Oak Ridge Today

Higgins scores 33, a career high, during win over Fulton

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Oak Ridge senior Tee Higgins (5) scored 33 points, a career high, during a 76-65 win at Fulton on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

KNOXVILLE—Oak Ridge senior Tee Higgins scored 33 points, a career high, during a 76-65 win at Fulton on Saturday.

Higgins hit three three-point shots, made 12 free throws (he had 14 attempts), and pulled down 10 rebounds.

“He told me on the way over here he was ready to go,” Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said.

Falcons fans remember Higgins. In the last game at Jody Wright Arena two years ago—the gym was loud, hot, and packed that night, too—Higgins hit a three-point shot with 3.1 seconds left to give Oak Ridge a one-point victory. The Wildcats had been down by two, but Higgins, who was then a sophomore, finished the dramatic all-out battle between the two top-five teams. Besides the game-winning three-pointer, he had 20 points and 14 rebounds in that classic game.

The Wildcats didn’t get off to a great start this year in the non-district game on Saturday, the last of the regular season for Oak Ridge. Fulton jumped out to an early 4-0 lead and led for much of the first quarter.

“We gave up some easy points defensively,” Green said. [Read more…]

Wildcats top 100 points, Jones scores 32 in win over Halls

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Oak Ridge senior Tajion Jones (3) scored 32 points as the Wildcats topped 100 points during a 108-56 win over Halls at Wildcat Arena on Monday, Nov. 23, 2017. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Oak Ridge topped 100 points and senior Tajion Jones scored 32 as the Wildcats beat Halls 108-56 at home on Monday. It was the fifth-highest point total for an Oak Ridge game in program history, according to broadcaster David Clary. The record of 137 was set in 1971.

It was an apparent career high for Jones. Eighteen of his points came from six three-point shots, and he had 24 points in the first half alone.

“He’s shooting well,” Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said.

Senior Tyshawn Young, who has had some high-scoring games in the past month, added 27 points, and senior Anthony Gibson had 17.

The seniors racked up all those points in the first three quarters, before reserves came in for Oak Ridge. Bench players added 21 points in the fourth quarter. That included three three-point shots by sophomore Joe Kesterson. [Read more…]

Photos: Wildcats beat Campbell County 94-57

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Oak Ridge senior Tee Higgins (5), shown dunking the ball here, had a season-high and game-high 21 points during a 94-57 win at Campbell County on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

JACKSBORO—The Oak Ridge Wildcats tied a school record with 15 made three-point shots during a 94-57 win at Campbell County on Tuesday. Here are photos from the game. [Read more…]

Wildcats tie record for three-pointers at Campbell County

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Oak Ridge senior Tajion Jones (3) scored 17 points and made three three-point shots during a 94-57 win at Campbell County on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017. Jones is defended here by Campbell County senior Jacob Walden. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 1 p.m. Jan. 16.

JACKSBORO—The Oak Ridge Wildcats tied a school record with 15 made three-point shots during a 94-57 win at Campbell County on Tuesday.

“You don’t make 15 threes a lot,” Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said.

Wildcats senior Tee Higgins had a season-high and game-high 21 points. Five of those were three-point shots, with four in the third quarter.

Before Tuesday, Higgins only had four made three-point shots this season, according to Wildcats broadcaster David Clary. Higgins missed some games early in the season because he wasn’t initially going to play basketball in order to focus on football, and he has missed some games midway through the season due to football-related commitments.

“He can shoot the ball really well,” Green said of Higgins. [Read more…]

Young has another big night as Wildcats give Karns its first district loss

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Oak Ridge senior Tyshawn Young (4) had another big night for the Wildcats, scoring 27 points and pulling down 16 rebounds in a 97-68 win over Karns at Wildcat Arena on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017. Behind Young is Cole Cooper (34) of Karns. (Photo by Luther Simmons)

 

Oak Ridge senior Tyshawn Young had another big night on Tuesday as the Wildcats gave Karns its first district loss of the season.

Last week, Young scored 29 points, a personal best, during a 64-56 win over Science Hill in the Arby’s Classic in Bristol on December 27.

On Tuesday, he almost matched that, scoring a game-high 27 points during a 97-68 win over Karns. He also had 16 rebounds.

“He’s playing really, really well,” Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said.

Young said he was surprised by his 29 points against Science Hill.

“We’ve always had the ability to play well,” Young said. “It’s not unexpected. I’ve just got to step up and play harder.” [Read more…]

Basketball photos: Oak Ridge beats Science Hill 64-56

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Oak Ridge senior Tyshawn Young (4) led the Wildcats with a game-high 29 points during a 64-56 win over Science Hill in the first round of the Arby’s Classic in Bristol on Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2016. (Photo by Allen Greene/TriCitiesSports.com)

 

BRISTOL—Oak Ridge senior Tyshawn Young scored a game-high 29 points and senior Anthony Gibson added 17 as the Wildcats beat Science Hill in the first round of the Arby’s Classic in Bristol on Tuesday. Here are pictures from the game by Allen Greene of TriCitiesSports.com.

