Highlands – There was no fear in the Hiwassee Dam girls basketball team as they made the trip up the mountain to Highlands for the first round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A state playoffs.
Despite the No. 9 seed Lady Highlanders winning all four meetings the previous season and all three this season, the last one in the Little Smoky Mountain Conference tournament final came down to a game-winning shot by Highlands with 16 seconds left. With that game taking place just five days before the state playoffs, maybe the result would flip this time.
Unfortunately for the No. 24 Lady Eagles, they once again could not crack the Highlands code. After a tight first three quarters, the Lady Highlanders opened a small but sturdy lead in the fourth quarter to end Hiwassee Dam’s season with a 43-36 loss. Highlands would fall at No. 8 North Rowan (20-8 overall), 47-38, in the second round two days later.
“We felt like we were right there, and we could beat them and felt like it was going to be our turn,” Hiwassee Dam head coach David Payne said. “And unfortunately it wasn’t. They did a good job holding us off again.”
Highlands (19-6) built an 8-4 lead after the first quarter, but by playing through Olivia McNabb down low Hiwassee Dam (14-13) built a 19-18 lead by halftime. The lead went back to the Lady Highlanders at 29-28 at the end of the third quarter before senior Bella Wilson powered the home team down the stretch. She had seven of Highlands 14 points in the fourth quarter.
“Bella hit a couple of really timely shots there in the fourth to answer scores on the other end,” Lady Highlanders head coach Brett Lamb said. “We were able to handle their press late in the game and we didn’t hurt ourselves by turning the ball over.”
Wilson would finish with 19 points to lead all scorers, while Olivia McNabb had 12 and Brinkley Payne 10 to lead the Lady Eagles. Senior Kiera Taylor added nine for Hiwassee Dam to finish her high school career with 1,022 career points.
After not being able to start practice on time due to not finding a head coach before David Payne stepped in, the Lady Eagles put together a successful season. They beat four Big Smoky Mountain Conference teams for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
Payne set his goal for his team to be competitive in every game, and Hiwassee Dam was able to achieve that, losing only six games by double digits. Three of those losses came to Cherokee and Robbinsville, who both had fourth-round playoff games last night after press time Tuesday.
The Lady Eagles will have to replace three seniors from this year in Taylor, Payton McNabb and Allison Stiles, though with Olivia McNabb and Brinkley Payne returning have a solid foundation for next year. It’s a good place for David Payne to start as he continues this stop on his coaching journey. This was his first time coaching varsity basketball in eight years.
“Just that journey of taking a team from one spot to a different place where they can be competitive and successful, that’s what I love about coaching,” Payne said. “This was a good year and a good group to step back in with.”
Editor Ryan Hanchett of The Highlander contributed to this report.