Oak Ridge junior Tajion Jones (3) hit five three-point shots and scored 22 points during a 78-61 win at Powell on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
POWELL—Oak Ridge junior Tajion Jones led the undefeated Wildcats to a 78-61 win at Powell on Tuesday with five three-point shots and 22 points total.
“He’s shooting it well,” Wildcats Coach Aaron Green said of Jones.
Oak Ridge, which got into foul trouble, led by as much as 19 points in the second quarter, but Powell narrowed the lead to seven with about four minutes left in the game.
“I was proud of the way they (the Panthers) fought in the second half,” Powell Coach Gary Barnes said.
The Panthers (6-2, 2-1 District 3-AAA) were led by senior post Conley Hamilton, who tied Jones with a game-high 22 points.
Junior Tee Higgins scored 21 points for the Wildcats (10-0, 3-0). He hit two three-pointers and several big baskets that helped dampen the Powell momentum at critical points, when the Panthers had cut into the Oak Ridge lead.
Barnes said the Panthers will have to work on not turning over the ball and shooting better.
“To compete with them (the Wildcats), you’ve got to shoot the ball really well, and you can’t turn over the ball,” he said.
Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said the Wildcats didn’t defend or rebound well in the second half.
“We just have to do a better job guarding,” Green said.
Still, it was a good win, and the Wildcats beat a quality team, one of the better teams in the area, in their arena, Green said. The Panther team is a senior-heavy, veteran team, Green said.
“I didn’t think it was going to be easy,” he said. “This is always a tough place to play.”
Green said there were too many fouls on Tuesday, and that was something the Wildcats were working on. Senior Darel Middleton (eight points) picked up his fourth foul early in the fourth quarter, Higgins picked up his fourth a few minutes later, and senior guard Geevantay Gee (nine points, eight assists) picked up his fourth a few minutes after that, with about two minutes left in the game. But nobody fouled out.
Also scoring in double digits for Powell on Tuesday was senior Brandon Brown. He had 14 points.
The Wildcats play again on Friday, December 11, at 7:30 p.m. at Anderson County High School.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins (5) scored 21 points for the Wildcats during a 78-61 win at Powell on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
Powell senior Conley Hamilton (34) tied the game high of 22 points during a 78-61 loss to Oak Ridge on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
Oak Ridge senior guard Geevantay Gee (12) had nine points and eight assists during a 78-61 win over Powell on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015. Gee is guarded here by Powell senior Charlie Richards (23). (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
Oak Ridge defends against Powell during a 78-61 win over the Panthers on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)
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