Wildcats extinguish Green Devils for 1st win of season
Lead Summary
By
The Highland County Press-
Perseverance and determination are two terms which can be used to describe the Whiteoak Wildcats this season.
In the midst of nearly a complete rebuild of their basketball program, the Wildcats have landed on some tough times the past couple seasons … Friday night was not one of those nights.
At North Adams, the Wildcats put four complete quarters together, and once the final buzzer was over, they snapped a nearly two-season losing skid, defeating the host Green Devils, 60-42.
The win was the first for the Wildcats since the first game of last season, a span of 36 games.
"This was good for the kids," first-year WHS head coach Jeremy McGraw told The Highland County Press. "They've worked hard all season, and (Friday) they played hard and deserved the win."
On Friday night, the Wildcats (1-17) scored 11 points in the opening quarter, including seven points from freshman Chase Carraher. He made two 3-pointers in the opening quarter.
Carraher, in fact, led all scorers with a game-high 23 points, with all of his points scored in the first three quarters.
With points also from Brandon Ashbaugh and Zack Taggett in the first, the Wildcats led after the first by an 11-10 score.
Ashbaugh finished the game with 20 points.
WHS came back in the second quarter with a 14-point effort while playing on the road, this time with Kyle Marler, Carraher, Ashbaugh and Jacob Burns contributing to the scoring. Burns ended the night with six points.
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In the second, Ashbaugh scored six points, with Burns adding four. Carraher sank a 3-pointer in the second, and Marler chipped in with two points. Even after that, WHS trailed by two points at halftime at 27-25, as NA had their best quarter of basketball in the second, scoring 17 points.
Then there was the second half, where WHS totaled 35 points, including a 21-point third quarter.
This was the game-changing quarter as the Wildcat defense came out of the locker room with a renewed attitude, holding the Green Devils to just eight points in the quarter.
In that third frame, the Wildcats had 13 points by Carraher in eight minutes, including his fourth 3-pointer of the game.
Ashbaugh continued his scoring with six points in the quarter, and Burns made a bucket in the frame as well. Burns totaled five points in the win.
The Wildcats weren't finished in the final frame, keeping their lead with 14 more points in the quarter (while NA scored seven points).
Dillon Neal made five free throws for the Wildcats, Marler sank a two-point basket, and Ashbaugh topped off the victory with seven points in the quarter.
The Wildcats were 10-of-21 from the free-throw line, while the Green Devils were 8-of-16.
Each team made four 3-pointers.
The Green Devils were led by Mikey Sheeley with 17 points and Trey Meade with 11.
In the midst of nearly a complete rebuild of their basketball program, the Wildcats have landed on some tough times the past couple seasons … Friday night was not one of those nights.
At North Adams, the Wildcats put four complete quarters together, and once the final buzzer was over, they snapped a nearly two-season losing skid, defeating the host Green Devils, 60-42.
The win was the first for the Wildcats since the first game of last season, a span of 36 games.
"This was good for the kids," first-year WHS head coach Jeremy McGraw told The Highland County Press. "They've worked hard all season, and (Friday) they played hard and deserved the win."
On Friday night, the Wildcats (1-17) scored 11 points in the opening quarter, including seven points from freshman Chase Carraher. He made two 3-pointers in the opening quarter.
Carraher, in fact, led all scorers with a game-high 23 points, with all of his points scored in the first three quarters.
With points also from Brandon Ashbaugh and Zack Taggett in the first, the Wildcats led after the first by an 11-10 score.
Ashbaugh finished the game with 20 points.
WHS came back in the second quarter with a 14-point effort while playing on the road, this time with Kyle Marler, Carraher, Ashbaugh and Jacob Burns contributing to the scoring. Burns ended the night with six points.
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In the second, Ashbaugh scored six points, with Burns adding four. Carraher sank a 3-pointer in the second, and Marler chipped in with two points. Even after that, WHS trailed by two points at halftime at 27-25, as NA had their best quarter of basketball in the second, scoring 17 points.
Then there was the second half, where WHS totaled 35 points, including a 21-point third quarter.
This was the game-changing quarter as the Wildcat defense came out of the locker room with a renewed attitude, holding the Green Devils to just eight points in the quarter.
In that third frame, the Wildcats had 13 points by Carraher in eight minutes, including his fourth 3-pointer of the game.
Ashbaugh continued his scoring with six points in the quarter, and Burns made a bucket in the frame as well. Burns totaled five points in the win.
The Wildcats weren't finished in the final frame, keeping their lead with 14 more points in the quarter (while NA scored seven points).
Dillon Neal made five free throws for the Wildcats, Marler sank a two-point basket, and Ashbaugh topped off the victory with seven points in the quarter.
The Wildcats were 10-of-21 from the free-throw line, while the Green Devils were 8-of-16.
Each team made four 3-pointers.
The Green Devils were led by Mikey Sheeley with 17 points and Trey Meade with 11.