The Gilmer Bobcats may not have been the favorite, but they were the top team when all was said and done.
GHS played host to the ETC/Piedmont Mountainside Tip-off Tournament over a three-day span that culminated last Tuesday.
Following a sluggish victory over Copper Basin to begin the event where GHS only scored 42 points, the Cats finished strong. Gilmer defeated the Fannin County Rebels 63-57 last Monday before a 62-49 victory over the Pickens Dragons the next day.
GHS coach Jordan Hice was glad to capture the title and hopes it gets the Bobcats in gear for difficult upcoming region games.
“It’s good for us to win this. We have friends in Fannin and Pickens, but it’s a big ordeal when we’re playing each other. We’re not even in the same region (or classification), but everyone wants to brag about tonight,” Hice noted.
“Just like everyone else has said, we know the competition is going to get better. It only gets better from here. I told them to be happy and proud of what we accomplished and how much we improved throughout the tournament. But this really won’t compare to anything we see in the region so we need to be ready to work.”
Hice was happy to see the Bobcats improve after their win versus Copper Basin.
“The big thing was it was a totally different turnaround from the Copper Basin game (to the Fannin game),” Hice said. “I felt like the team played with more chemistry, was working the ball better and started under control. We got a good lead in the first half after scoring 19 points in the first quarter. When we played Copper Basin, we only had 15 points in the first half.”
Two rallies spur Bobcats to victory
Fannin made nine threes on the night. Tucker Hanson hit five of those outside shots and scored 19 points. Teammate Kaeden Twiggs penetrated and sliced through the lane for 17 more to keep GHS honest inside.
Gilmer answered with seven three pointers. Senior Bobcat Brady Sanford tallied six three-pointers in the game and made three in the opening quarter. GHS led 19-13 after the first.
Gilmer scored four quick points in the second quarter before Braden Jenkins nabbed steals on consecutive FCHS possession as Gilmer’s lead stood at 24-16.
Fannin outscored GHS 15-6 over the last five minutes of the half to pull ahead, 31-30. The Rebels hit two threes to begin the third quarter, and Sanford answered for GHS with one of his own.
But over a four-minute span, FCHS added to its lead, which swelled to 47-37 with two minutes left in the third.
“We came out after halftime and started off slow, and they got a 10-point lead,” Hice said. “We had to call a timeout and I told them to calm down and that there was plenty of time in the game. I said, ‘Get some points here and two stops and let’s see where we’re at.’
“Next thing you know, we scored, got those stops and scored again and were back in the ballgame. We were able to keep our composure, not worry too much and just play good basketball.”
Bobcat Ethan Banks was there for five quick points and teammate Cade Carter added three more to trim the Rebels’ advantage to 47-45 with a quarter to play.
Sanford and Carter manned to offense in the fourth for GHS with 10 and six points, respectively. Behind 55-54 with 2:19 to play, the duo combined for seven straight points to move the Cats ahead 61-55 with 50 seconds left in the game. The Bobcats held on to preserve their six-point win.
Carter scored 13 points on the night and grabbed 10 rebounds. Banks added 10 points and Lewis Mulkey finished with five points.
Pickens’ press shredded
GHS did some scouting prior to the tournament finale versus Pickens. The time paid off as the Bobcats continually beat Pickens’ press for baskets from point-blank range.
“We came in this morning and did a shoot around for 15 minutes and talked about their press and watched some film,” Hice said. “We knew there was always going to be a pass open because they’re trapping, so it’s either going to be a middle or cross-court pass. We just needed to be aware and under control; fake a pass to make on. This is something we go over every year and sometimes it takes and sometimes it doesn’t.
“It’s about having that mentality. We have some older boys who got a little more confidence after playing Fannin. They walked into tonight’s game feeling good and it helped out.”
Banks made a three to begin the game, which set the tome for his night. He led GHS with 20 points and collected nine rebounds.
Carter went to work down low where he scored eight of 14 points in the first quarter.
PHS was dependent on lightning-quick point guard Tucker Lowe. He led all scorers with 27 points and continually attacked the lane at will. Though it was not all easy pickings for the Dragons in the post. Mulkey was there for four blocks and Carter had three more.
Carter and Banks combined for 17 of Gilmer’s 28 first half points and GHS led 38-31 at the break.
Lowe totaled 15 points in the first half and added six more in the third, but Pickens had trouble finding offense elsewhere. Banks and Sanford continued to make shots from beyond the three-point arc as Gilmer’s led stood at 50-41 with a quarter to play.
PHS got off to a slow start in the fourth and GHS still held a 15-point lead with four minutes to play. The Cats maintained that advantage and closed out the game for their tournament title.
Aside from Carter and Banks, Sanford scored 17 points, Jenkins added seven and Mulkey tallied four. Mulkey led GHS with 11 rebounds.
Gilmer continued its season at press deadline. Hice hopes the Bobcats will play to their potential going forward and not based on how their opponent performs.
“We really do play down to our opponent and have talked about that,” Hice said. “I said even after Copper Basin, ‘Guys, that was a horrible game for us.’ We didn’t play to our potential. We played down to someone else’s level. Then we turned around and played Fannin who we know we have to pick it up against. It’s something we need to get away from. There are games we should be getting better as fast breaks and pushing the ball and we keep it close because we take it too lightly.”
The Bobcats hosted Union County at press deadline.