Revenge tastes sweet in Hayesville

Tension was high in The Hive as Hayesville hosted the Towns County Indians Saturday, Dec. 4. In another instant classic, the Jackets defended their home floor with an exciting 52-48 win.

Blake McClure wasted no time putting the Jackets up 3-0 after Jake McTaggart won the opening tip. The Indians made a basket in their first trip down the floor and the back-and-forth was on. Towns County took its first lead of the game with 5:00 on the clock. The Indians extended that lead a minute and a half later and with 2:50 left in the quarter doubled Hayesville up with a 10-5 advantage. After a Kyle Lunsford bucket for the Jackets Towns County fired off another 3 pointer to keep the lead at 6. Lunsford battled in the paint on Hayesville's next possesion for his second bucket of the night. With time expiring, Hayden McClure fired off a shot from the top of the key, sending it through the basket and cutting the score to 13-12 in favor of Towns County.

The Indians opened the second with a back court violation but Hayesville couldn't capitalize. After a Towns County Bucket, Lunsford found success yet again under the basket and Hayden McClure matched him just a few seconds later. Towns County called a timeout with 5:34 left in the half to try to slow Hayesville's momentum. McTaggart hit a turn around jumper to put the Jackets up 18-15 and Kolbe Ashe followed that up with a bucket of his own to extend Hayesville's lead to 5. The Indians answered with 5 unanswered points and with less than two minutes to go, the score was knotted 20-20. McTaggart put the Jackets back in the lead with back-to-back layups. Towns County held the ball for the last shot of the have. The shot bounced off the rim but fell to the floor meaning Hayesville had the lead, 24-20 at the break. 

More than a minute ticked off the clock in the third quarter before Ashe scored the first points of the half with a pair of foul shots. The Indians answered with a 3-pointer and following a missed shot by the Jackets, Towns County cruised in for the layup, cutting the lead to 26-25 and forcing Head Yellow Jacket Mike Cottrell to call a timeout. The Indians used a free throw to pull back even with Hayesville but McTaggart was able to put the Jackets back in front. Ashe kept things going for Hayesville with a reverse layup and McTaggart extended the lead to 6 with a one-handed jam. Game speed picked up as the rivals played chase up and down the court. The quarter ended with the Jackets leading 37-33.

As had been the case for most of the game, the fourth quarter started with the teams exchanging buckets. Towns County used a well-timed 3 pointer to cut Hayesville's lead to 1 point with seven minutes left to play. A foul on their next trip down the floor put the Indians at the line to shoot two. Towns County made one, evening the score at 41-41. The Jackets tried slowing the pace of the game but a costly turnover led to taking a 43-41 lead with 3:52 left to play. Hayesville had open looks at the basket in their following possession but couldn't get shots to fall. Following a timeout, Lunsford tied things back up with a put back. Towns County went down the floor after a missed Hayesville shot and solid Yellow Jacket defense created a charge call. The Indians head coach disagreed and received a technical foul. Ashe made one of the free throws, giving Hayesville a 1-point lead with a 1:30 left to play. Hayden McClure then drained a 3 to put the Jackets up 47-43 with a minute to go. Lunsford stepped to the free throw line with 35.7 seconds left in the game. The freshman came through, making both shots. Refusing to go away Towns County made a 3 from the corner. McTaggart was then fouled and sent to the line, making one and putting Hayesville up 50-46. The Indians kept fighting, finding the bottom of the bucket to make the score 50-48. A foul then send Ashe to the foul line for two shots. The sophomore standout swished them both, sealing the 52-48 win.

Leaders vs Towns County

Jake McTaggart: 16 points

Kolbe Ashe: 13 points

Kyle Lunsford: 10 points

Hayden McClure: 10 points