Gary Corsair • Progress Breanna Abrams, No. 4, stretches to secure a rebound for Hayesville.
By Gary Corsair
Sports Writer
Granted, the opponent was weak, but Hayesville varsity girls basketball team looked like world-beaters in dismantling Blue Ridge Early College, 61-15, on the Yellow Jackets home-court Monday night.
Hayesville, 1-1, shot 43 percent from the field, 87 percent from the line, snared 47 rebounds, committed just five turnovers and all 10 Yellow Jackets scored in the rout.
“We took care of the ball, got some good shots, although some didn’t fall early,” Coach Chad McClure said.
Ava Shook led Hayesville with 16 points on 5-of-8 field goal shooting with a pair of treys, four steals, four rebounds and three assists.
Back court mate Emma Ashe added 9 points, 4-of-9 field goal shooting, five steals and five assists.
Brooke Graves led all rebounders with 11. She also had two assists.
Mallory Peck was unstoppable early, scoring on 3-of-4 shots on the way to an 8-point, six rebound effort.
Breanna Adams scored 7 points, grabbed eight rebounds, handed out four assists and made four steals.
Bryleigh Krieger tallied 6 points and had six caroms.
Briley Clampitt totaled 5 points, cleared six boards and had two assists.
Jasmine Brooks and Ava Moore also scored points.
The game was only close for the first two minutes.
Hayesville led 4-3 when the Yellow Jackets turned the tide.
The Yellow Jackets closed out the first quarter with a 10-3 run for a 14-6 lead as Shook scored, Abrams added a free throw, Peck powered in a basket, Abrams rebounded a shot and fed Krieger for a hoop and Clampitt busted a three.
“We came out kind of flat, started pressing and got the energy going,” McClure stated.
Hayesville led 42-11 at the half.
“We told our girls at halftime, even though we had a big lead, that we had to come out and play with intensity, play like they’re behind at the start,” McClure said.
The girls embraced the concept and outscored the Bobcats 15-0 in the period.
Hiwassee Dam 53, Hayesville 51
Monday’s victory was sweet tonic after the Yellow Jackets let the season-opener slip away, 53-51, to visiting Hiwassee Dam.
Hayesville led 37-28 after three periods, but couldn’t overcome a 16-point outburst by Olivia McNabb, who finished with 28 markers.
“They’re a pretty good team, we knew that coming in,” McClure said. “I thought we played pretty well early, especially the first three quarters. We have to do a better job of making adjustments in the game. We gave up a lot of things over and over, for lack of a better way of putting it. We have to do a better job of taking away what they’re good at.”
Shook and Ashe spearheaded the Hayesville attack with 14 points and 13 points, respectively.
Clampitt and Peck had 7 points each. Krieger and Graves scored 5.
“We competed. We scored 51 points. We didn’t do that a lot last year, which is encouraging,” McClure concluded. “You go into the fourth with a 9-point lead, you have to be able to protect that and finish. I saw a lot of really good things, saw some growth. It’s still a very young team.”