The top-seeded hosts in the GHSA Region 6-AAA basketball tournament prevailed Thursday at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, but not before a scare for the home team in the final game.
The LFO girls were a little sluggish after a nine-day layoff from competition, but they regrouped to easily get past Adairsville 66-47.
The LFO boys, however, had to work much harder, overcoming Catoosa County rival Ringgold 84-83 in overtime. The Warriors trailed by eight after three quarters, but senior Brent Bowman scored 10 of his game-high 28 points in the period to help force overtime, then hit the winner at the final buzzer.
Tyler Davis joined Bowman with four points in overtime and finished with 16, while Amari Burnett had 19 points and Jayden Dover 13 for the Warriors (16-10), who will face Adairsville, a 66-47 winner over LaFayette, in Friday’s finale.
Ringgold reached 83 points with only four players scoring: O’Reilly Matthews had 23, Cooper Sexton 22 and Brevin Massengale and Luke Rominger 19 each.
“I was really proud of our guys for battling back, and we had a couple of guys really play big minutes to help us win,” LFO coach Josh Laney said. “Rivalry games are always tough, and it’s definitely hard during tournament time, but overall a win is a win and I’m glad we are still playing for a championship.
“A lot of credit has to be given to Coach (Josh) Hensley and Ringgold for the way they attacked us defensively.”
For the Lady Warriors (24-1), Angel Simmons scored 11 of her 15 points in the first half as they took a 27-15 lead and never looked back. Christen Collins led LFO, which had nine players score, with 16 points.
“It wasn’t a pretty win after a long layoff, but we were able to play all 15 players,” LFO coach Dewayne Watkins said. “Our rhythm is off on both ends of the floor, but we are motivated by the possibility of winning back-to-back region championships.”
Also in 6-AAA, the Coahulla Creek girls edged Bremen 46-44 on Brinkley Kate Reed’s five-footer in the lane just before the buzzer. Reed scored a game-high 18 points, and Shea Poe added 10 for the third-seeded Lady Colts (15-10).
GHSA Region 7-AAAA semifinals at Georgia Highlands College
Northwest Whitfield girls 43, Sonoraville 40: Kennedy Baker scored 13 points and Sloan Pender scored all seven of hers in the third period as the Lady Bruins (16-10) upset the No. 2-seeded Lady Phoenix (21-5). Brynley Walraven topped Sonoraville’s scoring list with 13 points.
Heritage girls 49, Central-Carroll 30: Freshmen Bailee Hollis and Tori Epps scored 12 and 10 points, respectively, to lead No. 1 seed Heritage into the title game.
Sonoraville boys 53, Southeast Whitfield 36: The Phoenix (19-7) held the Raiders to 14 first-half points while building a 10-point lead and never were threatened. Ethan Hibberts and Jordyn Storey led Sonoraville with 18 and 14 points, respectively.
GHSA Region 7-AA semifinals at North Murray
Murray County girls 66, North Murray 40: The top-seeded Lady Indians ran out to a 36-19 first-half lead on their way to reaching the title game. Mattie Nuckolls had nine of her team-best 13 points in that opening half, while Emma Blaylock finished with 11 points and Skyler Mahoney had 10 points and 12 rebounds.
“North Murray came out firing from 3-point range and hit three of them in the first couple of minutes, but we settled in and our defense and rebounding really shined,” Murray County coach Chris Tipton said. “The work the girls did in the preseason and in the weight room is paying off.”
The Lady Indians (19-4) will face Model, a 65-56 winner over Fannin County, in Friday’s championship game.
North Murray boys 82, Rockmart 69: The top-seeded Mountaineers (22-2) used their trademark depth to break open a one-point halftime lead. Liam Rogers scored 15 of his game-high 17 points in the first half, leading 11 North Murray players in the scoring column.
Judson Petty and Skyler Williams added 13 points each for North Murray, which outscored Rockmart 20-12 during a third quarter in which eight Mountaineers scored.
Model boys 56, Murray County 54 (OT): The Indians put a scare into the No. 2 seed but fell short despite a game-high 16 points from Tad Stone and 14 from Landon Bennett.
TSSAA District 5-1A boys’ championship game
Chattanooga Prep 61, Sale Creek 38: Derrick Roberson, a 6-foot-3 freshman guard, scored a game-high 22 points, while Ta’Suade Williams and Eli Gaines combined for 24 as the Sentinels (25-8) won their first district championship in the program’s second year. Sale Creek’s Dallas Billingsley had 17 points.
TSSAA District 5-1A girls’ third-place game
Lookout Valley 49, CGLA 35: Damyla Jones scored 13 of her game-high 18 points in the second quarter for the Lady Yellow Jackets, who scored 17 points in both the second and third quarters. Je’Mia Brown added 13 points and Skye Eddington scored eight third-quarter points in the victory.
Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy’s Yani Harvey scored 12 points.
TSSAA District 6-3A boys’ quarterfinals
East Ridge 51, Soddy-Daisy 48: Hasani Jackson made a trio of 3-pointers in the first half and scored 10 of his team-high 18 points in the second quarter to guide the Pioneers (13-14) to the home win. Soddy-Daisy senior Shaun Pangle had 27 points and four 3-pointers in his final high school game.
Red Bank 86, Signal Mountain 54: Javonta Johnson made five 3s on his way to a game-high 21 points as the Lions (18-12) won for the ninth straight game. Red Bank had 23 assists, 15 steals and 13 3-pointers. Anthony Bonner scored 14 points and blocked a trio of shots, while Kendrick Lloyd had 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Signal Mountain’s Christopher Kennedy and Andrew Matukewicz combined for 36 points and six 3-pointers.
TSSAA District 5-4A quarterfinals
McMinn County girls 49, Ooltewah 38
Bradley Central boys 67, Howard 45
TSSAA regular season
McCallie 74, Chattanooga Christian 68: McCallie guards Kollin Claridy and Parker Robison combined for 55 points to lead the Blue Tornado to a comeback win. Robison had 28 and Claridy finished with 27 points as they helped spark McCallie to a 42-point second half.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com and Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com.