Hiwassee Dam – It was a week of non-conference action for Hiwassee Dam’s varsity basketball teams. The Eagles opened the week with the boys hosting Mountain Area Christian Academy, then the boys and girls hosted Robbinsville.
At halftime of the Eagles’ game against Mountain Area Christian Academy, the school honored late coach Leon Green. Green coached throughout Cherokee County during his 25-year coaching career, with the majority of those years spent in Hiwassee Dam.
Boys head coach Mark Raper presented a plaque to Green’s daughter, Stacy Van Buskirk, in appreciation of Green’s contributions to Hiwassee Dam athletics.
Boys drop 67 in win
The Eagles kicked off the week with a bang as the boys dropped 67 points in their win over Mountain Area Christian Academy on Jan. 27. They soared to a 67-16 win with contributions from nearly every player.
Hiwassee Dam dropped 17 points out of the gate to start the game before MACA scored its first points. The Eagles continued to score in the opening frame and led 21-6 heading into the second quarter.
The Eagles added 24 more points in the second quarter, capped off by an Oscar Page buzzer-beater 3-pointer. Hiwassee Dam led 45-8 at halftime.
Despite a running clock being used, the Eagles added 14 more points after halftime. Hiwassee Dam held MACA scoreless until the final minute of the third quarter.
The Eagles led 59-12 heading into the fourth quarter. They added eight more points in the final frame to cap off their victory.
Jonah Dockery and Xavier Johnson led the Eagles with 12 points each, with all of Dockery’s coming in the first half. Also in double digits in the first half was Jimmy Kelly with 10 points. Maverick Hawley led the scoring in the second half with eight points, all coming in the third quarter.
Boys fall to Knights
The Eagles were back in action Thursday, when they fell to Robbinsville 65-56 at home.
Robbinsville got out to an early lead, but the Eagles were right behind them as the Knights led 19-16 through the first quarter. The Black Knights extended their lead in the second quarter to go ahead 38-26 at the half.
The Knights kept Dockery at bay in the first half, but he came into the second half on fire. After a 5-point first half, he dropped 19 points in the second half. Robbinsville continued to lead in the third quarter after scoring 18 points to take a 56-41 lead to the fourth quarter.
Despite the Eagles outscoring the Knights 15-9 in the fourth quarter, the Knight went on to win. Dockery led the Eagles with 24 points, while Dalton Kester had 17 points – at least four in each quarter.
Girls lose close game
In a back-and-forth contest, the Lady Eagles fell to Robbinsville 43-41 on Thursday. The Lady Knights took an early 14-8 lead through the first quarter, but the Lady Eagles bounced back in the second quarter.
With 16 points in the second quarter, they went into halftime tied at 24. The Knights then scored 10 points in the third quarter to lead 34-32 heading into the final frame.
Both teams scored nine points in the fourth quarter as the Knights defeated the Lady Eagles.
Brinkley Payne led the Lady Eagles with 19 points, while Abby Harris was also in double digits with 12. Peyton Williamson and Brooklyn Orton both had four points each.
Up next
The final stretch of the regular season kicks off Friday as the Eagles host Blue Ridge Early College. The girls will play at 6 p.m., with the boys playing right after.
The Eagles will host Highlands in their final home game of the regular season Tuesday, when they will also honor Hiwassee Dam’s senior athletes. The girls will play at 6:30 p.m., with the boys playing right after.