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Cold-shooting hampers SM in loss to Franklin
Smoky Mountain started off cold and got colder as the game went along as the Lady Mustangs (17-5, 10-4) dropped a 49-41 Mountain Athletic Conference basketball decision Friday at Franklin.
SM shot 26.5 percent (13 of 49) from the floor and 47.4 percent (nine of 19) from the line.
The Lady Panthers controlled the boards 38-24.
Smoky Mountain's Ameka Buchanan and a pair of Rabun County players tie up the basketball in last week's 65-46 victory at Rabun County (Ga.). – Herald photo by Carey Phillips
"We had a cold shooting night and were dominated on the boards," Coach Cindi Simmons said.
Franklin's Ashley Parham scored 17 points, and Kayla Morgan had 10.
SM's Cetera DeGraffenreid led all scorers with 19 points. She also topped the team with six rebounds, five steals and five assists.
Leslie Mathis finished with 10 points.
Mathis hit a three-pointer to open the scoring 25 seconds into the game, but a three-point play by Rebecca Norris with 1:26 on the clock gave the Lady Panthers a 9-8 edge at the quarter break that they would never relinquish.
Parham had four points in an 8-2 spurt to start the second period as Franklin went up 17-10 when Sarah Carrion scored with 5:25 to play in the half.
Amy Haggard's 16-footer cut the gap to 22-20 at the 1:50 mark, and the Lady Panthers led 23-20 at intermission.
Franklin spurted to a 30-22 advantage on Parham's three-pointer with 4:01 to play in the third period, which ended with the Lady Panthers on top 34-27.
Franklin's biggest lead was 36-27 on a driving layup by Parham with 6:47 to play.
DeGraffenreid's layup cut the gap to 33-30 at the 3:54 mark, and the Lady Mustangs were as close as 43-41 when Mathis drained a three-pointer with 1:04 on the clock.
SM failed to score again, and Franklin made six of eight free throws down the stretch.
DeGraffenreid made six field goals, including a three-pointer, and six free throws. Two of Mathis' three field goals were treys, and she hit two foul shots.
Haggard added nine points, and Ameka Buchanan scored three.
Kristine Webb blocked five shots.
The Lady Mustang JVs fell to 13-9 with a 44-29 loss. Brittany Gilbert scored 11 points.
Franklin led at quarter breaks by scores of 10-4, 17-15 and 33-21.
SM was 11 of 29 from the foul line.
"They played a good defensive game but missing those free throws and their press hurt us," Coach Kim Hardy said.
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