While most of their classmates enjoyed a holiday break, the Gilmer High Lady Cats continued their basketball season.
The Cats made the 90-plus minute drive to Gordon Lee High School for a Christmas tournament last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and came away with two wins.
First up was old region foe LaFayette, and GHS handed the Ramblers a 44-37 loss. The shorthanded Cats met the host Trojans on day two, and Gordon Lee held off GHS for a 37-32 win.
Gilmer concluded the tournament versus Trion. GHS added to its lead with each quarter and survived a late Bulldog push for a 58-52 win.
The Cats were still without senior post player Elly Callihan, who was injured Dec. 10 versus White County. Head coach Susan Nunn also had to make do without both Maddie Wright and Charley Potett against Gordon Lee.
“Coming home winning two out of three with the loss of Elly before Christmas was a good accomplishment for this group,” Nunn said. “I was very pleased, and we were close to winning game two. I told them this is going to be a process for us to navigate without Elly for as long as we have to do that, and we’re just going to keep getting better.
“If she makes it back, we’ll be a better team because all these players have stepped up.”
GHS struggled with ball handling in region games versus White and Dawson counties before the break.
“I would say that over these three games, they are continuing to get better with that,” Nunn said. “I was very pleased with how we handled the pressure in these games. In a couple of those games, we beat the press pretty quickly and teams got out of it against us. That’s always what you want to make happen.
“We have a ways to go when we get back to region because that will be against tougher teams than what we saw.”
Lady Cats Brooke Wilson and Aliza Chastain both received a busted nose versus LaFayette, and GHS slugged its way to a 21-16 halftime lead. Gilmer’s Lark Reece scored eight of her team-leading 16 points in the second quarter.
Gilmer outpaced LHS 10-8 in the third, and the teams matched each other point for point in the fourth as GHS won by seven.
Without three regular varsity players against Gordon Lee, the Cats struggled offensively. However, the Trojans did not light up the scoreboard either, and the Cats fell behind at the break, 11-6.
GLHS led 27-16 entering the fourth, and Gilmer could not close the gap in the quarter.
Four Cats tallied more than 10 points against Trion and included Chastain (14), Poteet (12) and Reece and Wilson (11). Lucy Ray added eight and Madison Bradshaw scored two.
Chastain made four shots from beyond the three-point arc in the first quarter, and GHS opened a 38-31 halftime lead. The Cats made just two shots from the field in the third but converted 9/14 free throws to extend their edge to 51-37.
The 14-point cushion was too much for Trion to erase over the final eight minutes of play.
“One thing with a Christmas tournament — and you always want to win — is you want to work some kinks out and we did,” Nunn said. “We used several different presses and put people in some different roles. Elly is normally our girl out front, and we’re trying to figure out who is going to be the best in that spot on a continuous basis.
“I think everyone is starting to learn their role a little better. We’ve got several girls who can absolutely step up and make things happen. They just haven’t had to do that before. Over the next couple weeks, I think they’re going to make some big gains.”
Nunn praised multiple players for their performance over the break.
“I have several girls who are stepping up and doing a good job. Aliza hit four threes versus Trion. Charley has been doing a much better job at point guard, and Brooke is starting to come along. Lark, our senior, has really stepped into her role without Elly there. I’ve been very pleased with her and her leadership so far.”
GHS faced East Forsyth at press deadline and will travel to North Hall Friday for a 7 p.m. game. The Cats will host Fannin Saturday for senior night at 4 p.m.