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Mustangs win WAC opener for first time since 1994-95 season

By Carey Phillips
Smoky Mountain's Justin Roper - Herald Photo by Carey Phillips

Justin Roper shoots from the baseline over a Pisgah defender in Smoky Mountain's 71-57 victory last week. The Mustangs enter the Christmas break 4-4 overall and 1-1 in the Western Athletic Conference.

Smoky Mountain won its first Western Athletic Conference basketball opener since the 1994-95 season 71-57 Friday at Pisgah.

Michael Wheatley scored 25 points, including 12 in the first quarter, when he kept the Mustangs afloat. Anthony Dyer finished with 18 points, and Justin Roper had 10.

Alan Gibson scored 16 points for the Bears, and Andy Long had 14.

"We still need to put together four quarters, but we have become a second half team this year," Coach Scott Hartbarger said. "Anytime you go to Canton and come out with a win, it's a good feeling. That's a tough place to play."

After trailing most of the first half, including 36-32 at intermission, SM took control with an impressive third quarter by outscoring the Bears 18-4.

Dyer's three-pointer put his team ahead to stay, 37-36, with 6:54 on the clock. He had seven points in a 13-2 run for a 45-38 lead on Roper's basket at the 2:03 mark.
Phillip Wade converted a three-point play and Dyer had a bucket before the end of the quarter extending the margin to 50-40.

Pisgah scored the first six points of the final stanza cutting the gap to 50-46 on Gibson's inside basket at the 5:28 mark.

The Mustangs regained control with an 8-1 run, capped by Derrick Hawk's two free throws, making it 58-47 with 4:16 on the clock.

SM put the game away with a 10-2 spurt, including four by Wheatley. Hawk's fast break layup with 30 seconds left accounted for the game's largest lead, 71-55.

Gibson scored four points helping Pisgah to a 6-0 lead with just over a minute elapsed. Wheatley kept SM close as he scored 12 of his team's 14 points in the opening quarter. Included were a trio of three-pointers and a three-point play.

Despite Wheatley's output, Pisgah led 15-14 at the quarter break after a three-pointer by Long with two seconds on the clock.

Ten consecutive points, including five by Roper, gave the Mustangs a 32-27 advantage after Michael Ritchie's driving layup with 2:03 left in the half.

Pisgah countered with the final nine points before intermission for a 36-32 lead on D.J. Fretwell's three-pointer at the buzzer.

Wheatley made nine field goals, including four three-pointers, and was three of three at the line. Dyer hit five field goals, including a three-pointer, and seven of 10 foul shots. Roper made four field goals and two of two free throws.

Wade totaled seven points, Jason Bennett finished with five, Hawk scored four and Ritchie had two. Hartbarger said Roper showed improvement in getting the team into its offense. He cited Wheatley and Dyer for continuing to provide offensive power.

Pisgah hit a free throw with less than a second to play to win the JV game 57-56. The Mustangs were led by Jeff Davis with 18 points, Jared Day with 14 and Jake Day with 11.

Pisgah led at quarter breaks by scores of 19-12, 31-24 and 41-35.

"I was proud of our kids," Coach Jim Hartbarger said. "They played so hard and never gave up."

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