Gary Corsair • Clay County Progress Yellow Jacket Brendan Lynch launches a three-pointer in Hayesville's 82-62 blowout of Swain.
By Gary Corsair
Sports Writer
Hayesville and Swain County’s inside and outside threats basically nullified each other’s output in the first half last Monday, but the Yellow Jackets’ big two dominated after the intermission in a resounding 82-62 win.
Swain’s tandem of guard Andruw Cody and bullish center Drew Scaggs outscored Hayesville’s dynamite duo of Brady Reynolds and Daemien Soto, 23-22, in a first half the Maroon Devils led 36-32 at the break.
Different story in the second half: Hayesville muzzled Cody with aggressive denial defense up top and quieted Scaggs with smothering help defense in the paint.
How aggressive? Cody — who drained four treys and marched inside for four points in the first two quarters — was held scoreless for 10 minutes and scored just four points following halftime.
How smothering? Scaggs — who tallied six first-half points on point-blank shots — was held scoreless for 13 points and limited to just four points in the second half.
On the other end of the floor, Reynolds and Soto continued to have their way as Hayesville outscored the hosts 50-26 in the second half.
Reynolds netted five of his first six shots following the break and finished with 28 points, while Soto added nine points to his first-half total of seven.
Soto earned his 16 points by ramming home 6-of-8 field goals, nailing his only three-pointer and hitting his lone free throw. More importantly, Soto cleaned the glass for 14 rebounds and handed out four assists.
Reynolds busted 5-of-8 from the field and 6-of-13 from behind the three-point arch. He also had five boards and three steals.
Scaggs’ last hurrah came on a bucket under the basket in which he was fouled. The scoreboard read Swain 42, Hayesville 38 when Hayesville’s Landon Trout collected Scaggs’ missed freebie.
The Jackets promptly
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began exorcising the Devils.
Soto scored underneath after a slick head fake. Brendan Lynch cashed in a missed shot as he was fouled. His free throw gave Hayesville a lead it would never relinquish.
The juiced Jackets were just warming up.
Five seconds later, Lynch swiped the ball and E.J. Abrams made a free toss. A Soto rebound led to Reynolds tallying on a fast break layup. Reynolds then swished a three-pointer — assist Soto. Next, Abrams bombed a three-pointer for Hayesville’s 14th unanswered point. When the smoke cleared, the Jackets commanded a 52-42 advantage.
A sequel to that dominant run was nearly as impressive. Hayesville heated up again in the closing minutes of the third quarter and kept pedal to the metal in the fourth.
The Jackets caned Swain with a 21-5 run that produced a 73-49 score. Reynolds lit the fuse with a three-ball, then took a charge officials failed to call. Next, Soto hit on a spin move; Trout added three; Lynch stroked a three-pointer; Reynolds drained another from downtown and Abrams stole the ball and fed Lynch, who scored, was fouled and canned the freebie. The power surge concluded with Soto stealing the Spaulding and taking it all the way for a lay-in, followed by Abrams tossing in a basket. Hayesville 73, Swain 49.
The victory gave Hayesville a 5-1 overall record and 3-1 Smoky Mountain Conference record entering the holiday tournament at Towns County. The loss dropped Swain to 4-4 overall.
Reynolds and Soto swung the biggest sledgehammers, but every Jacket contributed to the demolition.
Five Jackets scored in double-figures and Hayesville won the rebound battle, 38-28.
Lynch totaled 13 points, six rebounds, four assists and canned 5-of-8 from the field, 1-of-2 from distance and both his free throws.
Trout added 12 points and a pair of assists. Abrams tallied 11 points, grabbed four boards and had two dimes. Jackson Sellers had two assists.
Score by quarters
Hayesville: 17-32-63-82
Swain County: 19-36-50-62