Robbinsville drops conference heartbreaker to Andrews
Robbinsville – Say what you will about the Black Knights, but they sure leave fans on the edge of their seats in the closing minutes of a game.
Such was the case Tuesday night, when a spirited rally bid fell short against the visiting Andrews Wildcats, who held on to knock off Robbinsville 56-53.
Head coach Jake Beasley pointed to a sluggish first-half effort as the Knights’ downfall.
“I don’t know what it is. My speech to them before the game was, ‘Whoever wins the effort and easy-points battle is going to win this ballgame,’” Beasley said. “We knew it would be close and be a good game, but if we play like we’re capable of playing, we’re the better basketball team.”
Robbinsville (4-6, 1-2) were outclassed on the glass early, but the Cats failed to take advantage on multiple occasions, resulting in an 8-5 Andrews lead at the outset of the second.
The Knights temporarily pulled ahead in the second – off a transition basket from Brock Adams – but Andrews (5-7, 1-3) responded with a 6-point flurry from Kegan Ellis. The Wildcats’ run ultimately spiraled to 10 unanswered points, leaving Robbinsville with a 25-18 halftime deficit.
But as the Black Knights have done all season, they came to life in the third, outpacing Andrews 17-12 in the stanza. Robbinsville nabbed the lead for the first time since the second quarter with 5:35 left – off a Kamdyn Jordan pick and bucket – but Andrews quickly paced back ahead.
Jordan would pull off the play again with 15 seconds left – trimming the deficit to 55-53 – and Wildcat Isaac Weaver would drain a foul shot with 14 seconds to go. Robbinsville then had a chance to inbound and hit a trey at the buzzer, but the pass was nabbed by Andrews’ Cameron Rattler, who held the ball until the clock ran out.
Brock Adams’ evening finished with a team-high 16 points, six rebounds, two steals and two assists. Jordan recorded 15 points, seven rebounds and two steals, with Xander Wachacha adding seven points, four rebounds, one steal and one assist.
Also scoring for Robbinsville were Dasan Gross 6, Donovan Carpenter 4, Bryce Adams 3 and Eddie Brooms 2.
Tellico redemption
Robbinsville – In the second pairing between both programs in as many days, the Knights came out on the better end of a 57-42 rematch against Tellico Plains, Tenn.
Jordan’s 18-point game led the Robbinsville offense. Others to score for the Knights were Brock Adams 12, Eddie Brooms 10, Wachacha 8, Carpenter 4, Bryce Adams 3 and Gross 2.
Junior varsity
In the lone junior varsity action of the week, Robbinsville fell 54-29 to Andrews in Tuesday’s opener.
Logan Callaway scored a team-best seven points for the Knights. Also scoring were Isaiah Brown 6, Trey Lambert and Quinn Jumper with five each, Nathaniel Shope 4 and Hugh Forbes 2.