The Clear Creek seventh-grade Lady Cats brought home some basketball hardware last week.
CCMS played in the Mountain League tournament in Jasper and posted a 3-0 record to walk away as champions. The Cats met Lumpkin County and topped the Indians 43-41 for the title.
Clear Creek head coach Jessica Hensley was unable to attend the event because of a family emergency, and assistant Andrew Ladd took her place on the bench.
“The girls were super excited to win the championship, and I was thrilled for them to get to experience that,” he said. “It’s awesome as a seventh grader to get to experience that feeling and then going into their eighth-grade year knowing what that feels like.
“Even for the sixth-graders on the team, it’s a great thing for them to have that confidence. It’s cool to see their growth from the beginning of the season until now.”
Ladd was assisted by Clear Creek Elementary School principal Stephanie Burnette.
“It was good having her. She made sure the girls got subbed in,” Ladd said. “She knows all the girls, and she’s known them pretty much their whole lives. She was a big help.”
CCMS had a steady scoring effort versus Lumpkin. And when the Indians’ offense faltered, the Lady Cats were ready to take advantage.
The Cats trailed 15-13 after the opening quarter before tying the game at 23-all at halftime. CCMS post player Gracie Pritchett scored 12 of her team-leading 16 points in the second half, and eight came in the third quarter.
The Cats entered the fourth ahead, 33-29. Jaylee McDaniel scored two in the fourth to go with Pritchett’s points, and Bree Burnette converted 5/7 free-throw attempts as the Cats survived for a two-point win.
Burnette finished with 12 points for CCMS, McDaniel added eight, Addie Vick contributed four and Chelsey Griggs posted three.
In the semifinals, CCMS downed the Fannin County Rebels, 35-30. Both Pritchett and Burnette tallied 15 points, Griggs added three and McDaniel scored two.
After opening a 7-4 lead, CCMS fell behind 17-13 at the half and 28-19 with a quarter to play. However, the Cats came alive as Fannin struggled.
Clear Creek made three shots from the field, but secured its comeback win from the free-throw line where the Cats made 9/11 attempts over the game’s final seven minutes.
CCMS began the event by blasting Pickens, 44-21. Griggs was the top scorer with 12 points and Pritchett added 10.
CCMS led from start to finish and continually increased its lead. Clear Creek’s 13-5 edge after a quarter was 21-8 at the half and 38-13 by the start of the fourth.
The Cats cruised to the win over the final quarter. Remaining CCMS points were tallied by Burnette (seven), Gracie Gaitanoglou (six), McDaniel (four), Madison Hall (three) and Emma Kate Bramlett (two).
Ladd discussed the key to the Cats’ tournament success.
“During the tournament, we were able to play four full quarters each game,” he said. “That kind of got us in trouble earlier in the year. The games we typically lost were because we’d only show up for the third and fourth quarters. At the tournament, playing four full quarters is what helped us get the wins.”
He added, “I hated Jessica couldn’t be there, especially for the championship run.”
Eighth grade
The eighth-grade Lady Cats were eliminated from the event in the first round. CCMS met Fannin and lost, 34-33.
The Cats led 8-3 after the first quarter before the Rebels turned the tables for an 18-14 lead at halftime. The Cats made just one shot from the field in the third and depended on free throws, and Fannin extended its lead to 25-19.
Clear Creek had its best quarter in the fourth and added 14 points. CCMS received a final possession in the waning seconds but were unable to score.
“Fannin was up in the third and we made a run and catch back up,” Ladd said. “We had a lot of momentum going for us and had a chance with the ball with seven seconds left and just couldn’t execute.
“The eighth grade had a good season. We would have liked to have gone further in the tournament. It’s kind of heartbreaking to lose by one in the first round. Overall, the girls played hard, and we won some ball games and lost some ball games this year. Their effort was always there.”
Lady Cat Aliza Chastain led all scorers with 22 points, Burnette added four and both Carly Becerra and Grace Bramlett scored a point.