Andy Scheidler
sports@thefranklinpress.com
Doug Plemmons feels good about where Franklin’s boys basketball team sits heading into conference play.
That might not come as a huge surprise, however, based on the Panthers’ 10-1 record and what they’ve achieved so far this season.
“I know our conference will bring a lot of challenges,” said Plemmons, who’s in his 19th year coaching the Panthers. “We started off young. We had to learn how to play together. We had a lot of first-time varsity players. We’re basically at the halfway point and we’ve seen a lot and have improved a lot.”
FHS began the year with only two players who had played many varsity minutes. Its starting lineup features two juniors and three sophomores.
Yet the Panthers head into Mountain Six Conference play riding a nine-game winning streak.
In the past week, they beat Tuscola in a 66-65 thriller, before crushing Cherokee 81-50 and Swain County 91-68.
The offense really clicked during weekend wins against the Smoky Mountain Conference teams. Plemmons attributed the high-scoring affairs to being patient, moving the ball and finding an open man.
The Panthers also capitalized off their defense and got out in transition.
“We were able to build our offense off our defense,” Plemmons said. “It got us running and moving. That carried right into the Swain game. The combination of improved defense, leading to more offensive transition, and us getting out and moving allowed us to open up our full court game and show our athleticism.”
Executing without turning the ball over and being unselfish have also been important. Kellen Stiles dished out seven assists off the bench against Cherokee. Griffin Green had nine of Franklin’s season-high 22 assists at Swain.
“That’s a lot of points coming from another teammate,” Plemmons said.
Miles McClure has been on an offensive tear of late. After scoring 18 against Tuscola, he poured in 29 against Cherokee and 27 at Swain.
The sophomore has been scoring in a variety of ways. McClure’s getting buckets in the post, but has also shown the propensity for knocking down jumpers around the free-throw line. Oh, and he can also hit from the perimeter, making a pair of 3-pointers against Cherokee.
“He’s mixing it up,” Plemmons said. “He’s able to recognize when the opportunity is there to get to the rim. Most of the post players he’s guarded by aren’t comfortable coming away from the basket, and he’s finding a spot there right around the free-throw line. He’s been real consistent.”
McClure went 13-for-17 from the field at Swain after going 12-for-20 against Cherokee.
Chad Wilson also had a very good week. He poured in a career-high 23 points against Tuscola while also having a good game defensively, assigned to guard one of the Mountaineers’ better players.
Wilson scored 12 against Cherokee and had 18 at Swain.
The win against Cherokee avenged Franklin’s only loss, a 77-73 defeat in the second game of the season.
The Panthers played primarily a zone defense that game and allowed numerous offensive rebounds and second-chance points.
They played man-to-man in the rematch and wore down the Braves. A slim 36-33 halftime lead quickly ballooned to a double-digit lead in the second half.
“The biggest difference was were we aggressive,” Plemmons said. “When we lost over there, I felt like they were more aggressive and took it to us. We didn’t respond real well. We talked about that several times since we played Cherokee. The other night our main focus was to make sure the game didn’t mean more to them than to us.”
FHS managed to hold on to beat Tuscola after blowing a double-digit lead late. Tied at 59, Green stepped back in the corner and drained a 3-pointer.
It was a huge shot that helped propel the Panthers to the win.
Tuscola’s Nate Brafford came into that game averaging 39 points. The Panthers played him physical. He went 12-for-16 from the free-throw line, but was held well below his average and scored 26.
The Panthers have 12 games remaining: 10 against Mountain Six Conference teams, plus two nonconference games against Tuscola and Hayesville.
Plemmons said having to guard a variety of players, from low-post threat Jake McTaggert at Hayesville, to Brafford at Tuscola, to Reid Carrier at Highlands, all should have helped the Panthers get ready for MSC play.
They were slated to play Tuesday at Hendersonville. The Bearcats are the defending conference champs and are 9-2 this season.
FHS travels to Tuscola on Thursday and hosts Brevard on Friday.
“I’m excited to see what the conference holds,” Plemmons said. “I know it will be tough – maybe the toughest is right in front of us with Hendersonville. So we’ll see what happens. I feel good about where we’re at.”