The 59th edition of this storied Hall County holiday hoops spectacular is really a tale of two tournaments this year. The Boys bracket is one of uncertainty in which potential upsets, according to the seeding, and closely contested games could abound. The Girls bracket is a much clearer picture with the Lady Falcons of Flowery Branch being the team to beat and North Hall being the odds on favorite to meet them in the championship game. The tournament always provides for excitement and packed out gyms across the county, but this year even more drama could be added to the atmosphere with controversy surrounding the tournament due to a growing Hall County basketball landscape and differences of opinion on formatting of the classic event.
Let's address the elephant in the room right off the bat, and no it's not a red one. Riverside is the only school in the county that has been left out of the tournament and the Eagles are non too pleased with this, especially due to the fact they are a competitive ball club this year. Lanier Christian Academy was added into the loser's bracket to face the loser of the play in game between Cherokee Bluff and Chestatee on the Boys side. Cherokee Bluff and Chestatee are two of the better teams in this tournament field on the Boys side this year, or at least in the middle tier, but they had to face either other in a play-in game when Chestatee has a 10-4 record on the year and has beaten some quality opponents? Oh well! The Cherokee Bluff win places a good, up and coming Bears team against their Head Coach Benjie Wood's former Gainesville squad. Yes, there are story lines galore in this matchup, but I believe that it shouldn't even be taking place this early in the tournament. The fact that the seeding is based off of the results of the previous year's tournament makes no sense at all whatsoever! High School sports are a what have you done for me lately type playing field. Graduation, transfers, new schools, and coaching changes can and do drastically change the look of a team from year to year. When you look at record and quality of play, their is no way that Cherokee Bluff should be the lowest seed on the Boys side of the bracket. Also, let's not overlook the fact that all the Hall County schools have grown in population over the years and this means more people in attendance. Gainesville High School is the other legitimate venue to hold the amount of people that will come to the more important and later games in this tournament but it continues to be moved around due to money and things of that nature. However, with all that out of the way, let's get to the games!
The Flowery Branch girls shouldn't even be in a game with Cherokee Bluff, but that it their first round matchup in this tournament. It should be a tune up game for the Branch girls as they have played some of the nation's finest teams in the Nike tournament out in Phoenix earlier this month. Senior guards Caroline Wysocki and Ashley Woodruffe provide poise in the Falcon backcourt and can also both score in bunches. 6'3" Sophomore Ashlee Locke protects the rim and clears the glass on the defensive end. These 3, along with a talented supporting cast, will be the reason that I believe Flowery Branch cruises to the Championship game. In that Championship game, I believe they will face the North Hall Lady Trojans. Kristi House has her team clicking on all cylinders right now winning 8 out of their last 9 games with their only loss coming to GAC by 7 points on the road. Grace Hollifield will be where the Trojans look to get the bulk of their scoring from and she is also crafty on defense and usually comes up with multiple steals per game. The Lady Trojans also have threats on the perimeter in Ansley Smallwood and Lauren Swanson that can make opponents pay if they get caught watching the ball or giving too much help defense on a Hollifield drive to the basket. Overall, I believe the Trojans stay hot and find themselves matched up against the Lady Falcons in the Championship game. Flowery Branch will take the tournament though as they've been there and done that already when it comes to the big game atmosphere. (The one caveat to this prediction would be if the Lakeview Academy Lady Lions come out and jump on North Hall early. If the Lady Lions can control the tempo from the beginning they'll have a shot to upset the Lady Trojans! However, I believe that House's team starts fast and is able to advance.)
Guard play wins in tournaments! Teams that can stay composed in the back court under pressure and that have willing distributors of the basketball (doesn't hurt if they can score the basketball either) can survive and advance. You saw that the guard play was emphasized in the prediction of the Girls bracket and it will be in the Boys side as well. I believe the teams that possess the best guard play in the Boys side are (in no particular order) Gainesville, East Hall, Lakeview, and Cherokee Bluff. Rafael Rubel for Gainesville has great court vision, he handles the ball well and he can light it up from very long distance. Griffin Neville for Cherokee Bluff can simply be described as a baller. Neville is that tough, gym rat type player that Benjie Wood loves to coach. Griffin can create his own shot and is good for 20+ every time he steps on the court. Neville will have to get his teammates involved early in this one against Gainesville, however, as Chuck Graham knows his game very well. East Hall has a player that I've seen take over on the football field in Senior guard Kylan Curry and there have been games on the hardwood this season in which the point guard for the Vikings has simply overwhelmed opponents with his athleticism, especially late in games. Finally, Lakeview Academy has court general in the Head Coach Todd Cottrell's son Adam Cottrell. Adam can fill it up, but the great thing about the Lions is that they could be lead in scoring by 5 or 6 different players on any given night. Senior guards Cottrell, Blake McIntyre, and KJ Millwood lead the way however, with sophomores Roman Yaskulka and Conley Millwood providing scoring and energy as well. All of these players should make for an exciting Boys bracket. North Hall is scrappy team with no true stars, but they have knack for keeping games close and the ball is bound to bounce their way sooner rather their later. East Hall can get hot at any moment and Kylan Curry is difference maker as I've already stated. I wouldn't be shocked in the least to see Griffin Neville put 3 legendary performances together either and send the Bears on a historic first Lanierland run. But, in the end I believe it is Todd Cottrell and his Senior guard duo of Adam Cottrell and Blake McItyre that will take home the trophy. I believe Lakeview Academy defeats Gainesville in the Championship game.
The Sports Vent Predictions for the 2018 Lanierland Tournment Championships
Girls: Flowery Branch Lady Falcons 67 - North Hall Lady Trojans 54
Boys: Lakeview Academy Lions 78 - Gainesville Red Elephants 74
I would love to hear everybody's thoughts and predictions on this tournament as well. Ultimately I just hope for great basketball and remember folks, it's just a inter-county tournament. No rings, nobody's season is over, just good old fashioned bragging rights on the line!
Comentarios