Seven Wildcats score from three-point range in 88-36 win over Dobyns-Bennett

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:30 p.m.

The Oak Ridge Wildcats scored 15 three-point shots on Tuesday at Gibbs. They hit 12 more at home against Dobyns-Bennett on Friday. That’s 27 three-pointers in the last two games.

“We’re shooting well,” Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said after Friday night’s 88-36 runaway win over Dobyns-Bennett in the two-day Rick McGill Toyota Classic at Wildcat Arena. It’s the largest win ever over Dobyns-Bennett, said broadcaster David Clary of Prepradio.com.

The game got off to a competitive start, and the Wildcats and Indians were tied 15-15 at the end of the first quarter. But Oak Ridge (13-0, 5-0 District 3-AAA) opened up a large lead in the second quarter, outscoring Dobyns-Bennett 30-11, and the Wildcats were ahead 45-26 at halftime.

The Indians (2-5, 0-1 District 1-AAA) were only able to add 10 points in the final two quarters, while Oak Ridge scored another 43, even after putting in reserves in the final quarter and despite playing with two Wildcats who got into foul trouble early in the second quarter.

Oak Ridge was led by the 16 points and four three-point shots of junior Tajion Jones, who has become a consistent three-point threat. Junior Tee Higgins was right behind him with 15 points and one three-pointer.

Jones has 38 three-pointers this year, and Higgins has 27, according to Lucas Forstrom of Prepradio.com. Higgins had six three-point shots on Tuesday in a 90-54 blowout at Gibbs.

Green said Oak Ridge has three players who shoot more than 40 percent from three-point range and a few at 38-39 percent.

Seven Wildcats scored three-pointers on Friday. Besides Jones and Higgins, they were juniors DeAndre Gibson and Anthony Gibson, both with two three-pointers, and seniors Javien Johnson and Colton Wade, and sophomore Levert Smith, who had one each.

Anthony Gibson scored 14, and senior Javien Johnson had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Johnson had 10 of his points in the second quarter, when the Oak Ridge pressure got to the Indians.

Wade came off the bench after senior Geevantay Gee and junior E.J. Bush, who finished the night with six points and two dunks, both picked up their third fouls early in the second quarter, and Wade earned himself more playing time with seven rebounds, four assists, and five points, Green said.

“Colton can help us,” Green said.

Dobyns-Bennett had only one player in double digits on Friday. Senior Brett Rogers had 10 points. No other Indian had more than five.

The Wildcats play again today (Saturday, December 19) at home in the Rick McGill Toyota Classic, taking on the Science Hill Hilltoppers (8-4, 2-0 District 1-AAA) at 3:30 p.m. (The girls game starts at 2 p.m.)

Oak Ridge “squeaked out” a 55-53 win over Science Hill in the state sectional game earlier this year, and the Hilltoppers are a scrappy team with depth that can shoot a lot of three-pointers, Green said.

 

More information will be added as it becomes available.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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