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By Heather Mckenzie and Sebastian Sabatino
The Gainesville High school boys basketball team defeated the Tallahassee Leon Lions, 66-26, in the first round of the 6A-District 2 tournament Tuesday at the Hurricanes gym.
The three-seeded Hurricanes (15-11) will play at two seed Tallahassee Lincoln (18-5) in the district semifinals Thursday.
Top seed Buchholz (16-9) hosts Lynn Haven Mosley (16-9) in Thursday’s other semifinal. The championship game is set for Saturday.
Out In Front Early
Gainesville jumped in front of Leon (5-19) by scoring seven unanswered points before the Lions found a basket of their own.
However, the Hurricanes refused to allow any more baskets, going on a 15-0 scoring run before the first quarter ended for a 22-2 lead.
Gainesville’s teamwork shined early as seven different players picked up points in the first half. Freshman guard Willie Brooks led the way with 10 points, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the half.
Block Party
Gainesville’s success extended past the offensive end of the floor, stifling Leon’s attempts at getting back in the game. The Hurricanes posted six blocks in the second quarter alone, including back-to-back blocks by juniors David Osho and Aidan Bell.
The defensive efforts held strong, as Gainesville only allowed nine points in the first half for a 35-point cushion to lead 44-9 going into the break.
Team Effort
Every player had a part in the ‘Canes’ victory, showcasing their skills.
The team’s momentum in the first half was fueled by the dominance of 6-foot-6 junior Cornelius White and 6-4 senior Anthony Leivonen in the first half.
