The Gilmer Bobcats returned to the basketball court in 2026 and dropped a pair of games.
The Cats took on Class 6A Forsyth Central (10-6) last Tuesday. The Bulldogs’ quick start put GHS down early and at the half. Central’s 28 points in the third paved the way for its 75-40 victory.
GHS was back on its home court Friday for a region contest against Heritage (10-5). Gilmer was hot in the first half and took an eight-point lead into the break. However, the Cats had trouble getting shots to fall over the final two quarters, and Heritage came away with a 67-52 win.
“Coming out of the Christmas holiday tournament that we hosted, I felt pretty good about our guys,” said head coach Sean Glaze. “We had made some strides and a good bit of progress in terms of how well we were playing defensively and getting some good possessions on the offensive end. And we got guys who were playing hard and fighting.
“Forsyth Central is a good team, but I don’t think they are however much better than us than the score would suggest. I think that we just didn’t show up. And there are a number of reasons for that. But again, our attention to detail and our commitment to the kind of standards and what we need to do to be successful … I just don’t think that as a group that we showed up determined to demonstrate those on the court.”
GHS made 25 percent of its shots compared to 40 percent for FCHS. The Bulldogs more than quadrupled the Cats’ points in transition (29-7) and turned 25 Gilmer turnovers into 24 points.
The Bobcats made three shots from the field in the first quarter and fell behind, 18-9. Keegen Bryant, Mason West, Jaden Sevcech and Preston McVey all scored in the second for Gilmer’s most productive quarter. The Bulldogs’ continued to churn out points for a 37-23 lead at halftime.
FCHS outpaced the Cats 28-8 in the third for a 65-31 advantage. The Bulldogs’ lead led to the fourth quarter being shortened by two minutes in the 35-point victory.
Bryant scored 11 for GHS and McVey added 10 and seven rebounds. Sevcech contributed eight points, and A.J. Callihan was the top rebounder with eight.
Gilmer shot the ball well (51 percent) in the first half versus Heritage.
“Heritage is kind of middle of the pack in our region, and we expect to be able to win those games,” Glaze said. “And it wasn’t necessarily an issue of talent. We ended up having a lead at halftime. And some of that was because we made some shots, and sometimes making shots will mask some of the offensive deficiencies where you’re not necessarily executing the way that you’d like.”
McVey was there for eight of his 12 points in the first quarter. Generals Eli Thacker and Cayden Lowery combined to score 15 points for a 19-16 lead after a quarter.
Bryant, Sevcech, Callihan and Alex Miltiades all drained a three pointer in the second. HHS had its worst quarter of the game, and Gilmer enjoyed a 36-28 lead at the half.
The Cats made just five baskets from the field in the third and fourth quarters where they shot 24 percent.
“In the second half, we had a few bad possessions on the offensive end that led to a little bit less of an effort and less determination on the defensive end,” Glaze said. “We basically didn’t compete as well as we would have liked. Our response to those results is going to be what defines us moving forward.”
The Generals overtook GHS in the third for a 46-40 lead. HHS added 21 points in the fourth to emerge with a 15-point win.
Bryant finished with 12 points, eight rebounds and three assists, and Callihan scored nine. Miltiades added six points and McVey grabbed nine rebounds.
The Bobcats are 5-11 overall and faced Northwest Whitfield (7-6) at press deadline. The Cats host Adairsville (2-15) Friday at 8:30 p.m.
Junior varsity
The JV Bobcats took advantage of Heritage’s slow start and held on for a 40-37 win.
Noah Rice and Kayson Taylor led GHS with 14 and nine points, respectively. Gilmer made five three pointers. Owen Reece hit a pair in the first quarter, while Slade Smith provided four points in the post.
GHS led 10-2 after a quarter and 16-13 at the break. Rice, Taylor and Silas West took care of points in the third quarter, and Gilmer possessed a 30-25 lead entering the fourth.
Heritage was unable to complete the comeback as Gilmer won by three points.
Reece finished with six points, Smith had five, West added four and Aden Richard scored two.