Lady Highlanders get the ‘W’ against Swain on Friday
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Photo by Christopher Lugo/Staff Ava Schmitt passes the ball.
The Highlands School varsity basketball teams were back in action on Friday night, splitting games against Swain County High School.
Girl’s Game:
Highlands – 58
Swain – 37
The Lady Highlanders got an early start and held on to beat Swain County 58-37.
In the first quarter, the Highlands started strong, going up 16-0, with baskets from Hayley Borino, Reese Schmitt and Julia Schmitt.
Swain finally got on the board with 1:23 left in the first period with a free throw to make it 16-1.
The period ended with Lilly Kate Bryson sinking two free throws.
Ava Schmitt started things in the second period with a free throw and Borino followed up with a steal and layup to increase the Lady Highlander lead 20-1.
With 5:28 left in the half, Swain sank a jump shot, but Borino answered with a three pointer to make it 23-3.
After two free throws and a layup from Reese Schmitt, it was 27-5 with 3:36 left in the half.
Borino kept things going for the Lady Highlanders with a jump shot, but Swain answered with an and one to cut the lead 30-8.
With 56 seconds left in the half, Swain sank a three pointer, but it was answered with a jump shot from Borino. To end the half, Swain had a layup to make it 32-13 at the half.
Swain opened the second half with a layup to cut the Lady Highlander lead 32-15.
With 5:48 left in the third period, Borino had a steal and lay-up to make it 34-15.
Julia Schmitt and Bella Wilson both sank layups to increase the lead 38-17, before a three pointer by Swain made it 38-20.
Two shots by Julia Schmitt and Lilly Kate Bryson ended the scoring effort in the third for the Lady Highlanders 42-22.
Swain opened the fourth period and Ava Schmitt answered with a three pointer, but Swain answered right back with a three pointer to make it 45-27.
Julia Schmitt had a layup, followed by Beatrice Bryson to increase the lead 49-27.
With 4:41 left in the game, Swain sank a three pointer to make it a 19-point game.
Hayey Borino was fouled with 4:28 left in the game, to get the Lady Highlanders above 50 points, then Ava Schmitt, Hayley Borino and Bella Wilson all sank free throws to increase the lead 56-32.
The Lady Highlanders ended the scoring effort with a layup by Beatrice Bryson to make it 58-37.
Before the home game on Friday night, the Lady Highlanders lost to Murphy and Cherokee coming off of the Christmas break.
“The game against Murphy was a tough one to start with,” HHS head coach Brett Lamb said. “We did some good stuff though, we really did. We led the whole game against Cherokee then about midway through the fourth quarter, they hit a couple of threes that kind of broke our back. We just couldn’t score. We played really well for about three and a half quarters, but it didn’t fall our way.”
Lamb said his girls played a great game Friday night.
“Our defense and pressure stayed up and we had a little lapse there at the beginning of the second half, but that is something we will have to correct,” Lamb said. “Everybody really contributed tonight.”
With the win, the Lady Highlanders improve to 6-6 on the season and 3-0 in the conference.
Boy’s game:
Highlands – 17
Swain – 68
The Highlanders couldn’t come back after a heavy start from Swain County, losing 68-17.
The Red Devils jumped out ahead early, 15-0, until Kasen Mitchell sank a three pointer with 4:46 left in the first period to make it 15-3.
Swain went on the attack again with two three pointers, and four layups to end the first period up 29-3.
The second period opened with Swain attacking, hitting four layups, two three pointers again.
The Highlanders were able to hit a couple of free throws to go into the half down 48-6.
The third period ended with Swain up 60-11.
Swain opened up the fourth period with a layup to increase their lead before Kaden Mitchell knocked down a free throw with 5:46 left in the game.
With 4:31 left in the fourth period, Kaden Mitchell hit a jump shot to cut the Red Devil lead 65-14, followed by a three pointer by Jeffrey Olvera to make it 65-17.
With 10 seconds left in the game, Swain hit a three pointer to end the scoring effort, 68-17.
With the loss, the Highlanders fall to 3-7 on the season and 1-1 in conference play.
- By Christopher Lugo