The Highlands Lady Highlanders placed three players in double figures and canned 17-18 shots from the foul line to ride a second half comeback and defeat Swain County 46-39 in basketball action Wednesday night.
Employing a tight zone press throughout much of the game and playing an up tempo game on offense, the Lady Highlanders (7-9 overall, 2-0 LSMC) were able to overcome a five-point deficit in the game’s final 11 minutes to pull out the win.
Sophomore Haley Borino and junior Jordan Carrier led the Highlands offense with 14 points each. Senior captain Kedra McCall followed with 12 points.
Coach Jake Page called his team’s effort stellar on both sides of the ball.
“The girls played a great game and it was a great team win,” Page said after the game. “I think everybody did their part to contribute to the win. From the veterans on the team all the way down to the freshmen. Everybody contributed and that’s what you like to see in a team.”
Page also praised his team’s success at the charity stripe, connecting on 17-18 free throws.
“Hitting free throws was key in that win and taking care of the basketball,” he said. “Making 17-18 is a great line and I am very proud of my girls for stepping up and having the confidence to hit them.”
Borino canned 10 straight free throws in the win, with 10 of her game-high 14 points coming from the foul line.
After leading 11-10 after the game’s first eight minutes, Highlands fell behind by four, 26-22 at the half, and was down by five, 30-25 midway through the third quarter before mounting the comeback to seal the win.
Highlands hits the road for the next six games with key Little Smoky Mountain Conference contests against rivals Hiwassee Dam, Blue Ridge and Nantahala slated before returning home Feb. 5 against Hayesville.
Page said his team is taking things one game at a time.
“Right now we are just taking it one game at a time and trying to be the best basketball team and execute the best we possibly can,” he said. “We have some big games coming up and looking forward to it.”
Swain 65,
Highlands 48
In the nightcap, the Highlander boys dug themselves a significant first quarter hole from which they could not dig out in the 65-48 loss to the Maroon Devils (7-6, 4-2).
Down 12-0 before cracking the scoring ice, the Highlanders (5-11 overall, 1-1 LSMC) rallied to close the gap to 10 points before heading into the locker room at the half down 43-23.
Coach Brett Lamb said his team could not recover from the early deficit.
“We did battle back and out-scored Swain in the second half but being down 21 at the half was too much to overcome,” he said.
The Highlanders didn’t have an answer for Maroon Devil big man Nick Millsaps, who scored 12 of his 15 points in the game’s first eight minutes as Swain County jumped out to a big 23-11 lead.
Judaiah Littlejohn and Donovan Groenewald paced the Swain offense with 16 points each in the win.
Despite the loss, Lamb was optimistic about the way his team battled back in the second half as the Highlanders head into the home stretch of its Little Smoky Mountain Conference schedule.
“I think last night will help us get focused for our final four LSMC games,” he said. “We saw some junk defenses that they played on Reid (Carrier) and we have to have other people step up and pick up the scoring.”
Carrier has had the hot hand for the Highlanders of late, coming off a school record 42 points against Franklin two weeks ago, leading the Highlands scoring effort with 13 points.
Connor Briggs added 10 points and Brent Sleight pitched in seven points to lead the Highlands offense.
Lamb said his team has to fight out to overcome the injury bug.
“Also, with Dillon Schmitt out with an injury has been tough because he leads us with defensive intensity and hustle,” he said. “We will see other game plans against us like this in the remaining games and we have to understand how to beat them and keep our cool under pressure.”
Carrier was the leading scorer with 13, Connor Briggs 10, Brent Sleight 7.
At 1-1, the Highlanders are presently in second place in the LSMC behind leader Hiwassee Dam.