By Gary Corsair
Sports Writer
Five Hayesville players scored at least nine points as the Yellow Jackets improved to 2-0 by bettering Highlands, 65-46, on the road Friday.
The Black-and-Gold scoring brigade was led by Brandon Lynch, 13 points. Jackson Sellers tallied 12, Daemien Soto scored 11, E.J. Abrams and Kabe Shaheen added nine apiece and Landon Trout contributed six.
All six played a prominent role when Hayesville took control of the game late in the first quarter.
The score was knotted at 12 when Shaheen stormed downhill and slipped a slick pass to Trout for a point-blank swish to give Hayesville a lead it never relinquished.
Trout was the distributor and Soto the recipient of the assist :30 later when Hayesville bumped the spread to 16-12. Eleven of those points came in the paint.
Hayesville continued to successfully pound the ball inside during the second quarter. Sellers did the most damage down low, hitting a turnaround on a Shaheen dish, making two free throws after a Michael Moss feed, and scoring again after Moss grabbed a miss and shuffled the rock to Sellers to give the Yellow Jackets an unshakable 23-16 lead.
The teams traded baskets as Hayesville finished the half in the driver’s seat, 32-25.
Mike Cottrell’s crew put the game on ice with inspired and cohesive play in the third quarter. Hayesville emphatically staked its claim on a win by opening the second half with seven unanswered points when Lynch busted a three-ball (assist Shaheen), Trout grabbed a loose ball and deposited it, and Lynch collected a missed a charity toss and powered the ball in.
The Jackets enjoyed a double-digit advantage for most of the final two quarters.
The high-water mark came when Moss hit a jump shot in the lane with :57 remaining in the third quarter to give Hayesville a 45-30 bankroll.
“We played better,” Cottrell said. “We had a good second half.”
Hayesville’s balance extended well beyond made baskets.
Lynch, aka the “Sublime
Sapling,” contributed four rebounds, three assists and three steals. “Goto Soto” snared six boards and had two steals off the bench. Action Jackson, who made for of his first five shots, pulled down four rebounds. Shaheen handed out six dimes and picked Highlander dribblers five times. Abrams finished with three rebounds and a pair of steals. Trout (2-of-4 field goal shooting) earned four rebounds. Moss had three assists in three quarters. Rhett Sellers smoked a three-pointer.
Hayesville sought win No. 3 Wednesday and will travel to Nantahala on Friday before hosting Hiwassee Dam on Tuesday.
That string of games could be crucial to preparing the Jackets for a rigorous Smoky Mountain Conference schedule.
“We still have a lot to address before we can compete with the top teams in our conference,” Cottrell said. “I’m encouraged by the steady progress this team is making. They had great intensity most of the night. The guys are figuring out who they are.”
Hayesville scoring
Lynch - 13; J. Sellers - 12; Soto - 11; Abrams - 9; Shaheen - 9; Trout - 6; R. Sellers - 3 and Moss - 2.
Hayesville leaders
Rebounds: Soto - six; Lynch - four; Sellers - four and Trout - four.
Assists: Shaheen - six; Lynch - three and Moss - three.
Steals: Shaheen - five and Lynch - three.
Score by quarters
Hayesville 16 - 32 - 45 - 65
Highlands 12 - 25 - 30 - 46