Lanierland boys: Gainesville-Cherokee Bluff set to battle for title

(CLICK HERE FOR EVERYTHING LANIERLAND)

(CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE DAY 2 BOYS BRACKET RECAP)

(CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE DAY 2 GIRLS BRACKET RECAP)

(CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE DAY 1 BOYS BRACKET RECAP)

(CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE DAY 1 GIRLS BRACKET RECAP)

(CLICK HERE TO VIEW GIRLS SEASON INFORMATION)

LANIERLAND DAY 3 SCHEDULE, Friday, Dec. 29 at Johnson High School

Consolation
Johnson vs. East Hall (7th place girls) 9 a.m.
Chestatee vs. West Hall (7th place boys), 10:30 a.m.
Flowery Branch vs. Cherokee Bluff (5th place girls), noon
East Hall vs. Lakeview (5th place boys), 1:30 p.m.
Chestatee vs. Gainesville (3rd place girls), 3 p.m.
Flowery Branch vs. North Hall (3rd place boys), 4:30 p.m.

Championships
North Hall vs. Lakeview Academy (Girls), 6 p.m.
Cherokee Bluff vs. Gainesville (Boys), 7:30 p.m.

CHEROKEE BLUFF BEARS
-- COACH, YEARS AT SCHOOL: Josh Travis, 3rd season 
-- REGION: 8-4A 
-- CURRENT 2023-24 RECORD: 9-4 FULL SCHEDULE HERE
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 3
-- KEY PLAYERS: Jr. F Boston Kersh (15.6 ppg, 7 rpg), Jr. G Tyler Underwood (8.4 ppg), Sr. F Logan Holmes (20.6 ppg, 5 rpg), Sr. F Tanaka Munoko, So. G Cooper Glover (11.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg), So. G Andy Quirarte (8 ppg)
-- SEASON RECAP: After opening the season with back-to-back wins over Lanier Christian and Banks County, the Bears dropped four in a row, including one Region 8-4A loss to East Forsyth. However, Bluff's overtime win against East Hall, which put them in the sub-region lead, also set them on fire. The Bears won five straight to close out the first half of the season strong and push them into Lanierland with some big-time momentum. With one of the deepest rosters in the tournament when healthy and has plenty of firepower to make a run at its first Lanierland title, Game 1 against Lakeview's loaded roster won't be a cakewalk. 

CHESTATEE WAR EAGLES
-- COACH, YEARS AT SCHOOL: Alan Griffin, 1st season 
-- REGION: 8-4A
-- CURRENT 2023-24 RECORD: 4-9 FULL SCHEDULE HERE
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 7
-- KEY PLAYERS: Sr. G Josh Bull (14.5 ppg, 6 apg), Sr. F Colton Wilbanks (28.6 ppg, 13.2 rpg), Sr. G Garett Selke (5 ppg), Sr. F Jack Tucker (15 ppg)
-- SEASON RECAP: The War Eagles have taken the first half of the season to get their footing under new head coach Alan Griffin. They have shown promise, beating Lumpkin County by 20 points and playing No. 7 ranked Walnut Grove to a four-point loss earlier this season. But the War Eagles dropped two key sub-region games to North Hall and East Forsyth in December. They did get back on the winning track with a 64-44 win over Whitefield Academy to close the first half of the season. They have one of the best combo forwards in the area in Colton Wilbanks, and play-making guard Josh Bull. The War Eagles have the ability to play and beat anyone but will have to play a complete game if they want to get past North Hall, who beat them 80-67 in early December, in the opening round of Lanierland. 

EAST HALL VIKINGS
-- COACH/YEARS AT SCHOOL: Joe Dix, 2nd season
-- REGION: 8-4A
-- CURRENT 2023-24 RECORD: 7-3 FULL SCHEDULE HERE
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 8
-- KEY PLAYERS: So. G/F Chasen Jones (12.9 ppg, 7 rpg), Jr. C Yair Fajardo (7.3 ppg), So. G/P Jamarcus Harrison (17.5 ppg, 6.8 rgp), G Chris Alford (17.4) Fr. F Braydon Langston (11.1 ppg, 6 rpg), Jr. G Maddox Smith 
-- SEASON RECAP: The Vikings have been the surprise of the area, making a complete turnaround from last season. The Vikings started the season with three straight wins and almost pulled off the upset of No. 7-ranked Walnut Grove in an 83-81 loss. Led by guard Chris Alford, forwards Jarmarcus Harrison, Chasen Jones and Braydon Langston, the Vikings have four players who are averaging double-figures in the scoring column. But the Vikings had one sub-region hiccup in the 83-81 overtime loss to Cherokee Bluff on Dec. 15. They had to play their way into the tournament with a blowout win over Johnson on Dec. 2. Now, they'll face top-seeded Gainesville in the opening round. It's a matchup everybody wants to see every year. This year, they'll get on Day 1. 

