The Gilmer Lady Cats continue to battle offensive struggles through the early portion of the season.
GHS hosted the Adairsville Tigers last Friday for its first region matchup of the season. The Cats had another difficult night getting shots to fall, and the Tigers pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 40-33 win.
Head coach David Dowse discussed the game and areas where the Cats let points slip away.
“We’re just having a hard time putting the ball in the basket,” he said. “We played pretty good defense. I looked at the film pretty meticulously, and we did some absurd things that more than make up for a seven-point loss. We scored two points in the wrong basket and gave up a wide-open basket to an unguarded player on an inbounds play. We had three steals, and before we get to half court in transition, we turned it right back over to them and they shoot a layup. We have to get better and we will. We’ll get there.”
Two-point shots fell for the Cats, who made 11/23. However, GHS shot just 2/19 from three-point range and did not get much from the free-throw line where the Cats converted 5/7.
“We need to shoot the three ball a whole lot better than we are, and I know we can,” Dowse said. “I see it every day at practice and saw it this summer. For whatever reason, we’re getting wide-open looks and they’re not going in.”
Gilmer only managed five points in the first and trailed 20-11 at halftime.
GHS made a late run in the third quarter that crept into the fourth. With 1:10 on the clock, a steal and coast-to-coast layup by Chelsey Griggs drew the Cats within three points, 27-24. Aliza Chastain’s close-range basket at the buzzer cut the Tigers’ lead to one.
Lady Cat Jace Sanderson’s three-point play gave GHS a momentary 29-27 lead to begin the fourth. However, AHS outpaced Gilmer 13-4 over the remainder of the quarter to win by seven.
Paula Robertson led GHS with 13 points, Sanderson scored five, and she was followed by Chastain, Griggs and Bree Burnette (four) and Madison Bradshaw (three). Sanderson led the Cats with seven rebounds and six steals. Griggs and Grace Bramlett both grabbed six rebounds.
GHS is 2-4 overall and hosted Ridgeland at press deadline. The Cats travel to Calhoun today for a 6 p.m. tipoff.
JV Cats off and rolling
The junior varsity Lady Cats are off to a 3-0 start on the season and fared much better against Adairsville.
The Tigers did not have an answer on either end of the court and did not score in the first quarter. GHS turned its 18-point cushion into a 36-4 lead at halftime.
The Cats continued to distance themselves in the second half. They extended the lead to 47 points entering the fourth on their way to a 66-11 win.
Madison Hall led the Cats with 28 points, Makenna Taylor added 14, and Rosie Everett scored eight.
Gilmer also downed Chestatee the following day, 56-23. Taylor was the Cats’ leading scorer with 16 points and Jaylee McDaniel and Everett joined her in double figures with 15 and 11, respectively.
GHS started quickly once again for a 22-6 edge after a quarter and led 36-12 at the half. The Cats led 50-20 with a quarter to play en route to their 33-point win.
The Cats started the season Nov. 12 by defeating Darlington, 55-20.
Gilmer opened a 14-point edge after a quarter and were ahead at the half, 37-8. GHS totaled 14 points in the third to double Darlington’s scoring output. Gilmer maintained a 51-15 advantage and went on to win by 25.
Taylor tallied 16 points and was followed by teammates Ally Phillips (10), Hall (nine), Everett (eight), McDaniel (six), Kenley Thompson (four) and Morgan Palmeri (two).