The White County boys basketball team, which represents the Helen, Ga., area, opened its season with an 87-57 loss to Habersham Central on Tuesday night at White County High School in Cleveland. The Raiders controlled the game from the start, and tempers flared repeatedly along the way.
Habersham Central came out hot from beyond the arc, using an 11-0 run to open the game and leading 27-9 after the first quarter. The Raiders finished with nine three-pointers, and one of their players set a career high with 30 points, including 16 in the first half.
White County trailed 41-24 at halftime after winning the second quarter 15-14. One of White County’s key scorers became the first player ejected as the game turned chippy, and another key player was lost early in the third after the game turned physical again. Habersham’s 30-point scorer later left the game after reaching that total.
A second Raider finished with 22 points, giving the visitors 52 points from just two players. A third scored 12 and a fourth added nine. For White County, the leading scorer finished with 13 points, and another Warrior scored 10 with the only dunk of the night.
The boys game was the nightcap of a season-opening doubleheader at White County, with the girls tipping off at 6 p.m. and the boys at 7:30 p.m. The White County girls also opened against Habersham Central that night and came away with a win, and the Lady Warriors entered the season carrying a No. 6 preseason state ranking.
Before the opener, White County’s boys were expected to lean on their top scorer and an inside presence, though the roster was thin on depth and at least one player was expected to be unavailable because football was still in season.
