COAL MOUNTAIN, Ga. — A 20-point fourth quarter was the difference as the North Forsyth boys basketball team rallied to a much-needed 50-48 Region 8-6A win over Habersham Central on Senior Night at Raider Arena.
The Raiders (14-10, 7-4 Region 8-6A) led the entire first half, taking a slim 22-21 lead into the locker room at the half. But Habersham Central (14-8, 4-6 Region 8-6A) poured on 18 points in the third quarter while holding NoFo to just eight points to take a 39-30 lead.
In the final quarter, NoFo trailed mid-way through but mounted a 10-0 run in the last four minutes to win.
Cole Kirouac led North Forsyth with 19 points, while Kal-El Delgadillo added 14. Cole Gary led Habersham with 16 points, and Enzo Combs chipped in 15.
With the win and the Gainesville loss to Lanier, North Forsyth is in sole possession of third place with just one game remaining. Habersham Central is one game back from the fourth spot.
NORTH HALL 76,
EAST FORSYTH 57
The Trojans clinched the No. 3 seed from Region 8-4A North with a huge road win on Friday.
North Hall (13-11, 7-7 Region 8-4A North) came in tied with the Broncos (10-14, 6-8 Region 8-4A North) for third place. The win also gave the Trojans the season sweep of East Forsyth. North Hall has gotten hot down the stretch winning four of their last five games.
It was a close game early with North Hall leading just 19-14 after the first quarter. The Trojans led 33-26 at halftime but they pulled away in the second half.
Cole Hulsey led North Hall with 17 points. JT Chester added 13, Matthew Ray and Luke Sanders had 11 each, and Sam Gailey finished with 10 for the Trojans.
The Trojans will close out their regular season on Tuesday at home against Walnut Grove.
LANIER 77,
GAINESVILLE 51
Gainesville struggled to find a rhythm all night in the blowout loss to No. 3 Lanier Friday at home.
The Red Elephants (12-10, 5-5 Region 8-6A) stayed within striking distance in the first half, going down 36-23.
Lanier (19-4, 10-0 Region 8-6A) outscored Gainesville 20-12 in the third quarter, then blew it open in the final period.
Tahai Morgan led the Longhorns with 19 points, but it was Osmar Garcia and Jayce Nathaniel that made it tough for Gainesville in the paint. The two 6-foot-8 post players combined for 33 points and 29 rebounds.
Garcia finished with 18 points, while Nathaniel poured in 15.
Cade Simmons led the Red Elephants with 13 points, and Charlie Reisman had 12.
With North Forsyth's win over Habersham Central, the loss drops Gainesville to the fourth spot in the region standings, with Jackson County and Shiloh left next week.
LAKEVIEW ACADEMY 46,
RIVERSIDE PREP 42
Tayden Ware scored 13 points, and Justyce Sadler had 12 to lead the Lions past Riverside on the road Friday.
The Lions (12-11, 4-2) led from the tip, posting a 22-17 lead at the half. Riverside rallied back in the third quarter to cut the lead to two points, 30-28.
DAWSON COUNTY 48,
LUMPKIN COUNTY 43
Trey Harvey scored 16 points to help the Tigers (9-14, 3-7 Region 7-3A) past Lumpkin County (4-20, 1-10 Region 7-3A) at home on Friday.
Joshua Priest added 13 points in the win. Cal Faulkner led the Indians with a game-high 25 points.
HERITAGE-CONYERS 61,
JEFFERSON 58
Jaden Butts scored 18 points, and Drew Williamson had 14 in the Dragons' (7-16, 3-8 Region 8-5A) loss to Heritage-Conyers at home on Friday.
PICKENS 71,
WHITE COUNTY 53
The Warriors (12-11, 6-4 Region 7-3A) fell to Pickens on the road Friday. It was their third straight loss of the season.
With the loss, the Warriors drop into a four-way tie for second place in the Region 7-3A standings with Pickens, Gilmer and West Hall.
Noah Futch led White County with 14 points.
The Warriors finish the season at home against Dawson County on Tuesday and on the road at Lumpkin County on Friday.
EAST HALL 85,
JOHNSON 43
JaMarcus Harrison scored 24 points to lead the Vikings past Johnson on Friday.
Levi Holtzclaw added 15, Chassen Jones netted 12, and Chris Alford had 8.
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD, Friday, Feb. 3
Athens Academy 62, Banks County 61*
Cherokee Bluff 75, Chestatee 61*
Buford 68, Collins Hill 48*
Commerce 61, Elbert County 42*
East Hall 85, Johnson 43*
North Forsyth 50, Habersham Central 48*
Heritage-Conyers 61, Jefferson 58*
Shiloh 64, Jackson County 30*
Lakeview Academy 46, Riverside Prep 42*
Lanier 77, Gainesville 51*
Dawson County 48, Lumpkin County 43*
North Hall 76, East Forsyth 57*
Lanier Christian 63, Peachtree Academy 48
Athens Christian 58, Rabun County 51*
Union County 69, East Jackson 46*
Warren County 64, Towns County 56*
Pickens 71, White County 53*
*denotes region game
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