West Henderson’s Kevin Thomas looked lost at times playing varsity last year. But then, how many freshmen don’t?
On Friday at West, it was the rapidly developing sophomore who sparked the Falcons’ second-half rally in a 56-50 conference victory over rival East Henderson. The win moves West to 3-0 in the Western Athletic Conference heading into today’s game at league favorite Smoky Mountain.
Three Lady Falcons scored in double figures as West’s girls team won the opening varsity game 63-21.
“Kevin has grown so much as a player,” said West coach Rob Bliss. “He is a double-edged sword that we really need. He gives us a body that we can use in the post to rest our two seniors and at the same time he’s a good 3-point shooter. He’s matured to the point that we have to have him on the floor.”
Thomas scored 12 of his game-high 21 points in the second half and hit two 3-pointers early in the third quarter to get West going offensively. The Falcons opened the second half with a 7-0 run to tie the score at 27 after some poor shooting put them in a halftime hole.
West managed just two field goals, against nine turnovers, in the second quarter.
“I think the second quarter was due to East’s match-up zone,” Bliss said. “We couldn’t make any shots and got frustrated. In the second half we got out in transition, hit some shots and got our confidence back.”
East meanwhile faltered in the third quarter. The Eagles’ senior backcourt of Michael Robinson and Chase Hill combined to score 16 of the team’s 27 first-half points. But the duo went cold in the second half.
The Eagles made just two field goals, against seven turnovers, in the third quarter.
“After a disappointing loss last Friday at home, I thought these kids gave a lot of effort,” said East coach John Johnston. “We just went a little stale in the second half offensively. In the first half, everything we got was fluid.”
Keenan Young, who added 15 points for West, put the Falcons on top for good with a 3 to open the fourth quarter.
“We felt like we had opportunities (against the zone), we just weren’t seeing them,” Bliss said. “We weren’t attacking them.”
Robinson scored a game-high 17 points for East while Hill added 12 and forward Conner Duermit added 11.
Erica Cantrell had 12 points to lead the Lady Falcons, who jumped out to a big lead and never looked back. Sieara Bishop and Kaitlyn Burton added 10 points apiece, and all nine players on the roster scored at least two points.
Four Lady Eagles — Terran McCrary, Timmie Hoffman and Nicole Lowe — each scored four points.
East will return to action on Friday against Brevard. Bliss, meanwhile, is looking forward to today’s game in Sylva against the state’s third-ranked, and only unbeaten, 2-A team.
It will be West’s fourth game in eight days because of exams.
“I told the kids it’ll probably be one of the funnest days of their lives,” Bliss said. “We have been fortunate to be 3-0 and Smoky Mountain’s at 3-0. It’s at their place. They’re the team that’s supposed to win the league so we can just go up there, push hard and see what happens.”
Summaries
BOYS
EAST (50) — Chase Hill 12, Davis 5, Conner Duermit 11, Michael Robinson 17, MacPherson 2, Lofters 3, Ford, Williams.
WEST (56) — Embler, Thelen 8, Keenan Young 15, Roberts, Williams 1, Shaw, Reeves, Troutman 5, Kevin Thomas 21, Hyatt 4, VanWingerden.
GIRLS
EAST (21) — Sexton, McCrary 4, Brooks 2, Workman, Hoffman 4, Lowe 4, Perry 3, Jones 2, Day 2.
WEST (63) — Erica Cantrell 12, Turlington 2, Sieara Bishop 10, Rogers 2, Dinardo 8, Kremer 7, Kaitlyn Burton 10, Stewart 6, Ciaramitaro 6.
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