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Undefeated Smoky Mountain women answer road challenge
Faced with adversity for only the second time this season, Smoky Mountain’s undefeated women’s basketball team responded with flying colors to take a 65-38 non-conference victory Friday at Rabun County (Ga.).
Cetera DeGraffenreid scored 22 points for the Lady Mustangs (10-0). Amy Haggard added 11, and Ashley Robinson had 10.
Rabun’s Kelsey Welch scored 18 points.
The game was much closer than the final score would indicate. With DeGraffenreid and Haggard both on the bench with four fouls, the Lady Wildcats closed within three points late in the third quarter.
However, SM ended the game on a 28-4 run despite DeGraffenreid and Haggard sitting out most of the fourth period.
“It was a good challenge for us,” Coach Cindi Simmons said. “We had several players step up.”
Among those she cited for filling the void were Laury Brown, Kelli Woodard, Ashley Coggins and Tasha Junaluska.
The Lady Mustangs held a 36-21 lead on two free throws by Haggard with 4:56 to play in the third period.
Welch’s five points keyed a 10-1 run cutting the gap to 37-34 with 47 seconds to go in the stanza.
Coggins hit a three-pointer to stem the tide making it 40-34 at the quarter break.
SM closed the game with a 19-2 spurt. At one point, Robinson scored 10 straight points for her team.
Both teams had trouble scoring in the first period. The game was almost five minutes old with SM holding a 2-0 edge.
The Lady Mustangs were up 7-5 entering the second quarter after a basket by Jenna Carpenter.
SM closed the half with an 11-1 spurt, including nine by DeGraffenreid, for a 29-15 margin.
DeGraffenreid made eight field goals, including a three-pointer, and five foul shots. Haggard connected on four field goals and three free throws. Robinson also hit four field goals and was two of two at the line.
Woodard finished with eight points, Coggins followed with six, Brown scored four, and Carpenter and Junaluska both had two.
DeGraffenreid came up with six steals and handed out six assists. Woodard was the top rebounder with nine.
Woodard and DeGraffenreid shared the Hammer Award for hustle stats. Woodard had five loose balls, five deflections, four offensive rebounds and drew a charge. DeGraffenreid had six loose balls, two deflections and two offensive rebounds to go with her steals.
The Lady Mustang JVs are 8-1 after a 56-33 win. They led at quarter breaks by scores of 17-6, 20-14 and 39-22.
Cayla Cucumber scored 15 points, and Brittany Gilbert had 11.
“We had a flat start, but in the second half it didn’t matter what kind of defense they put on us,” Coach Ollin Dunford said. “Brittany played well on both sides of the ball.”
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