Lady Wildcats split week of district play
Inclement weather has forced local high school basketball teams to postpone or cancel games over the past two weeks.
Oak Ridge High School’s girls basketball team has not spent much time on the court during that stretch. The Lady Wildcats were able to squeeze in a pair of District 4-4A contests last week, however, salvaging a split against McMinn County and Hardin Valley Academy.
On Friday night, Oak Ridge (7-14 overall, 4-7 district) carried a slim halftime lead but could not hold on in a 64-53 loss to the Lady Hawks at Wildcat Arena. The Lady Wildcats led 31-28 at the break but fell short in their bid to sweep the regular-season series against Hardin Valley, coached by former Oak Ridge standout and two-time Miss Basketball winner Jennifer Wilson Galloway.
Hardin Valley (12-12, 4-6) seized control after intermission, outscoring Oak Ridge 21-5 in the third quarter to swing the momentum.
“That’s kind of been the story of our season,” Oak Ridge first-year head coach Kevin Tubbs said. “We can look really good at times, and then we turn around and look ragged at other times.
“But I really appreciate our crowd coming out, and I appreciate our student section. It’s fun. It’s fun to play basketball, win or lose.”
Earlier in the week, on Wednesday, Feb. 4, the Lady Wildcats outlasted McMinn County 55-46. Evaiya Mitchell led Oak Ridge with 21 points, while Alani Mitchell added 18. Jenayah Pippins chipped in nine points as the Lady Wildcats completed a regular-season sweep of the Lady Cherokees.
