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LANIERLAND DAY 1 SCHEDULE, Thursday, Dec. 19, at North Hall High School
(3) Chestatee vs. (6) Flowery Branch (girls), 4 p.m.
(3) North Hall vs. (6) East Hall (boys), 5:30 p.m.
(7) East Hall vs. (2) North Hall (girls), 7 p.m.
(7) Chestatee vs. (2) Gainesville (boys), 8:30 p.m.
LANIERLAND DAY 1 SCHEDULE, Thursday, Dec. 19, at East Hall High School
(5) Cherokee Bluff vs. (4) Gainesville (girls), 4 p.m.
(5) Lakeview vs. (4) Flowery Branch (boys), 5:30 p.m.
(1) Lakeview vs. (9) West Hall (girls), 7 p.m.
(1) Cherokee Bluff vs. (8) West Hall (boys), 8:30 p.m.
CHEROKEE BLUFF BEARS
-- COACH, YEARS AT SCHOOL: Josh Travis, 4th season
-- REGION: 8-3A
-- CURRENT 2024-25 RECORD: 9-1 FULL SCHEDULE HERE
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 1
-- KEY PLAYERS: Sr. F Boston Kersh (22.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg), Sr. G Tyler Underwood (7 ppg, 5.1 apg, 3.7 rpg), Jr. G Cooper Glover (15.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg. 4.9 apg), Jr. G Alex Blurton (10.2 ppg, 9 apg), Jr. G Connor Robinson (9.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg,)
-- SEASON RECAP: The Class 3A third-ranked (GHSA Postseason Rankings) Bears reeled off six straight wins before losing to Class 6A ninth-ranked Lambert in a 78-67 fight on Dec. 7. Since then, they've won three straight, including an impressive win over Class 5A's No. 10-ranked Seckinger, to finish the first half of the season 9-1. The Bears average 76.2 points per game while giving up just 57.5 ppg. They enter Lanierland as the tournament's highest-scoring team and lead Region 8-3A. They'll open Lanierland with an 8:30 p.m. battle against West Hall at North Hall.
CHESTATEE WAR EAGLES
-- COACH, YEARS AT SCHOOL: Alan Griffin, 2nd season
-- REGION: 6-3A
-- CURRENT 2024-25 RECORD: 1-8 FULL SCHEDULE HERE
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 7
-- KEY PLAYERS: Sr. C Ethan Dunn (11.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg), So. F Sebastian Spinelli (12.7 ppg, 5.6 rpg)
-- SEASON RECAP: The young War Eagles are still getting used to life without Josh Bull and Colton Wilbanks, as they've started the season with only one win, a 56-49 victory over Elite Scholars Academy. Since that win, they've lost six in a row, two of which came against top-10-ranked GAC and Pickens. The War Eagles, averaging 42.2 ppg, will open the tournament against No. 2 seed Gainesville with an 8:30 p.m. tip-off at North Hall.
EAST HALL VIKINGS
-- COACH/YEARS AT SCHOOL: Joe Dix, 3rd season
-- REGION: 8-3A
-- CURRENT 2024-25 RECORD: 6-1 FULL SCHEDULE HERE
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 6
-- KEY PLAYERS: Jr. G/F Chasen Jones (18 ppg, 8 rpg), Jr. G/P Jamarcus Harrison (8 ppg, 7 rpg, 5 apg), So. F Braydon Langston (17 ppg, 7 RPG, 4 bpg), Jr. G Jordan Richerson (12 ppg, 3 apg, 38 % from 3-point range)
-- SEASON RECAP: East Hall, ranked fifth in Class 3A PSR, won five straight to start the season, including a win over Class A Division 1 fourth-ranked Rabun County on Dec. 3. The Vikings' only defeat of the season is a 56-48 loss to North Oconee, ranked third in Class 4A. East Hall finished the first half of the season with a 76-65 win over New Faith Christian Academy. The Vikings enter the tournament with the second-best scoring offense among the tournament field and will battle North Hall, a team they've already beaten earlier this season, to open the tournament at North Hall. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.
FLOWERY BRANCH FALCONS
-- COACH/YEARS AT SCHOOL: David Hawkins, 2nd season
-- REGION: 8-4A
-- CURRENT 2024-25 RECORD: 5-7 FULL SCHEDULE HERE
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 4
-- KEY PLAYERS: Sr. SG Landon Mealor (10 ppg), Jr. G Jack Huey (11 ppg, 3 apg), So. P Brayden Lee (10 ppg, 5 rpg), So. G/P John Osorio (9 ppg, 5 rpg)
-- SEASON RECAP: The Falcon won four of five games to start the season, then dropped five in a row, losing to TL Hanna, Apalachee, Jackson County, Madison County, and Eastside. The Falcons did pick up a region win over Walnut Grove on Dec. 10 but lost to third-ranked region foe North Oconee on Dec. 13, 81-35. The Falcons enter the tournament averaging 56.16 ppg, sixth best among the tournament field. They'll open the tournament against No. 5 seed Lakeview Academy at East Hall. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.
