McTaggart leads Jackets to Semifinals

 The Hayesville Yellow Jackets opened the annual Battle of the States Christmas tournament against the Wildcats of Polk County, Tenn. at Towns County High Thursday, Dec. 26. Hayesville entered the game 5-1 while Polk County were winners of their lone game coming into the tournament.

After Jake McTaggart scored the first point of the game via free throw, Polk County answered with a bucket to take an early 2-1 lead. Both teams started throwing up errant 3-pointers before settling in and battling underneath the baskets. The Wildcats took advantage of rebounds to go on a mini run to go up 8-3 before McTaggart netted an easy jumper to cut into the lead. Polk County kept their composure and continued to net points and earn their way to the free throw line.

Early foul trouble put Hayesville's point guard Kolbe Ashe on the bench before the quarter's end which eliminated a significant scoring threat for the Yellow Jackets. Good ball movement in the final minute helped Hayesville find success on their end of the floor and by the end of the first, the Jackets had cut the deficit to 15-11.

The Wildcats opened the second quarter with a turn around jumper which Hayesville answered with a one-handed slam by McTaggart. Every time the Jackets pulled even with Polk County, the Wildcats would find away to score and gain sole possession of the lead. With 3:30 left before the half, McTaggart put the Jackets in the lead with an old fashioned 3-point play. Junior Blake McClure added to Hayesville's score with a 3-pointer on the Jacket's next possession which made the lead 27-22. Polk County struggled to score from the paint but managed to earn their way to the free throw line which kept them close enough to smell the lead. 

Up by 5, Hayesville's coach Mike Cottrell called a timeout with 1:42 left before the half to address his team. Coming out of the timeout, the Wildcats scored 4 immediate points, 2 from a field goal and 2 from free throws which cut the Jackets' lead to 1 point. Cottrell instructed his team to slow the pace and Hayesville began killing the clock with back-and-forth passes. After a missed shot, Polk County took possession with three seconds to play. The Wildcats appeared to take the lead with a last second 3-pointer but the officials said the horn had already sounded. Locker rooms filled for the break with the Jackets leading 30-29.

An exchange of buckets kicked off the second half. Polk County regained the lead briefly just 15 seconds into the third quarter but the Yellow Jackets fought back and led by 6 points at the six minute mark. Both were able to manufacture points, but the Wildcats had a slight edge, taking a 45-44 lead with 2:10 left in the quarter.

Solid defense by Hayesville kept them within striking distance and senior Mark Cothren put the Jackets back on top with a 3-pointer with less than a minute left in the quarter. Another 2 points by McTaggart put Hayesville up 49-45 as the teams headed into the fourth.

The Jackets started off the final quarter cold, struggling to find the bottom of the bucket. Polk County made a foul shot and a layup to close to within 1 point but Ashe answered to stretch the lead by to 3 with just over five minutes to play. Hayesville began feeding McTaggart under the basket and driving into the lane, drawing contact and using free throws to build up their lead bit-by-bit. Ashe nailed to foul shots with 2:30 left on the clock to put the Jackets up 60-53.

Following a timeout called by Cottrell, the Wildcats turned the ball over and Cothren made them pay with a 3-pointer. A second turnover by Polk County resulted in Ashe cruising in for a layup to stretch Hayesville's lead to 65-53 with just over a minute to play. Refusing to go down quietly, the Wildcats drained a 3-pointer with 55 seconds on the clock to pull within 10.

Cothren netted another bucket thanks to an assist from Ashe to take the lead back to 12 which forced Polk County to start fouling in order to have any hope of a comeback. The Wildcats fired off one final 3-pointer which failed to find the basket and the game ended, giving Hayesville the 70-56 win.

The Yellow Jackets will play at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 27 in the semifinal round. 

Leaders vs Polk County

Jake McTaggart: 30 points

Kolbe Ashe: 17 points

Hayden McClure: 8 points

Mark Cothren: 8 points