Andy Scheidler
sports@thefranklinpress.com
A 21-point lead was nearly not enough.
Franklin’s girls basketball team led 21-0 in the first quarter Thursday at Cherokee. The Panthers managed to hold off the Braves for a 67-65 victory.
FHS never let the lead slip away completely, clinging to a one-point lead at multiple junctures in the third and fourth quarters.
Coach Scott Hartbarger talked to his team before the game about being ready to play in what’s typically a tough environment.
“We just talked about the Cherokee tradition over there, about being ready to get go from the start,” FHS coach Scott Hartbarger said. “We handled their pressure, got the ball down floor, and we were shooting the ball well. Our pressure bothered them; they turned it over quite a bit in the first quarter.
“That was one of the best starts we’ve had in a long time.”
All five starters provided good balanced scoring. Sierra Wade had 14, Sydney Williams had 12 and Nevaeh Tran scored 11, while Canaan Drake and Makayla Brewer each finished with nine.
Freshman Tori Ensley came off the bench to score seven, while Chela Green added five points (all in the first quarter).
The Panthers led 26-10 after the opening period, but Cherokee outscored them in each of the final three quarters.
It took some crucial free throws down the stretch to fend off the Braves. Williams put FHS ahead 64-60 with 1:30 left.
After Cherokee drained a 3-pointer, Tran knocked down a pair to push the score to 66-63.
The Braves got another bucket to again pull within one. Tran went 1-for-2 this time, missing the second.
Time appeared to run out after the rebound, but the officials determined Cherokee called timeout with 1 second left. However, Brewer caught the heaved inbounds pass, sealing the win.
The Panthers improved to 2-0 ahead of their first home game, Monday against Hayesville.
Cherokee (1-2) picked up its first win of the season the following night, beating Rosman by 29.
Keith Pinnix coaches the Braves. He coached the FHS boys during the 2009-10 season.
Hartbarger was pleased to see different players step up, specifically mentioning Tran hitting free throws and Ensley providing a boost off the bench by hitting a second-half 3-pointer and grabbing some crucial rebounds.
“Overall, I’m proud of all of them,” he said. “That’s an intense environment. They were able to chip way at the lead. We told the girls they have two choices: you either step up or you wilt. They didn’t wilt. They maintained their composure, stayed under control, and did what had to do to win the game.”
The Panthers outrebounded Cherokee 57-40. Drake led the way with 12 boards, while Brewer ripped down 11.
Cherokee forced Franklin into 27 turnovers, while committing 19.
Hartbarger said the Panthers will work on making sure they take good shots when they have the lead, understanding the situation and game management scenarios.
“If you have a 20-point lead, come down and be patient,” he said. “Pass it four or five times, run some clock and then maybe get a good look out of it.”