It was the second time Oak Ridge defeated the Hilltoppers this month. They also won 82-72 in the Champion Chevrolet Shootout at Science Hill in Johnson City on December 17.

The Wildcats will play again in the Arby’s Classic at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, when they take on Trinity of Louisville, Kentucky, in a winners bracket game in the basketball tournament. [Read more…]

Bush, Higgins will not play in Arby’s Classic this week

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Oak Ridge senior E.J. Bush (2), pictured above, led the Wildcats with 20 points during a 76-56 win over Cleveland in the Champion Chevrolet Shootout at Science Hill High School in Johnson City on Friday, Dec, 16, 2016. (File photo by Robert Kell)

 

Two of the top players for the Oak Ridge Wildcats, E.J. Bush and Tee Higgins, will not play in the Arby’s Classic in Bristol this week. It’s a basketball tournament that has featured dramatic games, record-setting performances, and close wins—and losses.

Bush, a 6-foot-4 senior who was injured in the 82-72 win over Science Hill in the Champion Chevrolet Shootout in Johnson City on December 17, has a knee injury. It’s not clear how long he might be unable to play, or if he’ll travel with the team to the Arby’s Classic this week.

Bush can score 16-20 points per game and pull down six to 10 rebounds per game.

Meanwhile, Higgins, a wide receiver who has committed to Clemson, is leaving Tuesday for the 10th annual Under Armour All-America Football Game in Orlando on January 1. That game features more than 90 of the nation’s best senior high school football players. Besides Higgins, they include wide receiver Amari Rodgers of Catholic—he’s also committed to Clemson—and punter Joe Doyle of Farragut. [Read more…]

In battle of two undefeated teams, Oak Ridge emerges with win

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Oak Ridge senior E.J. Bush (2) led the Wildcats with 20 points during a 76-56 win over Cleveland in the Champion Chevrolet Shootout at Science Hill High School in Johnson City on Friday. Dec, 16, 2016. (Photo by Robert Kell)

 

JOHNSON CITY—Oak Ridge and Cleveland were both undefeated top-ranked teams before they played in Johnson City on Friday, and only the Wildcats remained undefeated afterward. Oak Ridge beat Cleveland 76-56 in the Champion Chevrolet Shootout at Science Hill High School in Johnson City.

The Wildcats are now 10-0 overall and 5-0 in District 3-AAA.

The Blue Raiders are now 11-1 overall and 4-0 in District 5-AAA.

Like the earlier girls’ game, the boys’ game was closer in the first half: 16-15 after the first quarter, and 32-30 at halftime. But Oak Ridge had a 20-6 run through most of the third quarter and an 8-0 run in the last part of the fourth quarter. [Read more…]

Register for Oak Ridge Wildcats Basketball Fall League by Saturday

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The registration deadline is Saturday, September 17, for the Oak Ridge Wildcats Basketball Fall League, which is available to boys and girls in first through sixth grade.

The league evaluation days are at Oak Ridge High School from 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, September 14, and 8:30-10 a.m. Saturday, September 17.

The cost is $70 per pre-registered player. Practice starts the week of October 17. Games will be on Saturdays and will be played in the Oak Ridge High School Arena and in the B gym. [Read more…]

ORHS Boys Basketball Boosters have fundraising golf tournament Aug. 13

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The Oak Ridge High School Boys Basketball Boosters have a fundraising golf tournament on Saturday, August 13.

It’s their 19th annual golf tournament. This year’s event—a four-man scramble format—will be at Centennial Golf Course in Oak Ridge.

The tournament will begin at 8 a.m. August 13 with a shotgun start. The tournament costs just $75 per person, a press release said.

Registration begins at 7 a.m. with breakfast and free range balls for participants. A Mulligan Package is also available for $25, which includes mulligans, a red tee, a door prize ticket, and a putting contest ticket, the press release said. [Read more…]

ORHS Boys Basketball Boosters have fundraising golf tournament Aug. 13

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The Oak Ridge High School Boys Basketball Boosters has a fundraising golf tournament on August 13.

The 19th annual golf tournament is a four-man scramble format that will be held at Centennial Golf Course in Oak Ridge. The tournament will begin at 8 a.m. August 13 with a shotgun start.

The tournament costs just $75 per person. Registration begins at 7 a.m. with breakfast and free range balls for participants. A Mulligan Package is also available for $25, which includes mulligans, a red tee, a door prize ticket, and a putting contest ticket, a press release said. [Read more…]

Reminder: Oak Ridge Wildcats Basketball Skills Camp starts Monday

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Reminder: The Oak Ridge Wildcats Basketball Camp had a Shooting Camp in June, and there is a Skills Camp this week, from Monday, July 11, to Wednesday, July 13.

All camps are scheduled from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Learn more about the camps and registration here: Oak Ridge Basketball Camp 2016. [Read more…]