Gary Ayers
ayers5315@bellsouth.net
The Maroon Devils varsity basketball team got off to a red-hot start hitting seven of their first 10 shots and never trailed with a 59-50 win over Highlands that saw a close game for most of the night Monday, Jan. 27 at Swain.
Owen Medlin scored eight quick points and then Jaden Wade kept the heat on Highlands with six more quick points aided by a Jon Stephenson basket for a strong 18-9 first quarter lead.
Medlin finished the stanza with 8, as did Wade.
Aiden Crook got the Highlanders rolling to start the second-quarter with a big 3-point shot, but Stephenson hit two buckets in a row to give Swain a 22-12 lead, which matched Swain’s biggest lead of the game. Gus McRae scored three straight points assisted by a bucket from Isaiah Vilardo to pull the Highlanders back within five points at 22-17.
Druw Cody scored 5 straight for Swain for a 27-19 lead but Bryan Jarquin scored five straight and Vilardo hit a free throw to keep Highlands close at 30-25 at half-time.
The opening four minutes of the third quarter saw Highlands tie the game at 33-33, as McRae saddled up five straight points while Stephenson hit a 3-point bucket for the Maroon Devils at the 4:00 mark.
Another tie followed at 35-35 with McRae riding another basket while Cody scored for Swain. But the two ties were the only tie scores of the night, as Swain closed the third quarter on a 12-2 run and never looked back. Medlin, Wade, Cody, and Rowan Ellis as Medlin scored four and Wade added four points to give the Maroon Devils a 47-37 lead.
Although the Highlanders fought back in the fourth quarter, Swain kept them at bay, with Medlin hitting two buckets and a free throw, Cody with a basket, Zeke Glaspie scoring three points, and free throws from Ellis and Wade for final margin of 59-50.
Swain was led by Medlin with 17 points, 13 rebounds and 6 blocked shots. Wade almost matched Medlin’s double-double with 13 points and eight rebounds with Cody scoring 13 points to go with eight boards.
The Maroon Devils traveled to Hayesville the next day, Jan. 28 but suffered a 61-53 loss to the Yellow Jackets.
The Swain boys traveled to Murphy Friday night, Jan. 31, losing to the Bulldogs 75-39.
Cherokee game
The Maroon Devils scored first for a 2-0 start on a basket by Sylas Stanberry but that was the only lead for Swain as Cherokee answered with an 18-0 run on the way to a 79-62 win at the Swain High gym Tuesday night, Feb.4.
The Braves’ swarming, pressing defense led to multiple Swain turnovers and poor shooting for the Maroon Devils.
Senior Jaden Wade picked up his third foul in the first quarter and had to exit the game as Swain was whistled for eight fouls in the opening quarter that led to Cherokee attempting 16 free throws for a 25-9 first quarter lead.
Ogana Swimmer and Josiah Teesateskie combined for 14 of the Braves points, while Zeke Glaspie and Druw Cody chipped in buckets for Swain. The Maroon Devils got on a roll in the second quarter, scoring 20 points, as Cody poured in 10 points and Owen Medlin added five points.
Swain improved their response to the Cherokee pressure, and the Devils fought back to within nine points at 37-28, as play sent the teams to the half-time locker rooms with Cherokee up 41-29.
Wade was back in the Swain line-up in the third quarter to score five points. Swimmer, Teesateskie, Sam Hernandez and Drallen Ledford paced the Braves to a 63-42 third-quarter lead. But the Maroon Devils answered with another 20-point quarter. Cody pumped in 10 points, Wade scored four and J.T. Shuler had a rare 4-point play, hitting a 3-point shot and the ensuing free throw.
The Braves went to the bench and were led by Tayvin Bark’s seven points and Zaynon Taylor adding two 3-point buckets for the final of 79-62.