It’s hard to imagine any team got off to a hotter start in the NC High School Athletic Association 1-A state playoffs than Highlands varsity girls.
Three minutes into the Tuesday night’s game against Bessemer City the Highlanders held a 10-0 lead and all but erased any doubt about who was going to win the contest.
The home team rolled to a 67-38 victory and on to the second round of the bracket. Highlands will host Langtree Charter at 6 p.m. on Thursday night.
“I thought our girls came out focused, and scoring a couple of baskets early in a playoff game is always good to get everyone settled down and into the flow of the game,” Highlands coach Jacob Page said. “When we saw that (Bessemer City) was playing zone, we knew the key to getting good shots would be to move the ball and make them move their feet defensively. Our girls did a good job of executing on offense.”
Highlands’ first five field goals of the game came from four different players, as Kedra McCall, Jordan Carrier, Hayley Borino and Julia May Schmitt each got on the board in the opening minutes.
The Highlanders’ defense was able to put pressure on Bessemer City’s guards and forced multiple first quarter turnovers as Highlands raced out to an 18-7 lead after one quarter.
A pair of three-point buckets from Carrier and Borino early in the second quarter pushed Highlands out to a lead that it would never relinquish. By halftime the Highlanders’ advantage was 40-14.
“We were getting good shots, which starts with ball movement and crisp passing,” Page said. “If we are able to get open looks at the basket we have the ability to knock them down. It’s just a matter of being patient and getting good looks.”
The second half was a more even affair with the outcome of the game no longer in doubt. Both coaches found playing time for every player on their respective benches.
Bessemer City guard Janiya Adams got hot offensively in the fourth quarter for the Yellow Jackets, but her 11 second half points weren’t enough to put a dent in the deficit as Highlands cruised to a 67-38 win.
Adams led the visitors with 19 points. Daejah Hardin added 11 points and five rebounds in the loss.
Carrier and Julia May Schmitt each poured in 14 points to lead Highlands. Borino added 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds. A total of 10 different Highlanders tallied at least one field goal in the win.
Highlands (16-10 overall), the seven seed in the 1-A bracket, will take on 10-seed Langtree Charter (26-4 overall) on Thursday night.
“The thing about the playoffs is they move pretty fast, there’s no time to rest and relax,” Page said. “We get one practice (Wednesday) and then we are right back at it, and that is one of the things that makes playing at home so important.”
Lincoln Charter 89, Highlands 42
Highlands varsity boys basketball season came to a close on Tuesday night with an 89-42 loss to number one seed Lincoln Charter.
Highlands finished the season 10-16 overall.