Lady Knights fall in tournament finale

Bryson City – A low shooting percentage and key turnovers proved costly for the Lady Knights on Friday, as they dropped the Smoky Mountain Conference Tournament finals to Murphy, 56-49.

Robbinsville (17-6) was lethargic on the offensive side of the ball in the first half, with Murphy (23-3) taking advantage by stringing together lengthy runs to fill the lulls.

Lady Knight Yeika Jimenez hit a quick jumper to begin, but the Lady Bulldogs quickly surged ahead and behind a pair of back-to-back 3's from Addie Johnson, Murphy stood tall with a 15-7 lead at the outset of the second quarter.

Zoie Shuler nailed a bucket early in the second – which snapped a 9-0 Murphy run that had spilled over from the first – but Robbinsville simply could not find the basket, missing both outside and inside shots. Shuler drew the deficit to 26-20 at the dawn of the second half, but an 11-1 Murphy run quickly killed the Knights' momentum.

Though Robbinsville outpaced the Lady Bulldogs 24-17 in the fourth, the rally bid came too little, too late.

Shuler tied with Desta Trammell for the team lead in the scorebook, as the pair dropped 16 each. Shuler also had six rebounds, two steals and an assist, with Trammell – who extended her now-state record streak for most consecutive free throws made to 49 – adding an assist and a rebound.

Also scoring for Robbinsville was Jimenez 8, Halee Anderson 4, Delaney Brooms 3 and Kensley Phillips 2.

Murphy senior Torin Rogers finished the game with 30 points.

The N.C. High School Athletic Association will release the postseason bracket tomorrow afternoon. Check our Facebook and Twitter pages for updates on the Lady Knights' first-round matchup, which will be contested Tuesday.