Robbinsville knocks off second-place Swain County
Robbinsville – Never, ever count out the Black Knights.
With just seven players dressed out, Robbinsville (7-9, 2-4) upended the Swain County Maroon Devils (13-6, 4-2) – who sit in second place in the Smoky Mountain Conference standings – Tuesday night, in a 56-55 thriller.
The victory was Robbinsville’s third in a row.
“This was one heck of a team win,” said Black Knights head coach Jake Beasley. “I knew we were ready to play before we even came out on the floor; you could tell they were extremely focused. They wanted to win.”
A torrid affair from the outset, the Knights eventually came out of the first half with a 23-21 advantage. Robbinsville had pulled away 40-33 by the outset of the fourth, but Swain raced back and led things 55-53 late after a Cameron Blankenship two-pointer.
However, the Knights held the cards with less than 30 seconds to go, as Kamdyn Jordan drew a foul on a layup.
The and-one sank through the net and though the Maroon Devils madly scrambled for a basket - with Donnavin Greenwold and Cooper Hyatt both missing 3’s in the closing seconds – Swain could not find the inside of the rim, and Bryce Adams pulled down his 12th rebound of the night to run out the clock.
Needless to say, conditioning – with a small bench – never became an issue.
“They never once said, ‘I’m tired.’ They said, ‘Coach, we’re going to win this game,’ Beasley noted. “This really gives us a lot of confidence, going forward.
“We’ve been telling them and they’re finally starting to believe that they’re as good as anybody in the conference.
All told, Jordan led Robbinsville’s effort with 15 points and six rebounds. Brock Adams had 12 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists, while Bo Rattler dropped eight points.
Other Knights to score were Dasan Gross and Xander Wachacha with 6 each; Bryce Adams 5; and Donovan Carpenter 4.
Highlands conquered
Highlands – The Knights were able to overcome a rough start Jan. 20, pulling away in the fourth quarter to knock off Highlands 60-47.
Jordan again led the scoreline with 19 points, four rebounds, four steals and two assists. Bryce Adams racked up 13 points, five rebounds, two steals and one assist, while Brock Adams adding 10 points, three rebounds and one steal.
Also scoring for Robbinsville was Gross 8; Carpenter and Wachacha with 4 each; and Rattler 2.
Junior varsity
Robbinsville (1-8) fell in its only junior-varsity boys game of the week to Swain County, 57-22.
Quinn Jumper led the Knights with 11 points, three rebounds and two steals. Also scoring was Logan Callaway and Nathaniel Shope with 4 each, and Isaiah Brown 1.