By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
CHEROKEE, N.C. – The Charles George Memorial Arena was absolutely filled to the brim on Friday, Feb. 23, and fans of Cherokee High School basketball were treated to a show. The Cherokee Braves and Lady Braves both won the Smoky Mountain Conference tournament titles that night continuing their winning ways as both teams also won the regular season titles.
Following the game, Ann Gardner, Lady Braves head coach, said, “I think we’ve stayed consistent throughout the whole year, and we just keep working. We continue to try to get better and better and get prepared for the playoffs as we go. They’ve done a tremendous job and just enjoy playing the game of basketball and working together.”
Cherokee’s Mike Driver goes for a shot inside while being defended by Hayesville’s Isaac Chandler during the championship game of the Smoky Mountain Conference basketball tournament held at the Charles George Memorial Arena on the evening of Friday, Feb. 23. Driver led Cherokee with 16 points as the Braves edged the Yellow Jackets 75-70 to take the title. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photos)
When asked her thoughts on the upcoming 1A state playoffs, Coach Gardner noted, “At that point it’s one and done so you either come and bring it all or you’re doing inventory the next week. I think we’re prepared. I think we’re good to go and they’re excited about the opportunity, and just see how it goes.”
“I think it starts in practice. We prepare in practice every day by competing against each other first and then that allows us to be able to see the floor and be able to make the passes that we make successfully. It all comes down to what we do prep-wise in practice and to be able to do what we do on the court. That’s night-in and night-out, day-in and day-out. Just come ready to work.”
PHOTOS: vs Swain County, SMC semis, February 19 – Cherokee One Feather (smugmug.com)
vs Hayesville, SMC final, February 23 – Cherokee One Feather (smugmug.com)
The Lady Braves dominated their semifinal matchup on Monday, Feb. 19 with Swain Co. leading 29-9 after the first period and 63-17 at the half. Due to the NCHSAA mercy rule, the clock ran the entirety of the second half, and Cherokee took the win 78-28.
The final on Friday, Feb. 23 was much the same for the Lady Braves as they defeated the Hayesville Lady Yellow Jackets 82-27. Cherokee led 24-7 after the first period and had a commanding 52-17 lead at the half. The Lady Braves led 65-23 after the third en route to their victory and tournament championship.
Whitney Rogers led the way for Cherokee in the final with 17 points. Along with Whitney, four other Lady Braves were in double digits including Loshi Ward 14, Dvdaya Swimmer 13, Daisee Fourkiller-Raby 10, and Joscelyn Stamper 13. Other Lady Braves scorers included: Awee Walkingstick 6, Kyla Moore 3, Madison Rogers 1, Yvonne Saunooke 2, and Emilee Brady 3.
Scorers for Hayesville included: Ava Shook 6, Jasmine Brooks 7, Bryleigh Krieger 4, Briley Clampitt 3, Emma Ashe 5, and Brooke Graves 2.
PHOTOS: vs Murphy, SMC semis, February 19 – Cherokee One Feather (smugmug.com)
vs Hayesville, SMC final, February 23 – Cherokee One Feather (smugmug.com)
Following a nail-biter of a game in the final, Braves Head Coach Raymius Smith said, “For the tournament, we played good. That’s just an acumen to them, just a testament to the work those boys put in. Everything I’ve thrown at them, even the kitchen sink, they took it and ran with it. I can’t ask for any better kids. They’ve sat there and worked their butts off day-in, day-out. They deserve everything they’ve gotten so far.”
When asked his plan heading into the playoffs, Coach Smith said, “We’re just going to continue our team chemistry. Like I tell the boys, it might not be your night tonight, but that’s the reason we have 13 players…it’s just about who’s rolling when, who’s rolling where. Just like tonight, Javan Garcia, a sophomore, stepped up big for us, gave us some big minutes right there in the fourth quarter and all the way into the finish. He’s one of them that bought into everything that the coaching staff has asked of him. Just a great team win.”
Cherokee’s Whitney Rogers (#32) goes for a steal against a Hayesville player during the first half of the championship game of the Smoky Mountain Conference basketball tournament. Rogers led the Lady Braves with 17 points as they won big 82-27 to take the title.
In the semifinal game on Monday, Feb. 19, the Braves had to come from behind in the second half. After trailing 37-29 at the half, Cherokee outscored Murphy 21-16 in the third period to only trail by three going into the final period. Strong shooting from the Braves in three-point land in the fourth period gave them the edge as they outscored the Bulldogs 28-17 to take the win by a final score of 75-70.
The tournament final on Friday, Feb. 23 pitted the Braves against the Hayesville Yellow Jackets. This one was close the entire way with Cherokee leading 17-15 after the first period and 35-34 at the half. Hayesville got a 10-point lead early in the third period, but the Braves came back and actually led 50-48 going into the fourth. The lead changed hands multiple times in the final period, but the Braves held on for a 4-point victory (69-65) to take the championship.
Michael Driver led the way again for the Braves with 16 points followed by Jack Teesateskie with 14. Elijah Lineberry and Javan Garcia both had 10. Other scorers for the Braves included: Samuel Hernandez 2, Savian Davis 8, Spencer Moore Jr. 4, and Luke Smith 4.
Scorers for Hayesville included: Slade Crouch 22, Luke Lee 14, Isaac Chandler 24, Landon Hughes 3, and Jackson Sellers 2.
The Lady Braves received the third seed in the West of the 1A women’s basketball tournament, and the Braves received the sixth seed for the men’s side. The first two rounds of the state tournament will be held Tuesday, Feb. 27 and Friday, March 1.
The JV Braves, who won the regular season title, also followed that up with a tournament title by defeating the Murphy Bulldogs 50-44 in the final on Thursday, Feb. 22.
