Suffer loss to Cherokee on Friday night
The Andrews boys varsity basketball team split two games last week, hitting the road for both.
To start the week, the Wildcats defeated non-conference opponent Tuscola. They then lost to their first Big Smoky Mountain Conference opponent, Cherokee.
In their first road game of the week, the Cats defeated Tuscola 54-48.
The Wildcats got the early lead from two field goals by Ty Clark and free throws from Braxton Rickett. Halfway through the first quarter, they built an 11-point lead.
After 13 unanswered points, Tuscola made two free throws. Andrews held them scoreless for almost the first five minutes of the game. The Wildcats took an 18-7 lead to the second quarter.
Tuscola started the second quarter with five straight points. Tuscola began to fight back in the second quarter and, with 27.4 seconds left, took a four-point lead. LaDannien Rattler made a layup as time expired to trail 26-24 heading into halftime.
Just over two minutes into the third quarter, Andrews got the lead back on a 3-pointer by Keegan Ellis. The Cats continued to extend their lead and took a seven-point lead into the fourth quarter.
Tuscola scored the first point of the fourth quarter after the first two minutes were scoreless. The game stayed close in the opening minutes of the final frame.
In the final minutes, Landon Greene made two free throws to extend their lead to 10 points. Rickett made two free throws to put the game out of reach. Tuscola scored points late, but the Wildcats had built an insurmountable lead.
Four Wildcats were in double-digit points against Tuscola. Ty Clark led the team with a double-double on 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Rickett was one rebound short of a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. Greene led the team in points with 15, wile Gabe Clark had 10 points and a team-leading four assists.
In their second road game of the week, the Cats fell to Cherokee 71-54.
Andrews took a slim lead in the first quarter, which was the last time they would lead Friday night. They scored 15 points and allowed 13 to take an early lead.
The Braves fought back in the second quarter to take a big lead, which they would maintain the rest of the game. Cherokee came out in the second half and outscored the Wildcats in the third and fourth quarters to win the game 71-54.
Despite the loss, the Clark brothers did what they do best and scored big points. Ty Clark had 28 points on nine field goals and 10 made free throws, while Gabe Clark had 17 points on seven two-point buckets, one 3-pointer and two free throws. Ty Clark and Greene led the team in rebounds with eight each.
The Wildcats will play two non-conference games before winter break. The first is at 8 p.m. today, when they hit the road to face Highlands. They will close out the week by hosting Smoky Mountain at 8 p.m. Friday for the second time this season.