Black Knights enter final stretch of championship pursuit
Robbinsville – All that stands between the Black Knights and a divisional title are the defending 1A state champions and the first team to deliver a conference loss this season.
It’s fitting, really. Robbinsville (16-5, 6-2) has quieted doubters all season long. The word “perseverance” simply does not do the team justice and amidst the strongest display of solidarity in seven years, the program has revamped the energy level at every one of its outings – time and time again.
Take the outcome of Tuesday’s nightcap against Andrews (13-9, 2-6) for example. Using the final 1 ½ quarters to push past a stubborn defensive effort – to that point – from the visitors, Robbinsville left the Wildcats bewildered at the final score: 51-47, Black Knights.
The only Smoky Mountain Conference assignments left are home games against Hayesville (13-8, 4-4) on Friday and Swain County (10-11, 4-4) on Tuesday, Feb. 7’s Senior Night. Robbinsville took the fight right to the 1A champs Jan. 3 – handing the Jackets their first home loss since 2020, with a 58-46 triumph in Clay County – but ate its first divisional loss at the hands of the Devils on Jan. 19, 72-68.
Revenge and championship gold will be a dangerous combination on the Black Knights’ frontal lobes Feb. 7, but the team is hardly ignoring Hayesville. Even after the rally against the Wildcats on Tuesday, the players were clamored around their phones, checking for the latest updates from the Hayesville/Cherokee game (the Jackets won, by the way).
A lot is at stake. Robbinsville has well shirked its purported reputation as a “football school” with this season’s magical run on the court. The Black Knights have not won a conference championship since a 24-5 campaign in 2014-15, a season in which Robbinsville advanced to the third round of the state playoffs.
It could have all fell apart, pitted against the Cats. Drew Martin bullied his way around in the paint in the first quarter, dropping eight of Andrews’ 12 points in the segment to give the Cats a slight 12-11 advantage. Andrews then went on a 6-0 run to start the second and kept the Knights off-kilter until the break, when the Wildcats led 21-20.
But, Robbinsville.
Even an 8-0 start to the third failed to break its spirit. Donovan Carpenter took it upon himself to connect for a basket, a trey and – at the horn – another trey, this time a clean-up job from a 3 he launched at the 4-second mark. Head coach Jake Beasley said that moment was the turning point for the team.
Xander Wachacha later gave the Black Knights just their second lead of the game midway through the fourth, slinging back-to-back shots through the net and even tacking on a pair of foul shots as part of his mini-frenzy. Both Carpenter and Wachacha racked up a team-leading 14 points in the showing.
Robbinsville visited the charity stripe frequently throughout the waning seconds of action, finishing 14-of-19 (74 percent) from the line.
On Eagles’ wings
Hiwassee Dam – Not a single member of the home-standing Eagles could thwart Carpenter on Monday, who seemingly rebounded at-will and paced a crowded Robbinsville scoreline in a lopsided 76-44 rout at Hiwassee Dam (9-11).
The Knights consistently maintained a 10-point advantage over the Eagles. Helping put the game to bed early was a 26-4 third period in favor of the Knights, where Carpenter, Brock Adams and Wachacha all scored and stained the glass on the home goal with quick rebounds.
Building for the future, Robbinsville placed many of its reserves on the hardwood as the fate of Hiwassee Dam continued to become more obvious. For example, junior 6-foot-6 center Nathanael Shope pulled down five boards and tacked on a pair of assists in the game.
In relief, seniors Austin Crisp (two rebounds) and Caleb Draper (4-for-6 from the foul line) also made an impact in the final segment.
Series evened
Murphy – The Knights limited Murphy to a minuscule 33 points in the first pairing between the schools Dec. 16.
The Bulldogs more than doubled that output in the Jan. 26 return, including a 31-point fourth quarter that help stun the first-place Black Knights 74-56.
Robbinsville got off to a lethargic start, but found itself re-energized with a 21-11 dash in the second. The spurt began with Carpenter plucking back-to-back steals and recording a pair of assists on hand-offs to Wachacha, who hit a 3 and the go-ahead 2 that made it 18-17, Knights.
Though Wachacha hit a jumper and Bryce Adams connected on a free throw to tie things at 30-all in the third, Dillian Brown, Cole Laney and Zach Skogen each roped shots from outside into the net to widen the margin to 43-33.
Skogen proved to be unstoppable in the fourth, posting 15 in the final segment and cementing the victory with a dunk at the buzzer.
Junior varsity
Robbinsville (7-9) tapered off from a 29-29 stalemate in the junior-varsity contest at Murphy, eventually dropping a 64-45 outing to the Bulldogs.
Dane Knott posted 20 to pace the Black Knights’ offense. Luke Lovin recorded 11, while Isiac Collins had seven. Kyzik Teesateskie’s 4-point afternoon – coupled with a pair of fourth-quarter shots from both Kasen Buchanan and Logan Callaway – wrapped up the line.
Monday, the Knights left the court with a 64-31 boast over Hiwassee Dam.
Atop the crammed Robbinsville scoreline was Knott’s second-straight, 20-point effort. Lovin connected for 14, while Callaway posted five.
Javian Blair, Isaiah Brown, Buchanan, Collins and Teesateskie each mixed in four, while Elliott Beasley and Trey Lambert both had a bucket. Dane Daniels sank a foul shot to round out the offense.
The return home Tuesday proved to be vindication for Robbinsville, as the Knights rinsed the bad taste of a 50-9 loss to Andrews on Dec. 20 by scurrying past the Wildcats 40-33.
Lovin ran up a 12-point afternoon, powered solely by four, 3-pointers. Teesateskie dropped 11, while Knott posted six.
Adding to the victory was Collins, 5; Brown, 4; and Tanner Hedden, 2.