Gainesville wins 5th consecutive Lanierland title

Gainesville wins 5th consecutive Lanierland title

By Robert Alfonso Jr.

GAINESVILLE, GA – Teams do not really need any added motivation when it comes to playing Lanierland. However, then some things are said, it heats up the competition even more.

Just before the start of the season, there was a rumor of a player from an opposing school stating the Gainesville High boys basketball team would not win its fifth consecutive title. The Red Elephants came out to prove a point.

Gainesville beat Cherokee Bluff 75-70 capturing its fifth gold trophy in the 61st edition of the Lanierland Tournament. Leading the way for the Red Elephants were Co-Most Valuable Players were Robert Reisman and Eli Pitts. The duo was spectacular in Gainesville’s run to the championship.

Fans were unable to attend the games at Gainesville High because of Covid protocol. The usually packed tournament still had players excel on the hardwood. We even put out our own All-Tournament team since none was available at the time of publication.

Here is who we thought were standouts.

2021 Robert Reisman (Gainesville) was named the Co-MVP after helping the Red Elephants put the clamps on for the championship game. This unsigned senior scored 27 points in the finals. It was a smooth collection of points with plenty of highlights. A few times, you could see he was not about to let the Red Elephants fall short of their goal. He will made a solid addition to a college program once Reisman makes a decision.

2021 Eli Pitts (Gainesville) delivered the highlights of the championship. One was running an offensive player down in the first-half and plastering the shot off the glass. The other came when the wiry guard took flight and slammed home an alley-oop pass. These were just small snippets of how valuable this Converse College was on his way to capturing a share of the MVP trophy. He finished with 14 points in the Red Elephants victory. 

2021 Corey Thomas (Gainesville) may have played his best game of the season. The 6-foot-8 post player who registered a team-high 26 points and 11 rebounds. He was just so active and displayed so many skills you cannot teach a player his size. The most impressive part of his game was his IQ, passing ability and character. After losing to Gainesville, this unsigned senior stayed and watched the Red Elephants being awarded the gold trophy. Any school that signs this young man will get a class act on and off the court.

2021 Ethan Popham (Chestatee) is an active post player. He has a great looking college ready body. This unsigned senior was a steady resident on the boards. Popham is a rebound machine. During Lanierland he worked both ends of the floor and played with plenty of passion.  

2021 Eli Campbell (North Hall) is a good forward who can knockdown shots. He is solid around the rim with good hands. Campbell had solid court vision and was consistent at being a solid competitor. 

2021 Chase Reed (West Hall) was outstanding for the Spartans during the tournament. This forward knew where to attack defenders. He averaged about 13 points per game in the games played.

2021 Shad Dabney (Cherokee Bluff) is what an energy drink would look in basketball shorts. He is high octane all the time. There is no stop in this dual sport athlete. This Kansas football signee brings that mentality to the hardwood and swag in his bag. Dabney is a guard who can get to the rim like a defensive back running back an interception. He will have the Lawrence, Kansas fans rocking before it is all said and done.

2022 Harrison Cooper (Lakeview) is a solid floor guard with strong leadership. He is a solid shooter who goes hard on the defensive end of the floor. 

2022 Christian Torres (East Hall) is another quality guard from Valhalla. He can get to the rim and is more than capable of knocking down jumpers. Torres is relentless on the defensive end. 

2024 Josh Bull (Chestatee) is a youngster who is only going to continue growing into the position. He is, at times, poised at the helm for the Eagles. Bull navigates through pressure with caution but purpose. He is deliberate at putting teammates in solid scoring positions. This baptism by fire will only help him become a better player but give Chestatee a floor general for the future to come.

Dre Raven, Cherokee Bluff	Clark Howell, North Hall
Clark Howell, North Hall	Jaylon Justice, Cherokee Bluff
Ethan Popham, Chestatee	Conley Millwood, Lakeview
Imme Earls, East Hall	Noah LeGault, West Hall
Ced Nicely, Gainesville	Coste Cooper, East Hall
Hugh Pruitt, Chestatee	Samir King, Gainesville