GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Cherokee Bluff used a big 18-4 first quarter to take the lead and then held off North Hall, 54-49, in a huge Region 8-4A North showdown on Tuesday.
With the win, the Lady Bears (19-4, 8-1 Region 8-4A North) clinched the No. 2 seed in the subregion. They will take on Chestatee on Friday in Flowery Branch. But the Lady War Eagles clinched the top spot in the subregion with their win over East Hall (below).
“This one was big because it wraps up no worse than the two seed (in the subregion),” Bluff coach Kassie Scott said. “We've been facing a lot of injury battles right now, but we got the job done.”
North Hall (15-7, 5-4 Region 8-4A North) began to chip away, pulling within 29-21 by halftime behind Athena Vachtsevanos, who hit three 3-pointers in the period. The Lady Trojans kept the pressure on in the third quarter, outscoring Bluff 11-8 to get within 37-32.
But the Lady Bears were able to hold several charges to get the road win.
Kaitlin Cook paced Bluff with 16 points. Bristol Kersh and Claire Carlson each added 9 points for the Lady Bears.
Vachtsevanos led North Hall with a game-high 19 points. Genesis Satterfield added 11 points, and Braelyn McCall had 9 for the Lady Trojans.
CHESTATEE 62,
EAST HALL 35
The Lady War Eagles stayed unbeaten in Region 8-4A North and clinched the top seed with another blowout win at the Lynn Cottrell Center on Tuesday.
Payton Cable had 16 points and 8 rebounds to lead Chestatee (19-4, 9-0 Region 8-4A North). Riley Black recorded another double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Lady War Eagles. Addison Boyd had 10 points.
Chestatee travels to Cherokee Bluff on Friday.
BANKS COUNTY 51,
UNION COUNTY 49 OT
The Lady Leopards clinched the No. 1 seed in Region 8-2A and an automatic playoff berth with a tough road win on Tuesday in overtime.
It was the 12th straight win for Banks County (19-4, 8-0 Region 8-2A).
Freshman Marleigh Dale got the game-winning shot with 4 seconds left in the extra period off a feed from Ella Kate Shedd to break a tie at 49. The Lady Panthers (12-10, 5-2 Region 8-2A) had one last chance but could not get off a shot at the end.
It was an offensive struggle for both teams early as tough defense and poor shooting led to just a 13-10 halftime lead for Banks County. but both teams began to pick up the pace in the second half with Union County catching the Lady Leopards late in the game.
Reese Murphy paced Banks County with 15 points. Addison Hoard and Carley Degars each had 12 points for the Lady Leopards.
The win also means that the upcoming Region 8-2A girls tournament will be held in Homer.
LAKEVIEW ACADEMY 75,
TRINITY CLASSICAL SCHOOL 34
The Lady Lions (20-1) won their ninth straight game with a lopsided win at home on Tuesday.
Emmie Finley led Lakeview with 11 points and 7 rebounds. Dynesty Putman added 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 steals, and Emyrie Combs had 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals for the Lady Lions.
Jalyn Purdy had 8 points and 4 rebounds, and Tailiah Gaither had 8 points and 8 rebounds for Lakeview.
BUFORD 73,
CENTRAL GWINNETT 46
The Lady Wolves used a 25-4 second quarter to blow open a close game as they clinched the Region 8-7A regular season title and the automatic berth into the state tournament.
Buford (20-2, 8-0 Region 8-7A) led just 14-11 after the first quarter, but the huge second-quarter explosion pushed its lead to 39-15 by halftime. The Lady Wolves took a 60-33 lead into the fourth quarter.
Ava Grace Watson led Buford with 27 points in just three-quarters of work. Lydia Ledford had 17 points for the Lady Wolves.
CoCo Rudolph led Central Gwinnett (17-6, 4-4 Region 8-7A) with 21 points.
NORTH FORSYTH 58,
GAINESVILLE 29
London Weaver scored 20 points, and Gabbie Gliatta chipped in 12 to lead the second-ranked Lady Raiders past Gainesville at Raider Arena on Tuesday.
North Forsyth (22-0, 10-0 Region 8-6A) forced 18 turnovers and held Gainesville (5-15, 3-6) Region 8-6A scoreless for 8 minutes in the first half to take a 43-9 halftime lead.
Meanwhile, Weaver netted 15 of her 20 points in the first half. Weaver and Gliatta combined for 27 points in the first 16 minutes of the game.
Kelsey Lester led Gainesville with 11 points. Julia Payne had seven.
DAWSON COUNTY 52,
HORIZON CHRISTIAN 47
Dawson County allowed a 26-19 halftime lead to erode as Horizon rallied behind 44 points from freshman Nyla Black to take a 40-39 lead with 5:42 remaining.
Abby Slaton hit a pair of 3-pointers with less than 4 minutes left in the game to tie at 47 as Dawson closed with an 8-0 run to win
Eva Bishop led the Lady Tigers with 17 points, and Abby Slaton finished with 12. Bishop also recorded her 500th career rebound in the first quarter.
LANIER CHRISTIAN 49,
FIDELES CHRISTIAN 48
The Lady Lightning (16-8, 6-0 GAPPS) battled to a one-point win over Fideles Christian on Tuesday.
Jia Thapar led LCA with 20 points, and freshman Adelyn Gough added 10 points.
SCOREBOARD FOR Tuesday, Jan. 30
Banks County 51, Union County 49 OT*
Buford 73, Central Gwinnett 46*
Cherokee Bluff 54, North Hall 49*
Chestatee 62, East Hall 35*
Commerce 69, Tallulah Falls 42*
East Forsyth 72, Johnson 16*
Eastside 58, Flowery Branch 39*
Jefferson 45, Loganville 37*
Lake Oconee Academy 48, Towns County 40*
Lakeview Academy 75, Trinity Classical School 34
North Forsyth 58, Gainesville 29*
Pickens 56, Lumpkin County 36*
White County 65, Gilmer 20*
(* -- denotes region contest)
