They needed four extra minutes, but it was worth the wait as the Gilmer Lady Cats earned their first basketball win of the season.
GHS played host to the Murphy, N.C., Bulldogs last Tuesday for its first of three games. Gilmer’s strong third quarter allowed it to comeback after falling behind early. Charley Poteet’s close-range shot sent the game to overtime where GHS won, 54-51.
The Cats played their first away game Friday at Sonoraville. A rough shooting night led to a runaway 52-20 win for the Phoenix. GHS ended the week the following day at North Hall and the Trojans downed the Cats, 62-40.
Versus Murphy, Lady Cat sophomore Aliza Chastain led all scorers with 22 points. She accounted for all 10 of Gilmer’s points in the first quarter, which included a pair of three pointers.
The Bulldogs led by one to start the second quarter where they rarely missed. Including shots from the field and free throw line, MHS made 12/17 of its shots for 24 points.
Murphy opened a 35-22 lead to begin the second half, and its offensive momentum soon came to a halt. MHS committed eight turnovers in the third, and five came via GHS steals. Gilmer made just four shots from the field but were a perfect 8/8 from the line, and the score was knotted at 39-all.
Points were traded evenly in the fourth. Murphy’s lead never grew more than four points, and with 10 seconds to play, Poteet tied the game at 48-48 with an assist from Madison Bradshaw.
Sophia Riblet scored four of her nine points in overtime for the Cats. Meanwhile, MHS opted to shoot from outside, but all four three-point attempts missed. Poteet scored two more points to finish with nine as well, and GHS won by three.
Chastain led Gilmer with seven rebounds and Bradshaw had two. Chastain, Riblet and Poteet each had three assists.
Thirty five turnovers versus Sonoraville coupled with a field goal percentage of 20 percent was far too much for the Cats to overcome.
Gilmer fell behind 26-10 at halftime and 39-20 with a quarter to play. GHS was held scoreless in the fourth as the Phoenix added 12 more points to their lead.
Chastain led GHS with eight points, and Amayah Jones added six points and eight rebounds. Lucy Ray collected six rebounds on the night.
Details from Gilmer’s game versus North Hall, as well as junior varsity scores from last week, were not available by press deadline.
The Lady Cats have a 1-5 record and began region play at press deadline against No. 5 ranked Pickens. Region 7-3A boasts three other teams in Class 3A’s top 10, which includes defending state champion Lumpkin County at No. 2, as well as No. 3 Wesleyan and No. 6 White County.
GHS hosts Dawson Friday at 7 p.m., and the Gilmer Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place after the game. Gilmer will travel to Fannin County Saturday for a meeting with Class 2A’s No. 5 ranked Lady Rebels at 3 p.m.