GAINESVILLE RED ELEPHANTS
-- COACH/YEARS AT SCHOOL: Charlemagne Gibbons, 2nd Season
-- REGION: 7-5A
-- CURRENT 2024-25 RECORD: 8-3 FULL SCHEDULE HERE
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 2
-- KEY PLAYERS: Jaxson Jones (10 ppg, 5.9 rpg), Charlie Gersmehl (9.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg), Kevin White (9.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4.8 apg), Xavier Griffin (5.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg) Quintin Mansfield (5.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg)
-- SEASON RECAP: Big Red has played a brutal early season schedule, with top-10 ranked teams Wheeler, McEachern, Winder-Barrow, Pinson Valley High, Ala. and Sandy Creek. They've finished the first part of the season with an 8-3 record and are ranked seventh in Class 5A. Gainesville brings in one of the largest lineups in the tournament but is averaging just 59 ppg. They'll face No. 7 seed Chestatee in the first round at North Hall. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m.
LAKEVIEW ACADEMY LIONS
-- COACH/YEARS AT SCHOOL: Benjie Wood, 2nd season
-- REGION: GIAA 4A
-- CURRENT 2024-25 RECORD: 6-3 FULL SCHEDULE HERE
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 5
-- KEY PLAYERS: Sr. P Tayden Ware (13.5 ppg, 8 rpg), Sr. G/P Justyce Sadler (5 ppg, 4 rpg), Sr. JR Thompson (e ppg, 4 apg, 4 rpg), Sr. G Jude Ellis (9 ppg), Sr. G Brock Graham (8 ppg), Jr. G Eli Mayfield (9 ppg, 4 rpg), Jr. G Kyari Burch (7 ppg)
-- SEASON RECAP: Coming off a GIAA state championship, the Lions started the season 3-0 before falling to Class 6A Mill Creek on Nov. 30 and Class A Division 1 Rabun County on Dec. 2. Since then, the Lions finished the first half of the season winning three of the last four. They enter the tournament with one of the bigger lineups, averaging 63.5 ppg, the fourth-best among the tournament fields. The Lions will open against No. 4 seed Flowery Branch with a 5:30 p.m. tip-off at East Hall.
NORTH HALL TROJANS
-- COACH, YEARS AT SCHOOL: Jarvis Davenport, 2nd season
-- REGION: 6-3A
-- CURRENT 2024-25 RECORD: 5-3 FULL SCHEDULE HERE
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 3
-- KEY PLAYERS: Sr. F Cole Hulsey (24.5 ppg, 14 rpg, 4 apg), Sr. G Micah Jimmerson (15 ppg, 6 rpg, 4 apg), Sr. G Rolan Imai (4 apg)
-- SEASON RECAP: North Hall dropped back-to-back games to Forsyth Central and East Hall, but since then, they've won the last four of five games, including four in a row, before falling to Region 6-3A foe and fourth-ranked (PSR) Pickens on Dec. 13. The Trojans are averaging 72.5 ppg, third best among the tournament field, will get a rematch with East Hall to open the tournament at home on Wednesday. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.
WEST HALL SPARTANS
-- COACH, YEARS AT SCHOOL: Chuck Graham, 2nd season
-- REGION: 8-3A
-- CURRENT 2024-25 RECORD: 5-5 FULL SCHEDULE HERE
-- LANIERLAND SEEDING: No. 8
-- KEY PLAYERS: Jr. G Troy Smith (15.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2 apg), Sr. G Xavier Felix (10.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 5 apg), G Landon Bennett (11.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg), Sr. P Ethan Clifford (7.9 ppg)
-- SEASON RECAP: The Spartans were dealt a major blow to start the season with an injury to big man Teryk Tilley, which forced West Hall to rethink their attack. There have been growing pains, but the Spartans have finished the first half of the season .500, with wins over Walnut Grove, Johnson, Commerce and Stephens County. One of the wins over Johnson was in the play-in game on Nov. 22 to make the tournament field. The Spartans enter the tournament, averaging 51.4 ppg, seventh best among the tournament field. They'll get top-seeded Cherokee Bluff in the first round at North Hall. Tip-off is 8:30 p.m.
--Key: Sr: senior, Jr: junior, So: sophomore, Fr: freshman, PG: point guard, G: guard, SG: shooting guard, W: wing, F: forward, PF: power forward, SF: small forward, P: post, C: center, PPG: points per game, RPG: rebounds per game, APG: assists per game, SPG: steals per game, FT: free throws.
