Andrews – The Wildcats boys basketball team went on a scoring frenzy in their first game last week, defeating Summit Charter 81-8, but the second half of their week did not end as well with conference losses to Cherokee 78-70 and Robbinsville 53-51.
Andrews (16-5) jumped out to a 25-2 first-quarter lead and never looked back against Summit Charter on Jan. 29. Cam Rattler led the Wildcats’ attack with 10 points. Andrews had seven players contributing to the scoring in the first half, with two players reaching double figures.
Rattler added four more second-quarter points to end the half with 14. Logan Shuler hit three 3-pointers and added another field goal for 11 points to lead the Wildcats to a 47-5 first-half lead.
Rattler added eight more in the second half to lead all scorers with 22 points. Shuler added to his totals with eight more in the final two periods to end the night with 19.
Coach Matt Maennle got his younger players in the game, who contributed to the scoring, while also playing a tough defense that only allowed three second-half points. Everett Tatham scored five points, all coming in the fourth quarter, and Eli Agular added four second-half points. The Cats outscored the 0-11 Bears 34-3 in the second half to net the final of 81-8.
The Cats defeated Cherokee 67-65 in December at Andrews but could not replicate the win when they faced the Braves in Cherokee on Jan. 30. Andrews jumped out to an early 22-18 first-quarter lead, and Cherokee (10-7) resting their starters in the second quarter allowed the Wildcats to build a 43-26 halftime advantage.
With a well-rested team in the second half, the strategy paid off. Cherokee outscored Andrews 24-16 in the third period, closing the 17-point first-half deficit to nine.
Andrews still led 59-50 at the end of three periods, but the Braves weren’t done.
They outscored the Wildcats 28-11 in the fourth to seal the win 78-70. Cherokee had four players in double figures, with most of those points coming in the second half.
Andrews also had four players in double figures for the game, as Cam Rattler and Jalen Powell had 16 apiece, Ty Clark scored 15 and Gabe Clark added 10. Unfortunately for the Cats, most of that scoring came in the first half, and they just could not generate enough juice to hang on for the win.
Robbinsville (14-4) came to town Friday looking to sweep the Cats for the year. They succeeded with a buzzer-beating shot to win 53-51.
It was a back-and-forth game, as Andrews would build as much as a five-point lead in the first half, only to see the Black Knights come back and overtake the lead. The Wildcats were able to take a two-point lead into the half, as they led 33-31.
Landon Green had 11 first-quarter points to lead the Wildcats in scoring for the half. Robbinsville used full-court pressure and a trapping defense to slow the Cats down in the second quarter. If it hadn’t been for Jalen Powell’s two 3-pointers, the Cats would have been held to only four points.
The second half of this game went much like the first half. Points were hard to come by, as both teams played tenacious defense and baskets were at a premium. Robbinsville closed the lead to one point by the end of the third period.
Darion Ledbetter scored eight points for the Black Knights in the first quarter, but had been quiet since then. The Wildcats held him scoreless in the second period, and he only scored two points in the third and another two in the fourth – until the final play of the game.
The game was tied with under a minute to play. Andrews had the ball and took a shot with under 10 seconds to play, but it didn’t go in and Robbinsville got the rebound. The Black Knights inbounded the ball and Ledbetter took it, got bumped on his way to the basket and, as he was falling down, hit the game-winning basket as the buzzer sounded.
It was a heartbreaking loss for the Cats, who were led by Landon Green with 15 points, Gabe Clark with 14 and Cam Rattler with 11. Ledbetter had 14 points for Robbinsville, but his last two were the dagger in the hearts for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats hit the road to wrap up the regular season. On Friday, they will take on Hayesville, and Tuesday they head to Swain County to finish the regular-season schedule.