GAINESVILLE A highly efficient Islands squad built up a comfortable lead that was never relinquished inside East Halls gymnasium Thursday as the Sharks rolled to an 89-62 win over East Hall, a No. 1 seed and the Region 7-3A champion.

East Halls season ended at the hands of what coach Joe Dix called the best offensive team they faced all season in the second round of the GHSA Class 3A state tournament.

Islands moves on to play at Liberty County, which won its second-round game decisively 105-62 over Coahulla Creek, in the state quarterfinals next week.

When you got kids that know the game, it makes my job much easier, Islands coach Karl DeMasi said. Its a godsend to have kids who are gifted physically and mentally. They know the game.

The Sharks built a 23-point advantage before intermission, and at one point led by as much as 29 in the third period.

After East Hall turned it over on the opening possession, the Sharks vaulted ahead on a 14-4 run ignited by back-to-back 3s from Hugh Durham grandson of the former University of Georgia mens basketball coach with the same name and Trae Broadnax, the son of Savannah State coach Horace Broadnax.

A 3-pointer by East Halls Luke Holtzclaw cut it to seven with 3:17 left in the quarter, but the Sharks built it back to 24-10.

Broadnax, a 6-foot-4 sophomore, had a game-high 27 points 17 in the first half, for Islands. Seniors Justin Cave and Justin Cutter also scored in the double digits with 16 and 11 points, respectively. Cave was strong throughout, adding a pair of dunks his first a one-handed jam in traffic to stretch the Sharks lead to 25 during the second quarter.

DeMasi noted that Broadnax had eight assists, Cave (12 rebounds) had six assists and the team had 22 after 23 in their first-round playoff game at Worth County.

Were just playing well, were playing as a team, DeMasi said. Thats all I can ask the boys to do. Theyre sharing the basketball.

Islands depth was a key factor as the Sharks got 15 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

Meanwhile the Vikings just never caught their stride. They converted just 33 percent of their attempts from the floor, only after being held at a near standstill for the first two quarters.

DeMasi said the biggest focus was to halt the attack of East Halls big three senior Mahki Brown, Sedrion Morse and Luke Cooper and they were successful at stopping two.

Brown scored a team-high 14 points all hard earned and added five boards. Morse and Cooper were held to no field goals in the first half for East Hall. Morse notched five points in the second half to finish with 10, while Cooper managed one basket and missed his mark on all five 3-point attempts.

We knew that was their big three. We knew we had to stop them, and they did a great job defensively, said DeMasi. To hold (East Hall) to 22 points in the first half is, thats what I am really proud of. Were hot at the right time.

The Vikings were also outrebounded 29-21 and turned it over 11 times against a Sharks team that never let up.

We dug ourselves in a hole, and against a team at that level, you cant dig a hole. Theyll bury you, added Dix.

ISLANDS (89)

Mosley 2, Trae Broadnax 27, Edwards 4, Cabrera 6, Jaylen Cave 5, Durham 6, DeLoach 4, Newman 2, Walker 6, Justin Cave 16, Justin Cutter 11.

EAST HALL (62)

Buffington 3, Dowdy 1, Martinez 2, Evans 6, Sedreon Morse 10, Cooper 2, Campbell 6, Rider 8, Holtzclaw 6, Dixon 3, Vance 1, Mahki Brown 14.

IHS|24|21|19|26||89

EH|10|12|20|19||62

RecordsIslands 19-9, EH 21-8.

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Islands wins on road to clinch berth in Elite Eight - Savannah Morning News