Dix turned loose the Vikings patented pressure defense midway through the third quarter and it paid off as they went on an 18-5 run and then held the Falcons to just two field goals over the final eight minutes en route to a 59-51 win at the Flowery Branch gym.
"We played terrible in the first half and I probably tinkered with the defense too much," Dix said. "In the third quarter I just decided it was time to go back to what we do best."
The decisive run came after the Falcons (0-1) had taken their biggest lead of the game at 31-24 on a Marquise Wise three-point play. With the defense causing nearly half-a-dozen turnovers in a four-minute span, sophomore Hayden Chapman got hot, hitting three 3-pointers to help give East Hall (2-0) a 42-36 lead.
"Chapman is a shooter and we have a lot of confidence in him to take a shot when he has one," Dix said.
The fourth quarter saw the Falcons battle back to within 48-46 on a pair of Byron Keith free throws but they would run out of steam down the stretch.
"I was happy with the effort but fatigue got us at the end," Flowery Branch coach Duke Mullis said. "I thought for our first game we did some things well. You don't like giving up a lead but we can build on some things from this."
After Keith's free throws, Flowery Branch would not hit another field goal until Tyler McBroom's 3-pointer with 12 seconds left in the game. In between the Vikings used a 10-2 run to put the game out of reach.
The East Hall defense was stellar in the final period blocking four shots and forcing six more turnovers in the final six minutes. The Vikings had nine blocks in the game, four from Sterling Bailey, who also had 14 points and four rebounds.
Chapman had 14 points and Kymon Woods 12 for East Hall. The Falcons were led by 11 points each from Rudy DeAza and Wise.
East Hall jumped to a quick lead on a three-point play from Sterling Bailey and a 3-pointer from Kymon Woods to open an 8-0 lead two minutes into the game. Flowery Branch would get back in the game behind Quinncey Hodges, who scored six points in a 12-5 run to pull the Falcons within 13-12 early in the second quarter.
The Vikings pushed their lead to 17-12 a minute later but then would go cold from the field. The Falcons forced seven turnovers in a five minute span, including four straight at one point, in an 11-0 spurt to take a 23-17 lead with 1:01 left in the half.
East Hall would hit three free throws in the final seconds to close to 23-20 by halftime.
The Vikings will travel to face traditional rival Gainesville on Saturday at Gainesville.
Flowery Branch will travel to face Chestatee on Friday.
East Hall boys basketball coach Joe Dix
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