Cherokee’s Shelby Wolfe (#14) shoots over Andrews’ Haley West (#32) during a home game on Tuesday, Dec. 8. Wolfe finished the game with 21 points. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photos)
By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
ONE FEATHER STAFF
Cherokee’s Pooh King and Shelby Wolfe combined for 44 points as the Lady Braves (3-2) rolled 80-49 over the Andrews Lady Wildcats (1-1) in their Smoky Mountain Conference opener at home on Tuesday, Dec. 8. King, junior point guard, ended with 23 points and Wolfe, sophomore forward, added 21 to lead Cherokee.
“Our defensive intensity was way better than it was last night (Monday game against A.C. Reynolds), and that made our offense work so much better,” said Chris Mintz, Lady Braves head coach. “We passed the ball great inside and had a bunch of easy baskets.”
He added, “I hope we just keep improving. Tonight, we played a whole lot better. As long as we keep improving. We’ve got a ways to go to get to where we want to be, but we’ll keep getting there.”
Cherokee came out of the blocks playing hard defense. In fact, Andrews didn’t score until the 4:52 mark of the first period at which point the Lady Braves had an 8-2 lead. Cherokee kept the pressure up and led 32-6 after the first.
Andrews came back some in the second period and went on an 11-4 run cutting the score to 36-17 with 5:55 left before the half. At that point, Cherokee went on a 7-point run of their own and led 43-17 at the 4:42 mark.
Cherokee’s Pooh King (#10) drives past Andrews’ Erika Griggs (#11) in the first half of Tuesday’s game. King led the Lady Braves with 23 points.
The rest of the period was relatively even with Andrews scoring 12 and Cherokee scoring 11 as the Lady Braves took a 47-26 lead into the locker room.
The Lady Braves came out for the third period gunning and extended their lead to 30 (62-32) following a traditional three-point play by Wolfe at the 5:45 mark. Three minutes later, Cherokee had doubled Andrews’ score at 68-34.
With 1:10 left in the third, Carla Wolfe, Lady Braves freshman guard, grabbed a rebound and drove coast-to-coast for a lay-up to give the Lady Braves a 40-point lead (75-35) thereby invoking the NCHSAA mercy rule, and the clock ran continuously for the remainder of the game.
The fourth period went quickly and Cherokee took the 80-49 win.
Other Lady Braves scorers included: Macie Welch 4, Tori Teesateskie 11, Carla Wolfe 8, LeLe Lossiah 8, Bree Stamper 2 and Jordan Maney 3.
Andrews scorers included: Paige Lindley 5, Erika Griggs 4, Jacqueline West 8, Kenzie Gunter 4, Journey Clark 6, Morgan Mashburn 5, Cheyenne Rattler 1, Brooke Nelson 3, Haley West 3 and Tiffany Holloway 10.
To view or purchase photos from this game, visit: https://onefeather.smugmug.com/SPORTS/BASKETBALL/LADY-BRAVES-BASKETBALL-201516/Vs-Andrews-December-8/
