The Gilmer High Lady Cats got a nonregion basketball win following a pair of region defeats.
GHS traveled to White County last Wednesday, and the Warriors’ productive first quarter set the tone for the game as they won, 61-29.
GHS was at home Friday versus Lumpkin County, the No. 1 ranked team in Class 3A.The Indians lived up to their billing and left Ellijay with a 90-28 victory.
Gilmer was on the road Saturday at Southeast Whitfield. GHS got back in the win column as the Cats led throughout en route to a 41-29 triumph.
The Cats took the court last week without injured post player Elly Callihan. Gilmer’s offense struggled to get going Wednesday, but the Warriors did not face the same issues. WCHS shot 43 percent from the field on the night compared to 21 percent for the Cats.
White led 25-7 after the first and 40-20 at halftime. The Warriors extended their lead to 53-28 with a quarter to play, and Gilmer was limited to a point in the fourth.
White scored 28 points in the post, and 14 came after offensive rebounds. They also snagged 17 steals as the Cats tallied 24 turnovers.
“White County is a tough, strong team that kind of roughs you around a little bit and gets you frustrated, especially for my young girls,” head coach Susan Nunn said. “We got frustrated early and just really couldn’t recover from that.”
Lucy Ray led GHS with seven points, and Aliza Chastain and Marley Boatwright both added four.
The top-ranked Indians jumped on Gilmer early. They were led by Averie Jones, who scored 29 points, and Mary Mullinax added 26 more.
The Cats only mustered two points in the first quarter and LCHS led by 24. While the Cats had their best offensive quarter in the second, so did the Indians, who enjoyed a 55-13 halftime lead.
Lumpkin outpaced GHS 27-6 in the third ahead of the fourth quarter, which was shortened because of point differential.
Lark Reece was there for eight GHS points and Boatwright added five.
“Lumpkin is No. 1 right now, and it’s well-deserved. They’re killing everybody and haven’t had hardly any close games,” Nunn said. “They’re beating people by 20, 30 and 40 points. We knew going in that just to be close would be a struggle.”
Gilmer’s win over Southeast marked the second time the Cats beat the Raiders this season. Reece, Brooke Wilson and Charley Poteet tallied Gilmer’s points in the opening quarter, and they were joined by Chastain and Madison Bradshaw in the second.
“The first time we played them, we had a big win against them,” Nunn said. “I was hoping we’d get there and have a good day so it would be a little of a reprieve from what we’ve had going on in the last week and it was. It was a little bit closer this time, but everyone got a lot of time in the game. We had scoring from a lot of different people, and I was pleased with that.”
The Cats’ 22-12 halftime advantage stood at 28-22 with eight minutes to play. Five Cats contributed points in the fourth as GHS doubled the Raiders’ scoring to come away with a 12-point win.
Reece scored nine points, both Wilson and Poteet had eight, Chastain totaled five, Anna Waddell finished with four, Boatwright added three and Bradshaw and Kate Carder tallied two apiece.
Gilmer is 8-14 overall and will be on the road this week. The Cats were in Dawson at press deadline and will travel to East Forsyth Friday for a 7 p.m. game.
“Even though our record isn’t showing it, and we’re losing by big points in many games, I’m still pleased that my young girls and juniors who didn’t get a lot of time last year are continuing to stay focused,” Nunn said. “They’re not losing heart, and they know all the experience they’re getting is going to help them in the future. I’ve thrown several of them to the wolves, and they’re trying their best to step up to the plate and listen and learn.
“We’re definitely making some progress. I feel like it will pay off at the end if they can keep their heart in it and not get too disgusted with this year. That’s my hope for them, because this is a good group of girls.”