Bobcats improve to 8-3 on the season, ahead of tourney
Jackson McVey was a one-man wrecking crew for the Gilmer Bobcats.
GHS hosted the Sonoraville Phoenix last Tuesday ahead of Christmas break. Not only did Gilmer avenge its earlier loss to the Phoenix but did so with McVey scoring a season-high 45 points.
The imposing sophomore center also collected 19 rebounds in the Bobcats’ 13-point win. The Cats started to distance themselves in the third quarter and held the lead until the final buzzer for a 79-66 victory.
McVey made 21/25 shots from the field, which included a 3/5 effort from beyond the three-point arc. Five of his 19 rebounds were on the offensive end and led to 10 second-chance points.
While SHS did garner a lead to start the game, it did not last long. Once the Bobcats regained control of the scoreboard, they did not let it go as the Phoenix played from behind all night.
Gilmer opened a 17-13 lead after eight minutes and possessed a 39-32 edge at the half. Bobcat J.D. Taylor scored 10 points and hit a pair of three pointers, and one came from far behind the three-point line to end the second quarter.
McVey powered the Bobcats in the second half. He scored 24 of his points in the final two quarters, and 12 of those came off dunks and included a fast break alley-oop from Ryder Wofford.
SHS committed five turnovers in the third while it made just 20 percent of its shots from the field as Gilmer extended its lead to 56-42.
The Cats continued to pour it on in the fourth quarter as their lead grew to as many as 22 points. The Phoenix made four three pointers in the quarter to help trim the Bobcats’ advantage to 79-66 by the final buzzer.
GHS made nine three pointers on the night, and Kohan Davis joined McVey in shooting 3/5. In addition to McVey and Taylor, Davis scored nine points, Wofford added six, Keegen Bryant tallied three as Will Kiker, Myles McCall and Jacob Becerra finished with two apiece.
Bryant led the way with seven assists, and Kiker and Wofford both had four.
Gilmer is 8-3 overall on the season and returns to the court Wednesday to begin the Pickens Christmas Tournament. GHS will face Lassiter at 4 p.m. and Cartersville the following day at 5:30.
GHS will close out the tournament Friday at 4 p.m. versus Savannah Christian.