Gainesville stays perfect behind senior’s 29-point game in first round

GAINESVILLE – Midway through the first quarter of Gainesville High School’s first-round playoff game, the Red Elephants’ co-Region Player of the Year had missed two consecutive shots. Gainesville coach Charlemagne Gibbons briefly benched him.

“Nobody (has) shot more shots in this gym than you,” Gibbons said to senior Charlie Gersmehl. “Go out there and act like it.”

Gersmehl’s responded by scoring 15 points in the second quarter and a season-high 29 total in the Red Elephants’ 64-51 win over the Chamblee Bulldogs.

Sitting in the gym, watching this turnaround, was Gersmehl’s father, David, who felt his son’s frustration in the first quarter.

“He doesn’t lose it,” his father said. “And how he responds (is) ‘next pitch mentality.’ A lot of that he learned from playing multiple sports.”

The 6-foot-8 forward’s right-handed floater became automatic over the undersized Chamblee squad. The Red Elephants, who were trailing when Gersmehl was benched, led at halftime.

“I think getting inside and just getting a few layups to go in, and that just kind of started a groove for me,” said Gersmehl, who is committed to play next season at Belmont.

When Gersmehl found his rhythm in the second quarter, Gibbons let the offense flow naturally, knowing the team’s discipline would carry them through the rest of the game. The Bulldogs could not compete with his size on both sides of the ball, collapsing on him in the paint.

The back-to-back first-team All-Region player made 12-of-15 shots inside the paint and grabbed seven rebounds.

He is averaging 14.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.

Growing up, Gersmehl loved going to camps for agility and footwork for baseball, football and basketball. It showed on the floor Wednesday, while he was maneuvering in the paint and getting buckets.

“That kid is a workaholic,” said Gibbons. “Each night we try to get something out of the guy who’s got it going, and tonight it was Charlie.”