Greeneville’s basketball team continues to show improvement but is still searching for its first win of the season after falling to Sevier County 49–45 on Friday night at Hal Henard Gymnasium.
The Greene Devils jumped out to a slim 14–13 lead in the opening quarter by knocking down four three-pointers. Taren Claridy led Greeneville with six points in the period and finished with a game-high 16. Braylen Kidwell and Parker Quillen each added three. Nick Dougherty scored seven of his team-high 12 points in the quarter to pace the Smoky Bears.
Claridy opened the second quarter with four straight points, including a layup and a thunderous two-handed dunk that pushed Greeneville’s advantage to 18–13 and energized the home crowd. The momentum was short-lived, however, as Sevier County responded with a 7–0 run to take a 20–18 lead. Quillen briefly swung the advantage back in Greeneville’s favor with a three-pointer to make it 21–20, but the Smoky Bears closed the half on a 5–0 run to take a 25–21 lead into the locker room.
Sevier County scored the first three points of the third quarter to extend its lead to 28–21 before Greeneville answered. Zyaire Neal knocked down a three-pointer, and Kidwell converted a three-point play to tie the game at 27–27. The lead changed hands several times down the stretch until Yordan Mills drained a three for Greeneville, only to see Sevier County hold a 35–33 advantage heading into the fourth.
The teams traded baskets early in the final quarter, but Sevier County appeared poised to pull away when it took a 44–40 lead with 2:55 remaining, forcing Greeneville to call a timeout. Coming out of the break, Mills—who finished with eight points—buried a three-pointer to cut the deficit to one at 44–43.
The Smoky Bears answered with a layup and a free throw to extend the lead to 47–43 with 34 seconds remaining. Greeneville stayed composed, and after an initial shot rattled out, Claridy grabbed the offensive rebound and scored to make it a two-point game at 47–45 with 21 seconds left.
Greeneville was unable to force a turnover on the ensuing inbounds play and was forced to foul. Sevier County made one of two free throws, giving the Devils one final chance to tie the game. Greeneville turned to Quillen for the potential game-tying shot, but it bounced off the rim. Sevier County secured the rebound, went back to the free-throw line, and sealed the win.
Greeneville, now 0–8 on the season, will face Page before traveling to Lexington for the Battle of the Bluegrass prior to Christmas.
