Hiwassee Dam – The old saying about throwing out the records was true Saturday night.
The Eagles teams faced nearby Copper Basin, Tenn., and both Cougars teams entered the game 0-8. That didn’t stop both games from being close, however, with the Lady Eagles winning a 40-36 nail-biter and the Eagles never getting it going in a 52-43 loss.
“I thought the girls played hard enough to gut it out to win,” Hiwassee Dam girls basketball coach Avery Cutshaw said. “And that’s what counts right now.”
Hiwassee Dam (6-8 overall) never trailed, but was never able to separate either. The Lady Eagles jumped out to a 9-0 lead, looking ready to roll Copper Basin like many of its previous opponents, but the Lady Cougars hung tough.
Copper Basin was pesky defensively, making Hiwassee Dam’s ball handlers uncomfortable. The Lady Eagles struggled to get post touches for freshman Olivia McNabb, who had an advantage with Lady Cougars center Sapporiah Ross on the bench for much of the game due to foul trouble. That defense allowed Copper Basin to tie the game at 10, and then at 13 heading into halftime.
Hiwassee Dam started the second half on a 9-0 run, but Copper Basin continued to inch back. The Lady Eagles struggled at the foul line, making just 19 of 44 attempts, giving the Lady Cougars a way back into the game.
A three-pointer by Riley Hall with under four minutes left tied the game at 34, and Copper Basin later had the chance to take the lead down 37-36 with just more than a minute to go. However, Summer Montgomery’s shot was blocked by Rylie Payne, and the Lady Eagles made just enough free throws to end up in the win column.
“When you shoot 44 throws and you make 19, we’ve got to do better,” Cutshaw said. “When you’re at the free throw line, you have to be able to make those shots.”
The boys team wasn’t so fortunate. Hiwassee Dam (8-5) practiced just once this week due to school closures and sickness, and looked that way for much of the game. Raper inserted junior varsity players into the game late in the second quarter to try to bring up the energy and it worked, as the Eagles closed the quarter on a 10-3 run and led 31-26 at halftime.
After getting Sam Bradford his usual post touches in the first quarter, the talented big man got into foul trouble early in the second quarter and didn’t hit a shot from the field the final three quarters. Bradford finished with just nine points, only the second time all season he hasn’t scored in double figures.
Raper went back to the end of the bench after Copper Basin went on an 8-0 run to start the second half. After two layups by Jonah Hamby allowed the Eagles to retake the lead, the Cougars took advantage and started to work the ball inside. The starters still struggled when subbed back in, and a contested three at the third quarter buzzer by Connor Kimsey gave Copper Basin a 42-39 lead the jolt it needed heading into the fourth quarter.
“We didn’t look in sync the whole game,” Raper said. “You can say we didn’t get to practice or whatever but we practice enough, we shouldn’t play like that. You have to give Copper Basin credit. They took advantage of what we were doing, and they beat us.”
Hiwassee Dam returned to the court Tuesday against Hayesville, which ended after this week’s edition of the Cherokee Scout went to press. Both teams travel to Andrews on Friday.