Robbinsville drops conference opener
Hayesville – It wasn’t the conference opener Robbinsville had in mind.
After knocking off 2A Smoky Mountain (5-2) for a 55-47 win on Dec. 19, the Lady Knights (2-1, 0-1) traveled to Hayesville (4-2, 3-1) for the Smoky Mountain Conference opener Friday, but lost in overtime to the Lady Jackets 66-60.
Robbinsville took a 42-41 lead into the fourth quarter, but the game stayed neck-and-neck and was pushed into free basketball when the buzzer sounded and the score sat at a 52-52 stalemate.
Desta Trammell’s 15 points led the Lady Knights in the loss. Also scoring was Cambrie Lovin 14, Halee Anderson 9, Yeika Jimenez 8, Kensley Phillips 7, Karlyn Matheson 4 and Lina Pagan 3.
In the home opener against the Lady Mustangs, Robbinsville went on back-to-back 9-0 runs to begin both the first and second stanzas. The Knights gave Smoky Mountain fits with some keen defensive awareness – highlighted by a collective 10 team steals in the first half alone – and a big game from Jimenez, who finished the night with a double-double: 15 points, 13 points, four steals and two assists.
“This was a really hard game,” Jimenez said. “We got really tired in the fourth quarter, but I’d say we played really good.
“I was really nervous during the first quarter, but then I got more comfortable after I touched the ball. Everybody was cheering me on, and it made me play better.”
Smoky Mountain came out of the locker room with a much-improved defense, trimming the deficit to 40-35 by the end of the third quarter as a result. But Robbinsville kept up a breakneck pace throughout the game and an 18-of-27 mark from the charity stripe (67 percent) proved to be the difference maker.
Other Lady Knights to score in the win were Trammell 11, Lovin 8, Kennedy Cable 7, Anderson 5, Phillips 5, Matheson 2 and Kandace Holder 1.
Junior varsity
Robbinsville (0-2) started its junior varsity season with a 49-18 loss against Smoky Mountain and 61-25 defeat at Hayesville.
While facing the Lady Mustangs, Madisyn Ellington’s nine points, two rebounds, three steals and one assist led the Lady Knights. Also scoring was Montana Buchanan 4, Kandee Stewart 3 and Chloe Phillips 2.
Against the Lady Jackets, Ellington again set the standard with 11 points. Others to score were Stewart 7, Buchanan 5 and Tailee Owle 2.