Bryson City – No matter what Hayesville threw at Andrews in the Big Smoky Mountain Conference tournament semifinals on Feb. 14, the Wildcats continued to hang around.
Andrews kept it close in the first half with Yellow Jackets star point guard Kolbe Ashe on the bench with three fouls, then answered back after he entered the game in the later part of the third quarter.
Down just 48-46 with 6:18 left, Andrews still had a chance to shock everyone left in the Swain County gym. That’s when Ashe, along with fellow senior Jake McTaggart, took over.
The duo scored 11 of Hayesville’s next 13 points during a decisive 13-2 run that put the game away. McTaggart finished with 27, and Ashe had all of his 14 in the second half as the Yellow Jackets knocked the Wildcats out of the tournament, 66-53.
“The kids played hard,” Andrews head coach Matt Maennle said. “They did everything we wanted to do. Just a couple shots didn’t fall, and I love my kids.”
After Kegan Ellis hit two free throws to cut the lead to 48-46, Ashe answered back by spinning around a defender to score and was fouled. He hit the free throw, then Logan Caldwell had a big second-chance bucket on Hayesville’s next possession.
Ashe would hit two more free throws following an Andrews technical foul, while McTaggart followed his on miss to extend the lead to 13 and put the game away.
“It’s tough, man,” Maennle said. “I don’t have a kid over 6’3” and McTaggart’s a very talented scorer. And Ashe, I’d take him in any gym in America as my point guard. He’s that good.”
The Yellow Jackets won the previous two contests against Andrews in the regular season, but Maennle knew his team wouldn’t back down from a challenge. With Ashe on the bench in the first half, Andrews hung around and never let Hayesville separate.
Four of the Wildcats seven first-half field goals were three-pointers, and a three-point play by Cam Rattler gave Andrews a 19-18 lead with 2:19 to go in the second quarter. The Yellow Jackets responded by getting the ball to McTaggart, and led 26-22 at halftime.
“If we could’ve made a couple more shots and been in the lead, it would’ve been a big deal,” Maennle said. “But the kids played hard. They did everything that was asked of them.”
The Wildcats didn’t stop competing, but it never felt like a game Hayesville would lose. Every time Andrews inched closer, the undefeated Yellow Jackets had an answer.
After an 10-2 run by the Wildcats tied the game at 34, Ashe checked back in and steered the ship home for Hayesville. Andrews would not score more than four points in a row the rest of the night.
Despite the loss, Maennle couldn’t be disappointed in his group. A team with no seniors challenged the best team in the conference. Cam Rattler, who gives up 3 inches on McTaggart, went toe-to-toe with him and finished with 17 points.
With everyone able to return next season, it’s been a balancing act for Maennle. He wants to continue playing well this year, but knows that everything is a learning opportunity with a core group in place. Andrews will travel to Mount Airy for the first round of the state 1A playoffs, and Maennle knows one thing: his team will play hard, no matter the opponent.
“Wherever they send us, we’ll go – and we’ll fight our guts out,” Maennle said.