By Lisa Benfield

Correspondent

The final game of the night found the Highlanders hosting the North Greene Huskies in Sonny Smith gymnasium. The fans endured the cold temperatures outside and were rewarded with a good, hard fought basketball game.

In the first quarter, the Highlanders had even scoring from Chris Wagoner, Jonah Woods, Dalton Vines, Zac Benfield, and Noah Arnett. The unselfish play of the Highlanders helped them to the lead at the end of the first quarter, 15-10.

In the second quarter, the Huskies hit an early three pointer, then the Highlanders answered with six points from Jesse Potter, Preston Benfield, and Z. Benfield. For the Huskies, Will West had two three pointers in the first half. The halftime score was Cloudland 21, North Greene 15.

The Highlanders came out strong after halftime, scoring 20 points in the third quarter. P. Benfield poured in nine points, and Vines sank four to lead the Highlanders into the fourth quarter with the score of 41-31. The Huskies’s Troy Hall scored nine of his team’s 16 points in the third quarter.

The patient play of the Highlanders on offense paid off as Cloudland dominated the fourth quarter action. North Greene scored four early points in the quarter, but then Cloudland’s Jonah Woods hit a long three that jumpstarted the ‘Landers. Vines added six of his game high 12 points.

Wagoner was the leading rebounder on the night with seven; P. Benfield and Vines had six rebounds each. The Benfield brothers had four assists each, and they also accounted for three steals.

Cloudland coach Gary Harrison said, “We played defense and did a great job offensively, which is something we haven’t done in the last while. The kids played well.”

Cloudland travels across the state line Saturday to take on the Avery County Vikings at 5 p.m. North Greene travels to Hampton on Tuesday.

BOX SCORE​

Cloudland 54

Z. Benfield 8,Vines 12,Woods 7, P. Benfield 11, Wagoner 10, Je.Potter 4 , Arnett 2,

North Greene 41

Bernard 3, Hall 11, West 8, Harmon 12, Britton 7

3-point goals – Cloudland 3 (Wagoner 1, Woods 1, P. Benfield 1)

North Greene 5 (Bernard 1, Hall 1, West 2, Harmon 1)

North Greene Wins over Lady ‘Landers

The North Greene Lady Huskies traveled to Roan Mountain last night to take on the Lady ‘Landers. The game went neck and neck down to the end, but the Huskies won 48-42.

Coach James Buchanan, North Greene, said, “It is always tough to come here and win. They are well coached and have great players. We are fortunate to win.”

North Greene got on the scoreboard first when Lauren Baxter hit a foul shot. Then the Lady ‘Landers went on an offensive run, scoring the next nine points of the game from Faith Russell and Kendall Mull. North Greene’s Katelynn Weems had six points in the last four minutes of the first quarter, but Cloudland’s Mull added a trey near the end of the quarter. Cloudland led at the end of the first 12-7.

Cloudland was held to only five points in the second quarter. Mull drilled another trey, and Johanna Johnson sank two free throws. North Greene’s Baxter scored seven points in the second quarter, and the Lady Huskies led at halftime, 18-17.

Both teams came out flat offensively in the third quarter; neither team scored until the 5:41 mark when Mull drilled another three from downtown. Peyton Johnson had a rebound and put back, and Don Rae Taylor hit a couple of foul shots, but North Greene’s Bazter led the Huskies back. The third quarter score ended with North Greene up by one, 29-28.

In the fourth quarter, North Greene’s Weems opened the scoring, and scored seven straight points before Cloudland’sShian Strickland ended the Highlander’s fourth quarter drought, hitting two free throws. Russell followed with two long three pointers, and the Lady ‘Landers were on their way back. The Highlanders had to foul, and each time the Huskies hit their free throws. But each time back down the court, the Highlanders answered with a three. However, the clock ran out before the Lady ‘Landers could pull ahead.

“Landers coach, Matt Birchfield said, “It was a 30-30, then they went on an 8-0 run, and when you do that, you put the ball in North Greene’s hands.”

BOX SCORE

North Greene: T. Payne 3, K. Payne 3, Weems 20, Bowser 2,McNeese 2, Baxter 17, Fillers 1

Cloudland: Mull 21, Russell 10, Taylor 2, Strickland 2, P. Johnson 2, J. Johnson 2, Ellis 3

3-point goals – North Greene – 5 (Weems 3, Baxter 1, Payne 1); Cloudland – 8 (Ellis 1, Mull 4, Russell 3)

JV BOYS:

North Greene 53

Smith 15, Weems 10, Dotson 10, Reynolds 9, Freshour 6, Stroud 3

Cloudland 42

Mull 21, Trivette 7, Gouge 6,Estes 3, Ja. Potter 2, Arnett 2,Perrigoy 1

JV GIRLS:

North Greene 43​

Morrison 4Hensley 3, Brown 3, Smith 5, Bolton 7, Crawford 11, Fillers 20

Cloudland 36​

Shell 5, Johnson 6, Ellis 8, Chambers 1, Heaton 8, Singleton 4, Taylor 4