Following a two-week break from games, the Gilmer High School Bobcats were back on the basketball court last Monday.
GHS was sidelined because of exposure to COVID-19, and the Cats’ return came on the road to begin region play versus the West Hall Spartans. Gilmer built a strong lead after a half as West Hall struggled and held on for a 51-43 victory.
The Bobcats hit the road the following day as well to meet the White County Warriors. White was able to extend its halftime lead over the final two quarters to win, 62-36.
GHS coach Jordan Hice discussed the Bobcats’ region opening win and what allowed them to come out on top.
“We matched up really well against West Hall and were up 17 at halftime,” he said.
“They played a zone and were laid-back a little bit, and we were able to mismatch them inside. We worked the ball inside out and shot it really well.
“We ended up only winning by eight. We played some subs and stuff, but more or less, it came down to missing shots. We got away from what we had been doing and let them cut the lead down.”
Gilmer got the ball inside to Cade Carter and Lewis Mulkey while guards Carson Pierce and Brady Sanford handled outside shots. GHS took a 12-6 lead into the second quarter where the Bobcats got their offense in gear.
Sanford drained a pair of threes while Dylan Abercrombie and Ethan Banks both made one. Carter kept West Hall honest with four more points inside.
The Spartans continued to struggle offensively and only made three shots from the field in the second to trail 32-15 at halftime.
The Bobcats came out sluggish and lackadaisical in the second half, according to Hice. GHS had trouble getting shots to fall, and while the Spartans did not set the nets ablaze themselves, they were able to cut into the Cats’ lead, 41-29.
West Hall trimmed the lead further in the fourth. WHHS got hot from outside while the Bobcats missed shots from the line. However, the deficit was too much to overcome as Gilmer earned the win.
Sanford led GHS with 15 points, Carter added 12 and Mulkey and Banks scored seven apiece.
Carter got in foul trouble versus White County yet he still led Gilmer with 14 points while only scoring four in the opening half.
“White has five good guards who were attacking and penetrating and were able to get a lot of offensive rebounds crashing the boards,” Hice said.
“That kind of killed us giving up so many second chances.
“We were still only down 14 in the fourth, but that’s what it remained until midway through the quarter, and I started to make some subs. They kept scoring and we didn’t.”
Carter’s second foul came at the end of first as the score was knotted at 12-all. He was on the bench for much of the second and picked up a third foul when he returned to the game before the half.
Five different Warriors scored in the second quarter and White opened a 28-19 lead at the break.
WCHS hit four three pointers in the third after not making any in the first half. GHS went inside to Carter who was there for eight of 10 Bobcat points.
White pushed its lead to 47-29 entering the fourth quarter. GHS was able to draw within 14 points, but the Warriors extended the margin to 26 by game’s end.
“I think if we come out and don’t get in foul trouble, we probably keep up with that team,” Hice said. “We’ve been kind of flat. It’s been hard for us to get back (after the COVID break).”
Braden Jenkins and Sanford both scored seven points and Pierce finished with five.
Gilmer is 4-2 on the season after getting off to a 3-0 start. Hice discussed some of the struggles they have faced.
“Being off for two weeks, we got stagnant,” he said. “It was almost like starting over. It was like the tip-off tournament all over again. You’re starting from scratch and trying to get some playing time and seeing what you need to work on.
“After the tip-off tournament, I felt like we were playing fairly well. Even versus Adairsville, they beat us and we let a guy score a bunch of points, but we were still playing our game and scored 60 points.”
GHS will play two games in a Christmas tournament this week before region play resumes next week.
“Right now, it’s about getting our feet back under us and getting back to where we were,” Hice said. “Some of the things that we practiced and worked on and got better at, now you’re starting back from scratch. It’s been difficult and something I’ve never had to deal with before.”
GHS played Christian Heritage at press deadline. Gilmer will face The Walker School Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. at Christian Heritage.