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Lady Mustangs top Pisgah for first place in WAC
Cetera DeGraffenreid scored 46 points Friday leading undefeated Smoky Mountain into first place in the Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball standings with a 69-64 win over Pisgah before an overflow crowd at the SM gym.
Ashley Robinson added 14 points for the Lady Mustangs (16-0, 5-0).
The Sugar Bears got big games from Leanne Trull and Brittany Heatherly, who scored 26 and 25 points, respectively.
“We played with a lot of heart and determination,” said Coach Cindi Simmons, who credited Pisgah with playing an outstanding game. “We didn’t panic when we got behind early in the game.”
The teams went back and forth in the fourth quarter with four ties and four lead changes until SM went in front for good, 62-60, on two DeGraffenreid free throws with 1:51 on the clock. That started a run of nine of 10 foul shots by the junior point guard.
“We wanted the ball in her hands down the stretch, and she came through,” Simmons said.
Even so, Pisgah had a chance to tie with a three-pointer in the closing seconds but failed to convert.
DeGraffenreid sealed the win by making two foul shots with 3.8 seconds on the clock.
Pisgah led the entire first half until the final seconds. Crystal Cogburn hit a pair of three-pointers in a 10-2 run for a 14-6 advantage with 2:35 to go in the first period.
The Sugar Bears were up 18-10 at the quarter break.
The outcome might have been different if not for an incredible run, sparked by DeGraffenreid, to end the first half.
Pisgah led 30-20 after Heatherly’s 14-footer at the 2:01 mark.
The Lady Mustangs scored the final 11 points of the half, the last nine by DeGraffenreid in a span of 70 seconds.
After Robinson hit two foul shots, DeGraffenreid displayed her magic. She had consecutive steals and layups then added another layup after a steal by Laury Brown. Her three-pointer with five seconds left sent SM to the dressing room on top 31-30.
The third stanza produced six lead changes. The Lady Mustangs’ biggest margin was 46-40 on a three-pointer by DeGraffenreid at the 2:01 mark, and they led 49-46 at the quarter break.
DeGraffenreid hit 13 field goals, including a trio of three-pointers, and 17 foul shots. Robinson made three field goals and eight free throws.
Tasha Junaluska scored six points, and Ashley Coggins had three.
Robinson was the leading rebounder with 13. DeGraffenreid had 11 rebounds, eight steals and five assists.
DeGraffenreid, Robinson and Brown shared the Hammer Award for hustle stats. DeGraffenreid had 13 deflections, eight steals, four loose balls and two offensive rebounds. Robinson had eight offensive rebounds, four loose balls, two blocks and a steal. Brown had five loose balls, three steals, two deflections and an offensive rebound.
“Ashley came up big throughout the game” Simmons said.
One of her biggest plays was an offensive rebound on a missed free throw in the last minute of the contest.
“Laury was all over the court making hustle plays,” Simmons said.
Fans filled virtually every seat, sat along the sideline, stood against the walls and even spilled over into the lobby.
“It was a great atmosphere for high school basketball,” Simmons said.
The Lady Mustang JVs are 13-2 after a 49-41 win. Brittany Gilbert scored 17 points, and Cayla Cucumber had 10.
SM led at quarter breaks by scores of 16-7, 24-11 and 31-24.
“The girls knew this ended the first half of the conference, and Pisgah wasn’t going to be a pushover,” Coach Ollin Dunford said. “Their intensity level was high. I was proud of their effort on offense and defense.”
Natasha Crowe, who returned from a hand injury, was singled out for her play off the bench.
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