FLOWERY BRANCH FALCONS
-- COACH/YEARS AT SCHOOL: David Hawkins, 1st season 
-- REGION: 8-5A
-- CURRENT 2023-24 RECORD: 4-10 FULL SCHEDULE HERE
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 5
-- KEY PLAYERS: Jr. PG Jeremiah Ware (18.5 ppg, 5 rpg), Sr. SG Landon Mealor (7.9 ppg), Sr. SG Jordan Hayes (10.1 ppg), Sr. C Bo Farr, Jr. PG Isaiah Fairley (2.8 ppg).
-- SEASON RECAP: The Falcons', who lost 10 to graduation, start to the season hasn't been what new head coach David Hawkins wanted. However, he knew there would be growing pains with only one starter, Jeremiah Ware, returning to the line-up. They've won only three games in the first half of the season, but Hawkins says the team continues to make improvements every day. The Falcons are set to tip off the opening round against West Hall, which also is finding its way under new head coach Chuck Graham.

GAINESVILLE RED ELEPHANTS
-- COACH/YEARS AT SCHOOL: Charlemagne Gibbons, 1st Season 
-- REGION: 8-6A
-- CURRENT 2023-24 RECORD: 2-9 FULL SCHEDULE HERE
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 1
-- KEY PLAYERS: Sr. G/F Ellis Pitts
-- SEASON RECAP: The Red Elephants have started the season winless under new head coach Charlemagne Gibbons. However, the schedule has been brutal for a program that only returned one starter from last year's Lanierland title team. Big Red will face No. 8 seed East Hall in the opening round. Gainesville has won the last 6-of-7 Lanierland titles, but If they want to continue their title run, they'll have to beat a red-hot East Hall team. 

LAKEVIEW ACADEMY LIONS
-- COACH/YEARS AT SCHOOL: Benjie Wood, 1st season
-- REGION: GIAA 4A
-- CURRENT 2023-24 RECORD: 10-3 FULL SCHEDULE HERE
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 6
-- KEY PLAYERS: Sr. P Tayden Ware (11 ppg, 7 rpg), Jr. G/P Justyce Sadler (12 ppg, 8 rpg), Jr. G Mekhi Barber (14 ppg, 4 spg, 3 apg), Jr. Thompson (6 ppg, 5 rpg, 4 apg, 2 spg) 
-- SEASON RECAP: The Lions opened the season 5-1 through the first six games, then began a gauntlet of games against GHSA competition. They did well. New head coach Benjie Wood has the Lions playing at a high level, winning three straight to close out the regular season. The Lions will be put to the test in the opening round against face Cherokee Bluff, who finished the season on a winning streak. It'll be a game to pay attention to, as both teams have loaded rosters. 

NORTH HALL TROJANS
-- COACH, YEARS AT SCHOOL: Jarvis Davenport, 1st season
-- REGION: 8-4A
-- CURRENT 2023-24 RECORD: 5-9 FULL SCHEDULE HERE
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 2
-- KEY PLAYERS: Jr. F Cole Hulsey (12.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg), Sr. G/F Andrew Bales (7.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg), Sr. G Luke Sanders (6 ppg, 3 apg), Sr. F JT Chester, Sr. G/F Matt Ray (12.5 ppg, 4 rpg), Micah Jimmerson (7.5 ppg, 3 rpg), Gunner Spain (5 ppg)
-- SEASON RECAP: After a 2-0 start to the season, the Trojans dropped four straight, two of which were against top-10 teams Jefferson and North Oconee. They got back on the winning track with a huge sub-region win over Chestatee, then finished the first half of the season, winning one of the last five. The Trojans will face rival Chestatee in the opening round, a team they demolished 80-67 earlier this season. 

WEST HALL SPARTANS
-- COACH, YEARS AT SCHOOL:  Chuck Graham, 1st season
-- REGION: 7-3A
-- CURRENT 2023-24 RECORD: 4-8 FULL SCHEDULE HERE
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 4
-- KEY PLAYERS: Jr. G Xavier Felix, Sr. G Ian Pardue, Sr. G Ethan Clifford, Sr. SF Jackson Ledford, Jr. F Teryk Tilley
-- SEASON RECAP: The Spartans are learning how to win in new head coach Chuck Graham's system. The Spartans started the season losing five of their first six games but found a rhythm heading into Lainerland, winning the last 3-of-3, including two Region 7-3A wins over Lumpkin County and White County. The Spartans will open the tournament against a struggling Flowery Branch team. If they get the win there, they'll face either Gainesville or East Hall for a trip to the finals.