Robbinsville – An explosive offense has propelled the Robbinsville Middle School Black Knights to a 2-0 start to the season.
Hosting Rosman in the season opener Nov. 7 and Cherokee on Nov. 14, the Knights put up big numbers and knocked off both the Tigers and the Braves to the respective tune of 61-11 and 78-44.
“I could not be more proud of a team through the first two games,” head coach Warren Knott said.
In the season opener, Xander Wachacha led the crowded scoreline with 15 points to his credit. Also scoring was Donovan Carpenter 9, Roman Jones 8, Zeke Silvers 7, Quinn Jumper 5, Dane Knott 4, Luke Lovin 4, Bryce Adams 3, Tytan Teesateskie 2, Hugh Forbes 2 and Drake Anderson 2.
“The Rosman game was a great first game and a great team effort,” Knott said after the season opener. “The defense was smothering the whole game, which leads to easy offense.
“Multiple players scored in a lot of different ways and players off the bench played well when players where in foul trouble.”
Wachacha went off in a big way against Cherokee, scoring 29 points and adding five rebounds, seven steals and six assists to the final outcome.
Other Knights to score were Carpenter 15, Adams 9, Jones 8, Silvers 6, Forbes 5, Knott 2, Anderson 2, Lovin 1 and Isiac Collins 1.
“This game was the game that identified us as a defensive team, that has people that can score,” Knott said. “The defense was great again and players made big plays on both ends of the court.
“Bryce Adams and Roman Jones did a great job of playing on both ends of the court. Zeke Silvers did a great job playing defense on their point guard and scoring in transition. Donovan Carpenter did a great job on defense and playing inside out.
“Xander Wachacha had one of those special evenings, scoring 29 points and playing hard throughout the game.
“I could not be more proud of a team through the first two games.”
Lady Knights
Robbinsville’s middle school girls (1-1) split their first two outings, edging Rosman 45-43, before a woeful fourth quarter led to a 60-34 loss to Cherokee.
Against the Lady Tigers, Zoie Shuler’s 16 points led the scoreline. Other Lady Knights to score were Liz Carpenter 14, Karlee Stewart 6, Claire Barlow 4 and Aubrie Wachacha 4.
Robbinsville nearly faced a scoreless first quarter against Cherokee, but a pair of trey’s from Barlow with less than a minute erased the blemish from the scoreboard. Shuler would then drop a 3 at the eight-second mark to give the Lady Knights a 9-6 lead.
The game stayed neck-in-neck until the fourth quarter – which included Robbinsville leading 24-20 at halftime – but turnovers and a lagging defense proved costly in the final stanza, as the Lady Braves outscored the Lady Knights 27-1 in the fourth.
Barlow led the effort with 14 points, three rebounds, six steals, one assist and one block. Also scoring was Shuler 10, Wachacha 4, Carpenter 3 and Memory Frapp 3.
