Watauga's girls' basketball team has gone through periods when it struggles scoring. When that happens against a team such as Hickory, it can be a recipe for disaster.

When Watauga was scoring points, it was competitive in its 59-42 loss to the Red Tornadoes Tuesday. When the Pioneers hit a dry spell, Hickory was more than happy to take advantage of it.

Watauga got off to a slow start against the first-place Red Tornadoes. Hickory took a 17-5 lead by the end of the first quarter, but the Pioneers rallied after scoring on seven of 10 possessions to climb back to within 25-21.

Watauga went cold and trailed 29-21 at halftime, but the second of two Savanna Wood 3-point baskets pulled the pioneers back to 34-30. Watauga was beating the Red Tornadoes' full-court press by getting the inbounds pass near the half-court line, and then getting the ball to Hannah Margolis in the middle of the court.

That was when Hickory used an adjustment on a full-court press by dropping a defender on Margolis that forced four turnovers and a missed shot, and allowed the Red Tornadoes to take a 42-30 lead. Margolis broke the run with a basket, but Hickory closed out the third quarter with an 8-0 run and a 50-32 lead that was never seriously challenged.

Wood made five 3-point shots en route to scoring 16 points. Margolis scored nine points and Kalie Eppley added seven for the Pioneers.

Danasia Witherspoon, a freshman, sored 14 points for Hickory. Farrah Young scored 10 points and both Jamie Bowers and Andrea Miller scored nine for Hickory.

The Pioneers have a week to prepare for their showdown at Alexander Central Jan. 31.

 

Hickory girls 59, Watauga 42

Hickory

Abernathy 2 3-4 8, Young 4 2-2 10, Hoyle 2 0-0 5, Bowers 3 3-4 9, Troutman 1 0-0 2, Witherspoon 6 2-6 14, An. Miller 4 1-2 9, Paspa 1 00 2, Hannah 0 0-0 0, Killian 0 0-0 0, Wright 0 0-0 0, Ali Miller 0 0-0 0, Garther 0 0-0 0. Totals 23 11-18 59.

Watauga

Woods 1 0-0 2, Wood 5 1-2 16, Dunnigan 3 0-1 6, Wallace 1 0-0 2, Eppley 2 3-4 7, Margolis 4 1-2 9, Wilson 0 0-0 0, McNeill 0 0-0 0, Welsh 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 5-9 42.

Hickory           15 14 21 9 — 59

Watauga          5 16 11 10 — 42

3-point goals—Hickory 2 (Abernathy, Hoyle); Watauga 5 (Wood). Total fouls—Hickory 10, Watauga 15. Fouled out—None. Technical fouls—None.

 

 

Hickory's boys' basketball team shot out to a fast start and put Watauga into an early hole. Watauga would rally a couple of times, but could never overtake the Red Tornadoes and lost 61-48 Tuesday at Lentz-Eggers Gym.

Watauga got out to a slow start, while Hickory was sharp in taking a 15-2 lead. Hickory kept the pressure up and took a 22-8 lead into the second quarter.

Watauga chipped away at Hickory's lead and pulled to 33-25 by halftime. The Pioneers opened the third quarter with a 6-2 run to pull to 35-31 on a Tyler Sturgill basket off a Jake Pifer steal.

But Hickory responded with a 12-2 run capped by a 3-pointer by Raheim Connelly and took a 47-33 lead that was never in jeopardy.

Watauga made just one 3-point shot, that coming from Ben Margolis. Jake Pifer led the Pioneers in scoring with 12 points. Three Pioneers — Matt Proffitt, Allen Koppenhaver and DeWayne Mackey — finished with six points.

Connelly and Zach Jarrett each scored 13 points, while Jalen Byrd scored 10 for the Red Tornadoes.

 

Hickory boys 61, Watauga 48

Hickory

Linebarger 1 0-0 2, Jarrett 4 5-6 13, Wardick 3 0-0 7, Byrd 2 5-6 10, Witherspoon 0 0-0 0, Connelly 6 1-2 13, Walls-Davis 2 0-0 4, Fuller 2 0-0 4, Mason 1 0-0 2, Sims 1 0-0 2, Malbon 1 0-0 2, Hufman 1 0-0 2, Barnes 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 11-14 61

Watauga

Pifer 5 2-2 12, Poulos 1 0-0 2, Proffitt 3 0-0 6, Margolis 2 0-0 5, Howser 2 1-1 5, Chasteen 2 0-0 4, Koppenhaver 2 2-2 6, Sturgill 1 0-0 2, Mackey 2 2-2 6. Totals 20 7-7 48.

Hickory           22 11 14 14 — 61

Watauga          8 17 14 9 — 48

3-point goals—Hickory 2 (Wardick, Byrd); Watauga 1 (Margolis). Total fouls—Hickory 9, Watauga 15. Fouled out—None. Technical fouls—Watauga, Sturgill.