Andy Scheidler
sports@thefranklinpress.com
Games early in the season are a prime time for learning.
Franklin’s basketball team is still building cohesion, while the young players new to varsity are still getting a grasp on the level of competition.
The Panthers learned multiple aspects related to defense during a pair of recent games. In a four-point loss last week to Cherokee, it became evident they need to be able to play man-to-man defense.
This week, in a thrilling 61-60 victory over Hayesville, they learned about the need to play defense away from the ball and helping double-team post players.
“Some of our guys are gonna have to learn to play defense before their man gets the ball, instead of letting their guy get the ball and trying to make a play, whether it’s steals or blocked shots,” FHS coach Doug Plemmons said. “We’re fouling ourselves onto the bench.”
Trey Penland has fouled out of the past two games, while Miles McClure was in foul trouble during Monday’s contest with Hayesville (2-1).
“We played a lot of that game with some of our better players sitting over there watching,” Plemmons said. “That’s really two games in a row we’ve done that.”
McClure had the unenviable duty of trying to guard Hayesville center Jake McTaggert. The sophomore poured in 32 points, including going 10-for-17 at the free-throw line.
“I think we learned we can’t single guard the post when they’re as good as he was,” Plemmons said of McTaggert. “Gonna have to get in there and help out, force the ball back out and take our chances with them shooting jump shots rather than allowing him to dominate the paint.”
The Panthers (2-1) made sure to swarm to the ball when McTaggert got it late, particularly the final possession with the game on the line.
FHS led by 12 points at halftime, and was still up nine going in the final quarter. But the Yellow Jackets wouldn’t go away. They got within three with 1 minute, 30 seconds left.
A 3-pointer with 8.7 seconds pulled them within one, at 61-60.
McClure inbounded the ball, opting to throw it long. But he threw it too far for Griffin Green to catch. Because no player touched it, the Yellow Jackets got the ball under their own bucket.
With Hayesville down only one and less than 10 seconds left, Plemmons figured the play would go through McTaggert.
“I just couldn’t see them settling for a jump shot as dominant as he had been the whole game,” Plemmons said.
That’s exactly what happened, and the Panthers immediately swarmed McTaggert with three or four white jerseys surrounding him.
“There at the end I thought we caused a lot of problems for McTaggert, especially on the last possession,” Plemmons said. “We forced him to hesitate and forced him to put the ball on the floor. By the time he got his shot off, the buzzer had sounded.”
McTaggert took a fadeaway jumper, heavily contested by McClure, who had four fouls. The ball was still in his hands when the buzzer sounded and red lights illuminated on the backboard. The center fell to the floor following the shot, which came up short even though it wouldn’t have counted.
The Panthers celebrated holding on for the victory – a milestone 500th for Plemmons’ career.
“That was good for us,” said Plemmons, who’s in his 29th year as a varsity coach. “We had to work hard to get the win. Those are the type of games that hopefully you can learn from.”
Griffin Green led the Panthers with 20 points. The sophomore threw down a two-handed breakaway dunk in the first half, plus knocked down three shots from behind the arc.
Chad Wilson also cracked double figures, scoring 14 points. The junior guard drained a pair of 3-pointers.
Penland managed to score eight points despite not taking a shot in the first half and fouling out with 2:22 left.
Chris Hartbarger saw a lot of minutes off the bench, filling in with McClure in foul trouble. The senior scored six points.
Fellow seniors Bradyen Sroka and Trey Woodard also scored off the bench. Sroka had a pair of offensive putbacks for his four points, while Woodard had two points.
Michael Cottrell coaches Hayesville and played for Plemmons in Jackson County in the 80s. His older brother, Todd, also played for Plemmons.
Todd Cottrell coaches at Lakeview Academy, a private school in Gainesville, Georgia. That’s Franklin’s next opponent.
Plemmons said the Cottrell brothers are special people him and his family.
“I’m looking forward to making the trip on Friday,” he said. “It gives us a chance to play somebody we normally don’t see.”
Franklin 61, Hayesville 60
Hayesville: 21-57 field goals 15-24 free throws 60 points.
Franklin: Griffin Green 8-14 1-2 20, Trey Penland 2-3 4-4 8, Isaiah Johns 1-4 2-3 4, Chad Wilson 5-14 2-2 14, Miles McClure 1-4 1-3 3, Chris Hartbarger 2-5 2-2 6, Trey Woodard 1-2 0-0 2, Brayden Sroka 2-3 0-0 4, Kellen Stiles 0-1 0-0 0, Bryce Rogers 0-1 0-0 0, Seth Crupi 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 22-51 12-16 61.
3-point field goals: Hayesville 3-21, Franklin 5-19 (Green 3-6, Wilson 2-7, Penland 0-1, Johns 0-1, McClure 0-1, Hartbarger 0-1, Sroka 0-1, Stiles 0-1).