loss to Winder-Barrow. To pile more on top of it, Heritage-Conyers is a game ahead of the Falcons, and with the loss to Winder-Barrow, they are technically in fourth. So, it's a must-win for the Falcons to stay in the hunt for the top spot. 

And the Banks County and Athens Academy girls are the cream of the crop in Region 8-2A. 

This brings us to must-see games this weekend, and after in-depth discussion, here are our top picks. 

-- Athens Academy girls (13-1, 1-0) at Banks County (16-3, 2-0)

This game is for the early Region 8-2A lead and features two of the hottest teams in Class 2A. The Lady Leopards have won nine games in a row and boast a solid rotation led by Kamryn Gier, averaging 13.3 points per game and almost 10 rebounds per game, Addison Hoard (11.7 ppg) and Carley Seagers (8.6 ppg, 7.8 rpg). The Lady Leopards will have their hands full with a strong Athens Academy team on Friday. The good news, it's in Homer, Ga. 

The bad news is Athens Academy has only one loss, a 51-33 defeat to Creekview in late December, and has won three straight since the lone loss. Banks County will have to keep an eye on guard Lily Tillman and forward India Sheats, along with Louise Tillman and Sally Bullard. This one has classic written all over it. 

-- East Forsyth girls (8-9, 3-2),  at Cherokee Bluff (10-6, 3-2)

The Lady Broncos may have found their swagger as of late. After losing superstar guard Alison Hiddema to a season-ending knee injury, it took some time for EaFo to put it together. They lost six straight games but are on a three-game winning streak when it really counts, including a thrilling 57-56 win at North Hall on Tuesday. Led by guards Ella Holbrook, Maddie Abercrombie and Ayla Heard, the Lady Broncos are in an excellent spot to make a run toward the top of the Region 8-4A sub-region standings. But hold the phone for a second; Cherokee Bluff may have another message for the Lady Broncos on Friday. 

Although the Lady Bears have lost five straight, including back-to-back losses to rivals North Hall and Chestatee, Bluff has already beaten EaFo, 50-45 back in December. With both needing a win to stay in the hunt for a top spot in the subregion, this one will be nothing short of a knockdown, drag-out slugfest at Cherokee Bluff. 

-- Gainesville girls (13-0, 2-0) at North Forsyth (10-5, 3-0)

In comparing the two teams' schedules, North Forsyth has played a much tougher slate than Gainesville. Does that mean anything? Probably. North Forsyth is a traditional girls basketball power, while Gainesville is trying to get back on track. New coach Vanessa White has the Lady Red Elephants playing well right now. They are undefeated and sit a half-a-game behind the Lady Raiders for the top spot in the region. 

With players like Keidra and Calonii Young, Keke Jones and Zaria Williams, Big Red has the firepower to upset the Lady Raiders. However, NoFo has its shed full of talent. With players like Erin Whalen, London Weaver and Meredith Franklin, the Lady Raiders can turn a game from close to a blowout with their outside shooting. Can Gainesville keep up? Absolutely. Their aggressive style of play has worked, and if the Young sisters are on, the Lady Raiders will have their hands full on Friday. 

-- Gainesville boys (8-5, 2-0) at North Forsyth (8-7, 2-1)

Gainesville has already won more games than it did all of last season. This team is loaded with athletic talent and goes a solid nine-deep. But they lack some size inside, which could hurt against 6-foot-10 Cole Kirouac. The Raiders are solid inside and out, with guards Kal-el Delgadillo, Braden Mullis, Will Sokol and Brayden Turner. They can run and throw it down from beyond the 3-point line. 

The Red Elephants, with a solid roster of athletic, quick guards and hybrid players like  Isaiah Rico, Cade Simmons, Isaac Marcero, Dre Raven, Ellis Pitts, Charlie Reisman, Julius Jackson and Octavian Demory, likes to run and play full-court defense. It'll be a dogfight at Raider Arena on Friday, as both teams need a win to stay in the hunt for the top spot in the region. If you're looking for a game to watch, head over to Coal Mountain on Friday. 

-- Heritage-Conyers boys (12-5, 4-1) at Flowery Branch (13-3, 3-2)

Let's jump in here with the stats ... Flowery Branch beat Eastside, and Heritage lost to Eastside. But ... Heritage and Eastside remain ahead of Branch in the region standings.

The Falcons have won the last four out of five games but slipped against region foe Winder-Barrow on Jan. 3, then knocked off region leader Eastside last Friday. The loss to Winder-Barrow could come back to haunt the Falcons, which means a win on Friday over Heritage is almost a must. The Falcons are playing well behind Fe Honors, Tyleek Worth, Jeremiah Ware, Jayden Gudz and Jack Burney. 

Senior guard Gabe Guliford leads the Patriots, and they also have won the last four out of five games. They also beat Winder-Barrow in December. If the Falcons want to continue the ascension toward the top of the standings, a win on Friday is a must.