The North Greene boys struggled to get shots to fall on Monday night and closed the regular season with a 57-37 loss to Cherokee.
“I don’t feel like we were ready to play tonight,” North Greene coach Matt Weems said. “We had a hard time converting on anything, and against a good team eventually the dam is going to break. We just didn’t make open looks. We kept a really-high scoring team in the 50s, but if you can’t make it out of the 30s you aren’t going to beat anybody.”
The Huskies will now turn their attention to the postseason and will begin the District 1-1A Tournament on Saturday against Unaka at Happy Valley.
“I’m little concerned that we were already looking ahead to Unaka,” Weems said. “We just have to get back to work tomorrow. We’ll make some adjustments and put a game plan together. It’s tournament time and now anything game happen.”
Monday started with both offenses struggling to score and North Greene clung to an 8-7 advantage. North Greene’s Tyler Britton knocked down a three-pointer on the first possession of the evening and Cherokee’s Braxton Markham followed with a triple for the Chiefs shortly after.
With 27 seconds left in the period North Greene went in front when Jaiden Bailey drained a corner three. It was the first shot North Greene made in 4:57 of game play and the first shot either team made in 3:21.
Cherokee went in front briefly at 12-10 in the second quarter when North Greene left the lane open for Gavin Lawson to attack the rim.
The Huskies answered with a jumper in the lane from Thomas Darnell and a transition triple from Isaac Gaby to go in front 15-12.
In the late stages of the first half Gaby hit from deep again and Kingston Ricker turned a steal into an easy layup for a 21-18 North Greene lead.
In the final 41 seconds Cherokee’s Isaiah Jones scored twice and the Chiefs went to the break leading 22-21.
Darnell swung the lead back in North Greene’s favor when he put back an offensive rebound that made it 25-24 with 5:17 left in the third quarter.
The Chiefs then took control of the contest by finishing the period on a 10-2 run. Lawson and Markham each scored four points in the stretch.
The Chiefs went to the fourth quarter leading 34-27.
North Greene’s offensive woes continued into the fourth quarter and they could not put a dent in Cherokee’s lead.
With 6:18 left to play Markham sank a triple to put the Chiefs in front 42-30.
Cherokee began to pull away in the late stages, scoring 10 points in the final 2:23 on the way to a 57-37 win.
Darnell led North Greene with 14 points. For Cherokee Branson Mowell scored 14 points while Markham and Jones each scored 10 points.
