GHS tops Murphy, N.C., 52-46 for 2nd win of season
The Gilmer Lady Cats came away with a nonregion basketball victory in their return to the court.
While their game last Tuesday versus Southeast Whitfield was postponed because of possible inclement weather, GHS made its way to Murphy, N.C., Saturday to face the Bulldogs. Gilmer needed overtime to secure a win the first time these two met in November, but this time the Cats took care of business in regulation.
Murphy’s slow first quarter allowed Gilmer to pull ahead early, and the Cats led by as many as 17 points in the second quarter. Murphy was able to close in on the Cats by the end of the fourth, but it was not enough in a 52-46 GHS victory.
The win followed Christmas break, and while the Cats did not play in a tournament over the holidays, they continued to focus their efforts at practice.
“We had some really good practices and have some kids who maybe haven’t been playing as much as they’ve wanted to,” said head coach Dani Wright. “They have been producing at practice and it carried over to the game.
“We did a lot of teaching in the first half of the season and now we’re focusing more on, ‘Hey, now we’re playing.’ They shouldn’t be out there thinking, now they should be doing. We played a lot of pickup (games) at practice and have been competing against each other. It has carried over, and the girls are taking everything they’ve learned and putting it into play.”
Murphy had a rough first quarter that included a 2/15 shooting effort from the field. It did not get much better at the free-throw line where the Bulldogs shot 1/6 through eight minutes of play.
GHS scored 14 points in the first quarter, and six came from a pair of three pointers. Lady Cat Lucy Ray made one from behind the three-point arc in the first where she scored five of her season-high 18 points.
Gilmer led by eight points to begin the second and extended its lead to 30-13. MHS went on an 8-1 run to close out the half and cut the Cats’ lead to 30-21.
Points were almost traded evenly in the second half. Murphy’s Lailee Holloway scored 15 of her game-high 22 points the third and fourth quarters to help the Bulldogs keep pace. MHS trimmed the Cats’ lead to 38-32 late in the third before a layup by Ray in the final 10 seconds.
Gilmer extended its lead to 11 points in the fourth and maintained an eight-point cushion until the waning moments as Murphy drew within six by the final buzzer.
Gilmer point guard Aliza Chastain added 11 points, four assists, two blocks and did not commit any turnovers. Madison Bradshaw scored eight points and snagged 14 rebounds and two steals. Marley Boatwright also scored eight, Charley Poteet added three and both Amayah Jones and Chelsey Griggs scored two.
“We’re running better, we’re trying to get wide looking for transition and our press looked really good against Murphy as well,” Wright said of the Cats, who have a 2-12 record on the season. “The girls played hard and kept fighting to the end, and it was really nice to see.”
GHS hosted No. 2 ranked Wesleyan at press deadline and will travel to West Hall Friday for a 7 p.m. tipoff.