Murphy – After beating defeating Cherokee 67-64 on Jan. 25, it looked like the start of a good week for Murphy boys basketball. Instead, it was more inconsistency in what has been a frustrating season.
The Bulldogs feel to Hiwassee Dam in double overtime 85-83 on Thursday, then were crushed 77-50 at Hayesville the next day. With just over two weeks left in the regular season, Murphy is 8-11 overall and 2-5 in the Big Smoky Mountain Conference.
In both games against the Braves and Eagles, Murphy was able to start fast and build early leads. Murphy and Cherokee went back and forth in the first and most of the second quarter before the Bulldogs started to separate. They led 46-29 about midway through the third quarter, but that’s when the Braves (7-8, 3-2) Donald Bradley got hot.
He scored 14 of Cherokee’s next 16 points and the Braves trailed 49-45 early in the fourth quarter. Murphy answered back with an
11-3 run giving them some breathing room as Cherokee made one final push in the final minutes.
Junior Cole Laney had a team-high 18 points, and Zack Skogen and Hunter Laney also finished in double figures with 13 and 12, respectively.
Against Hiwassee Dam, Murphy built an even bigger lead. They led by 23 with under four minutes to go in the third quarter, and still led 61-44 with about six minutes left in the fourth quarter.
However, the Eagles inexplicably led late in the fourth quarter before Murphy forced overtime, thanks to some good shot making on their end and rushed offense and turnovers by the Bulldogs. Tanner Taylor’s jumper with 3.7 seconds left was the difference, sending the Hiwassee Dam fans into a frenzy and stunning the Murphy faithful.
Junior Dillian Brown had a team-high 23 points, Will Carringer tied his career-high of 16, Skogen had 14 and Hunter Laney was the last Bulldog in double figures with 12.
The next night against Hayesville (16-0, 6-0), Murphy came out flat and never got going. The undefeated Yellow Jackets sprinted out to an 18-4 lead, and never led by less than 10 points the rest of the night.
The Bulldogs traveled to Robbinsville on Tuesday, which ended after this week’s edition of the Cherokee Scout went to press. They host Blue Ridge today and travel to Swain County on Friday.