-
Robbinsville's Kensley Phillips (24) and Gabby Hooper (3) kick off the victory celebration as the official signals the end of the Lady Knights' 72-60 comeback win at East Surry on Thursday night. Photo by Kevin Hensley/editor@grahamstar.com
Robbinsville – The Lady Knights held all the cards: home-court advantage, two wins over their opponent earlier this year and a wave of momentum, coming off a huge road victory Feb. 25.
But it was not meant to be.
Robbinsville (No. 8 seed, 15-2) fell 49-37 to the visiting Murphy Lady Bulldogs (No. 13 seed, 15-2) in the third round of the 1A state playoffs Saturday, bringing a magical season to an end a little sooner than anticipated.
A much-improved defensive effort from Murphy kept the Knights reeling throughout the first half, as the Bulldogs held Robbinsville to just 15 points across the first two quarters. Lady Knights' sophomore point guard Desta Trammell did hit a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer and Robbinsville would outpace Murphy 10-8 in the third segment, but the early deficit proved too big to overcome.
Normally sharp from outside, the Knights struggled from beyond the arc Saturday, making just four in the ballgame. Murphy's Torin Rogers pulled down 15 boards during the game, preventing Robbinsville from several hopes of second-chance shots.
The Lady Knights lose just one starter – Gabby Hooper – and will bid farewell to three other seniors (Karcee Dooley, Lina Pagan and Kandee Stewart), but look to be in phenomenal shape for another run when the 2021-22 season tips off.
Murphy will now travel to Mitchell (No. 6 seed, 16-0) who knocked off the No. 15-seeded Bishop McGuinness Lady Villains (10-5) in a 55-54 thriller on Saturday.
Scoring for Robbinsville:
Desta Trammell, 16
Halee Anderson, 7
Gabby Hooper, 6
Yeika Jimenez, 5
Kensley Phillips, 3
Scoring for Murphy:
Torin Rogers, 19
Kaiya Pickens, 10
Sarah Pullium, 10
Amber Martin, 9
Leah Moses, 1
Robbinsville rallies for second-round victory
Pilot Mountain – East Surry led 26-8 after the first quarter of Thursday's second-round playoff match.
Robbinsville won the game 72-60, as the Lady Knights upended the No. 1-seeded Lady Cardinals (13-1) in a huge road victory.
East Surry began the game on an 11-2 run. Down – but not defeated – the Knights outpaced East Surry 24-13 in the second segment, before tying the affair 40-40 on a Kensley Phillips layup early in the third. Yeika Jimenez dropped in a bucket a minute later to give Robbinsville a 42-40 advantage, capping a 10-1 Lady Knights run to begin the second half.
Though the Cardinals led 52-50 entering the fourth, the Knights' speedy defense held the host school to just eight points in the final stanza. Desta Trammell – held scoreless in the first quarter – hit a trey to pull Robbinsville ahead 55-54 early in the fourth and the Lady Knights never looked back.
Scoring for Robbinsville:
Desta Trammell, 30
Yeika Jimenez, 20
Halee Anderson, 10
Kensley Phillips, 7
Gabby Hooper, 5
Scoring for East Surry:
Brooke Gammons, 13
Cadence Lawson, 12
Dasia Lambert, 11
Bella Hutchens, 11
Rosie Craven, 6
Kate Parks, 4
Kylie Bruner, 3