The Gilmer Bobcats brought home some hardware headed into the break.
GHS defeated host Fannin County for the Piedmont Mountainside Holiday Classic title last Saturday. The Cats bookended the second and third quarters with better shooting in their 62-53 victory.
The day before, Gilmer ran wild against Copper Basin and throttled the Cougars, 70-33.
Head coach Jordan Hice discussed Gilmer’s win over the Rebels, as a familiar hurdle led to some offensive stumbles.
“We did really well in the first quarter when they tried to press us,” he said. “They got out of that press in the second quarter and kind of slowed us down a little bit. We didn’t shoot very well percentage wise (in the second). We got a lot of outside open three-point looks, but didn’t hit any of those.
“In the fourth, they had to jump back into the press. Any time they press us, we do a really good job of breaking the press. Just like in the first quarter. In the second and third quarters, they were zoning us up, but we just couldn’t hit our open shots.”
The Cats left the Rebels in the dust in the first quarter. GHS scored nine points in transition and made 55 percent of its shots. Fannin’s ineffective full-court press spurred a 22-8 Gilmer lead after a quarter.
However, the Rebels’ defensive adjustment in the second got them back in the game. Gilmer only scored six and saw its lead disappear.
Fannin emerged from the locker room in the third quarter with a 31-28 advantage. Teams traded points almost evenly, and Gilmer got a boost from outside where both Jaden Sevcech and Keegen Bryant drained a three pointer.
The Rebels clung to a 46-45 lead to begin the fourth quarter, and that is where their offense went ice cold. FCHS shot just 16 percent, and the Cats forced five turnovers. Bobcat Preston McVey went to work in the post, and he scored 11 of his 13 points in the fourth.
Leading scorer J.D. Taylor (23 points and nine rebounds) made five free throws in the quarter to extend and preserve Gilmer’s nine-point win. Bryant scored 13 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished six assists. McVey finished with eight boards.
Blane Banks scored seven points and collected seven rebounds. Sevcech tallied seven points as well.
GHS forced 23 Copper Basin turnovers and converted them into 37 points.
Gilmer shot 49 percent from the field, which included a 6/17 effort from three-point territory.
The Bobcats led by 20 after a quarter and 42-18 at the half. Every Gilmer player scored, and GHS padded its lead over the final two quarters.
“We took a big lead at the start and were able to rotate players in and out,” Hice said. “We got a lot of younger guys in and a lot of guys who haven’t seen much playing time to see how much they’ve improved over the last few weeks of practice.”
Both Bryant and Taylor scored 17 points, and the latter snatched five steals. McVey added eight points and six rebounds, and Sevcech had five assists.
The win improved GHS to 6-5.
“Our defense was really good, and we did a good job adjusting to each team,” Hice said of the Cats’ tournament performance. “We have to work on our zone offense and just being confident. We have to be able to hit those open outside shots. That’s been a struggle for us.”
Gilmer faced Fannin again at Monday’s press deadline. The Cats host LaFayette Saturday at 5:30 p.m.