Eight Jackets are enough

HAYESVILLE — Jade Patterson scored 6 of her team's 14 overtime points as Hayesville's Lady Yellow Jackets proved that eight are enough in a 66-60 victory on the home floor over previously undefeated Robbinsville Friday night.

Hayesville (4-2) dressed just eight players — three less than Robbinsville (2-1) – but what an eight. Every Yellow Jacket made big plays as the hosts outscored the Lady Knights 17-10 in the fourth period and overtime.

"They're very unselfish. They play well together," Hayesville Coach Chad McClure remarked. That was obvious.

And Patterson is obviously a cool customer when the heat is on. In the fourth quarter, the senior made two free throws to tie the game at 42. In overtime, she put Hayesville up for good with a three-ball from the corner with 2:30 on the clock, then added three charity tosses and some slick ball handling to break full-court pressure in the final :42. Patterson finished with 15 points.

Brianna Foster also displayed poise and heart, despite being fronted and encountering help defense nearly every time she posted on the block. Instead of forcing shots in traffic, Foster stayed calm and kept working to get open and crash the boards. Limited to one shot in the first half, she persisted and finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Her biggest moment came with 1:24 left in the fourth quarter when she muscled through two Lady Knights to grab a rebound and lay the ball into the bucket to give Hayesville a 50-49 lead.

Annie Brooks then stepped into the spotlight by grabbing a defensive rebound on a missed Robbinsville trey at :22 and calmly swishing two freebies, her first points of the night, to give the Lady Jackets a 52-49.

That looked like the ball game, but Robbinsville's freshman point guard Desta Trammel found net on a hurried 3 from the top of the key with :06 on the clock to send the game into overtime.

Hayesville broke the visitors by making big play after big play during the bonus period.

First came Patterson's homerun with 2:30 on the scoreboard. Next, Lila Payne hit a free throw. Foster then snagged a Robbinsville miss and hit a freebie on the other end to put Hayesville up 59-54. After Trammel cut the lead to 3 with free throws, Foster answered with a charity toss after being fouled on a sweet lob pass from Brooks. Lizzy Brusini promptly broke Robbinsville's heart by stealing the inbound pass. Hayesville missed, but Kynnly McClure captured the rebound and got the ball to Patterson, who aced two free throws after being fouled with :42 on the clock.

Trammel cut the lead to 62-58 with a lay-up, but Hayesville sealed the deal when Patterson, Lila Payne and Brooks sliced through a full-court press. Free throws by Brooks, Patterson and McClure put the game on ice.

All those free throws steamed Robbinsville Coach Lucas Ford. "They must have had 40 free throws. We only shot 24," he remarked. Actually, Hayesville shot 43 free throws, 25 of them in the fourth and overtime, to Robbinsville's 20. The Lady Jackets were 31-of-43, 73 percent, from the charity stripe. Ford then said, "But Chad does a good job."

Coach McClure is quick credit his players. "I challenged them to be more physical and they responded. We knew Robbinsville was going to be tough."

Payne tallied 14 points. Brusini finished with 11. McClure added 9 points and seven rebounds. Jocelin Buckner contributed 5 points and five rebounds.

Hayesville had an 8-point lead in the second quarter, then fell behind 32-23 in the third before a furious fourth-quarter rally put the Jackets on back on top. Robbinsville held a 49-45 lead with 4:00 left in regulation.