The Vikings opened the game with a 7-0 run en route to a 99-71 win in the opening round of the Region 7-AAA Tournament at the Flowery Branch gym.
The Vikings (24-2) advanced to the state tournament with the win and will play the winner of the Johnson-North Hall game Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Chestatee High School in region semifinals.
East Hall continued its hot pace early running out to a 27-10 lead. But Pickens (10-16) used a 12-2 run to cut it to 29-22 midway through the second quarter.
The Vikings answered with a 12-0 run and the Dragons never got closer the rest of the game.
East Hall coach Seth Vining said getting the opening win is the toughest.
"It's a big win for us. It's always nice to get that first one out of the way," he said.
Twelve different players scored for the Vikings, who ran their win streak 13-straight.
Keldrick Coleman led the East Hall offense with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Frank Davis added 16, Marquez Jackson 12 and Walter Hill 11.
East Hall led by as many as 37 in the second half behind its swarming defense, which produced nearly two dozen Pickens turnovers.
"I thought we did some good things out there. I thought our defense was real good and we executed pretty well on offense," Vining said.
The Vikings had a chance to break the century mark but a 3-pointer at the buzzer bounced off the rim.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2004/2/164003