BLOUNTVILLE – Both South Greene (18-12) and Chuckey Doak (7-22) took the floor Saturday afternoon hoping to secure a return trip to the District 1-2A championship game. A win would guarantee a home opener in the region tournament and help avoid a potential first-round matchup with Gatlinburg Pittman, the state’s top-ranked team.
Both squads appeared ready for a four-quarter battle, but turnovers that led to easy transition buckets proved costly for Chuckey-Doak as the Lady Rebels pulled away for a 67-43 victory.
“Execution,” was the word Coach Stephen Gregg emphasized when asked about his team’s performance. “Our girls showed composure after getting some of the nerves out in the first quarter. I feel like everybody who played contributed.”
The game opened with eight minutes of back-and-forth action. Ari Hoese gave South Greene a quick 3-0 lead just 30 seconds in, but Kori Hollifield answered 10 seconds later to tie the game on Chuckey Doak’s first possession.
The pace slowed over the next two minutes until Hoese knocked down two free throws to put the Lady Rebels ahead 5-3. From there, the lead changed hands three times in a 30-second span. Carlene Bishop buried two three-pointers, sandwiching a Hoese jumper, as the Lady Knights clung to a 9-7 edge with 3:32 remaining in the quarter.
Hollifield had a chance to extend the lead after drawing a foul with 2:30 left but missed both free throws. Jayden Myers tracked down the loose ball and scored to push the advantage to 11-7. South Greene responded with a 7-0 run to close the quarter and take a 14-11 lead.
Kortnei Bailey and Myers traded baskets early in the second quarter, keeping the score tight at 18-15 with 6:18 to play. A jumper by Paisley Brobeck made it 20-15 before Bailey picked up her third foul with 5:26 remaining in the half and was forced to the bench.
Rather than falter, the Lady Rebels surged. Hoese, Alexa Gabbard, and Sam Birdwell intensified the defensive pressure, forcing turnovers and converting on the other end. South Greene capped a 17-0 run to take a commanding 34-15 lead into halftime.
“That was huge,” Gregg said of his team’s response without one of its leaders on the floor. “We always preach ‘next man up,’ and I’m sure that blossomed their confidence a little bit more.”
Hoese echoed that sentiment. “We normally fall back a little bit when Kortnei goes out, but seeing what we did tonight makes it better to know we can handle it if she gets in foul trouble.”
The final two quarters belonged to Bailey and the Lady Rebels. Bailey scored 20 of her game-high 26 points after the break, helping secure the championship berth. Hoese added 19 points, Birdwell finished with seven, and Trinity Borner chipped in six. Myers led Chuckey Doak with 14 points, while Bishop added 10.
The victory sets up a championship showdown between South Greene and Unicoi County — two programs with a storied postseason history dating back to the late 1980s and early 1990s. Tip-off is scheduled for approximately 7:30 PM Monday, following the 6 PM. consolation game between Chuckey Doak and Johnson County.
South Greene (67) 14-17-16-20: Bailey 26, Hoese 19, Birdwell 7, Borner 6, Brobeck 4, Davis 3, Gabbard 2
Chuckey Doak (43) 11-4-16-12: Myers 14, Car. Bishop 19, Hollifield 8, Cri. Bishop 4, Siedl 3, Kirkpatrick 2, Dayton 2
