For the second week in a row, the Gilmer High Lady Cats picked up a nonregion basketball victory.
GHS was at Southeast Whitfield Saturday for a rematch from a week earlier. Their second meeting also ended with Gilmer ahead on the scoreboard, and this time the Cats won, 43-29.
Gilmer met a pair of ranked region opponents ahead of its win. GHS hosted White County Tuesday, and the Warriors continued to add to their lead throughout in a 75-31 victory. Gilmer traveled to Wesleyan Friday. The Wolves came on strong in the second half to down the Cats, 74-35.
Eleven Lady Cats scored points versus Southeast and Madison Bradshaw led the way with seven.
“We came out a little slow and got real comfortable trying to shoot the three ball, but we didn’t take it inside,” said head coach Dani Wright. “We didn’t get any fouls the first half at all. We came out in the second half and started working on getting the ball inside and on our in-and-out game. It helped us pull away at the end.”
GHS made six three pointers in the game, which included three in each half. Gilmer’s best offensive quarter came in the third where the Cats tallied 14. Lucy Ray scored all six of her points in the third, and they came from beyond three-point arc.
Anna Waddell, Chelsey Griggs, Marley Boatwright and Bradshaw all scored in the fourth to help GHS put the game away.
Griggs finished with six points and was followed by Aliza Chastain and Sofia Riblet (five each), Waddell and Charley Poteet (three), Maddie Wright, Grace Bramlett, Bree Burnette and Boatwright (two).
No. 5 ranked White County made 11 three pointers Tuesday to supplement its 34 post points. WCHS surged to a 20-6 lead before the Cats started the second quarter with an 8-0 run.
However, the Warriors outscored GHS 25-4 over the final six minutes of the second to lead 45-18 at halftime. White put GHS in a 64-26 hole by the end of the third, and the fourth quarter was shortened to six minutes.
Poteet scored seven for GHS and Burnette and Chastain each added six. Griggs was the top rebounder with eight.
Gilmer’s 29 turnovers did not aid its cause against No. 3 ranked Wesleyan. The Wolves converted those mishaps into 31 points.
The Cats only trailed by four points after a quarter and 29-19 at the half. The Wolves widened the margin to 51-33 entering the fourth where they outscored GHS, 23-2.
Riblet scored 11 for Gilmer to go with four rebounds and two assists. Chastain finished with eight points and Bradshaw scored five.
“Sofia has stood out to me. She’s getting more confidence in her shooting, moving the ball around and driving and scoring inside. She hit two big threes versus Wesleyan,” Wright said.
“I want us to keep getting better every game. I’ve had a lot of coaches and even boys coaches stop and tell me, ‘Your girls are getting better.’ We want them to keep understanding they are getting better. We played solid versus Wesleyan before it kind of got away. We’ve been playing good team ball and finding the open girl.”
GHS is 5-19 overall and hosted West Hall Tuesday to wrap up the regular season.