By Gary Corsair
Sports Writer
Ethan Hooper had the greatest quarter of his life Saturday against Andrews as Hayesville blistered Andrews, 66-40, in a Smoky Mountain Conference varsity boys basketball skirmish in The Hive.
Check that. Hooper had the greatest quarter of any ball player in North Carolina Saturday night – prep, college or pro.
Check that. Hooper had the greatest quarter of any ball player in the nation Saturday night – prep, college or pro.
Hot-hand Hooper exploded for 22 fourth-quarter points by swishing 6 of 6 field goal attempts – including 4 balls from beyond the 3 point arch – and 6 of 7 from the free throw line as he racked up a career-high 36 points.
Exceptional Hooper also excelled on the other end of the floor while Hayesville, 10-6 overall, 3-2 conference, defanged the Wildcats with intense, physical defense that held Andrews, 12-6, 1-4, scoreless during the first 5:24 of the fourth period.
“I thought we played more focused for most of the game,” Hayesville Coach Mike Cottrell said. “I thought we had some energy down the stretch we have been lacking in the first part of the season.”
Andrews led 16-13 after one quarter, but Hayesville knotted the score at 16 on Logan Caldwell’s bomb at 6:48 in the second stanza. Hooper’s triple at 6:06 gave Hayesville the lead and a burst of momentum.
The Wildcats never quit. They looked ready to turn the tables after the Wildcats blocked their fifth shot of the game midway through the third period and draining a 3 pointer to slice the lead to 35-34.
Hayesville answered with a fast break bucket by Isaac Chandler, who took a feed from Hooper to put the hosts on top 37-34.
Andrews responded with a 3 pointer to knot the score.
A defensive rebound by Hooper led to a left hand lay up by Lunsford with :33 left in the third. Hooper was at it again a few ticks later, grabbing another defensive board and taking the ball to the hole on the other end, where he got fouled as the ball slipped through the net. Ethan’s and one toss gave Hayesville a 42-37 advantage.
Back to back 3 point bombs by Hooper early in the fourth period, coupled with two consecutive missed free throws by Andrews, helped Hayesville put the game out of reach.
When the smoke cleared, Hayesville had outscored Andrews 37-17 in the second half and Hooper had drilled 4 of 7 from the field, 7 of 11 from distance, and 7 of 8 at the line to go with a team-high six rebounds, two steals and two assists.
Hooper was super duper, but he wasn’t the only hot-handed Yellow Jacket. Chandler hit all 3 shots he took, Lunsford canned 3 of 4, Caldwell made 3 of 6 home run balls in netting 8 points and Asher Brown dropped in 3 of 4 free throws as Hayesville torched the nets with 13 of 25 shooting, 52 percent, from the field, 10 of 17, 59 percent, from 3 point range and 10 of 12, 83 percent, charity tries.
“We shot the ball much better,” Cottrell remarked. “The team moved the ball well most of the evening. I thought we played more focused for most of the game.”
Caldwell led Hayesville in assist with 5. Brown was runner-up with 3.
Caldwell also had 3 boards, as did Lunsford and Taylor McClure, who contributed 4 points.
The victory was Hayesville’s fourth in a row. The third came Thursday night at Highlands.
Hayesville 47, Highlands 35
The Yellow Jackets didn’t need a superhuman performance to topple the Highlanders, just a balanced scoring attack, stellar defense, lots of hustle and a strong fourth quarter display of grit and determination.
Hayesville entered the final eight minutes clinging to a 32-30 lead, but precision ball movement and determined defense helped the Yellow Jackets outpoint their hosts 15-5 in the crucial fourth.
Lunsford led the attack with 12 points. Caldwell contributed 10, while Hooper added 9. McClure tallied 7 points, Landon Hughes added 4, Brown put in 3 and Slade Crouch had a bucket.
Hooper led the team in rebounds with 4. Brown, Caldwell, and Taylor McClure were tops in assists with 2 apiece. Taylor also had three rebounds, a blocked shot, and took a charge. Hughes also had three rebounds.
Cottrell, while pleased, knows his team will have to be even sharper this week. The Yellow Jackets faced Murphy at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24 and will host Copper Basin at 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26; Swain County at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27 and Blue Ridge Early College at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28.
“We still have some things to keep improving on. We will keep chopping wood. Big week in front of us,” Cottrell remarked.