Oak Ridge Today

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

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Wildcats-Wade-Dobyns-Bennett-Webb-Dec-18-2015

Oak Ridge senior Colton Wade (22) came off the bench to pick up seven rebounds, four assists, and five points (including a three-pointer), earning more playing time during an 88-36 win over Dobyns-Bennett at Wildcat Arena on Friday, Dec. 18, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

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. [Read more…]

Wildcats open basketball season with wins over Grace

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Oak Ridge Wildcats Boys Basketball Team Nov. 17, 2015

Members of the Oak Ridge Wildcats boys basketball team are pictured above during an 87-67 season-opening win over Grace Christian at home on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015. From left are juniors Tyshawn Young (15), Tajion Jones (3), and E.J. Bush (2); seniors Geevantay Gee (12) and Javien Johnson (11); junior Deandre Gibson (10); and senior Darel Middleton (33), who did not play Tuesday. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:15 p.m.

The Oak Ridge Wildcats boys and girls basketball teams opened the regular season with wins over Grace Christian on Tuesday.

The boys won 87-67, and the girls won 39-27. It was the first game for new coach Paige Green, who replaced former girls coach David Scott in June. Paige Green is married to Aaron Green, the boys basketball coach.

The Oak Ridge teams play at home again tonight (Thursday, November 19) against the Christian Academy of Knoxville (CAK). The girls game starts at 6 p.m., and the boys game begins at 7:30. [Read more…]

Football players add depth as Wildcats basketball improves to 8-0

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Darel Middleton

Darel Middleton

On Monday, Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said the football players who have started playing basketball showed a “little bit of rust” in a 75-36 drubbing of Clinton. By Tuesday, it appeared that those players had shaken off some of that rust in a more competitive 77-65 win over Powell.

The biggest improvement, at least in terms of scoring, came from 6-foot-6 junior center Darel Middleton, who was playing against his former team on Tuesday. On Monday at Clinton, Middleton had six points total, or less than one basket per quarter. On Tuesday at home against the Panthers, he had 18 points, a team high.

Middleton, who missed the opening games this season because of the football playoffs, also picked up six rebounds on Tuesday. Green said Middleton, who plays defensive end and wide receiver in football, is very athletic, can score inside, and is a great passer.

“His presence in there is a factor,” Green said. [Read more…]

Goal-line stop saves Wildcats’ win, sends Oak Ridge to Class 5A quarterfinals

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Oak Ridge Wildcats Tommy Kaczocha and Cleveland Blue Raiders

Oak Ridge safety Tommy Kaczocha (4) tackles Cleveland wide receiver Isaiah Beaty (10) in a 10-6 second round Class 5A playoff win at Blankenship Field on Friday night. Kaczocha, a senior, had five tackles, two assists, an interception, and a blocked pass. Also pictured is junior linebacker Adam Manookian (35), who led the Wildcats with eight tackles and 10 assists. (Photos by Julio Culiat) 

 

Note: This story was last updated at 2 p.m.

The whole season boiled down to these last four plays. Down by only four points, Cleveland had the football on a first-and-10 at the Oak Ridge 11-yard line with 1:17 left to play.

The Wildcats were ahead 10-6, but the Blue Raiders only needed a touchdown to take the lead—and end Oak Ridge’s season in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs.

But a crucial goal-line stop at Blankenship Field on Friday night preserved the win for the undefeated Wildcats. They now move on to the quarterfinals, playing against Rhea County at home next Friday and setting up a showdown between two 12-0 teams. [Read more…]

After rough first quarter, Wildcats warm up in 70-54 season-opener

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Oak Ridge Wildcats Geevantay Gee and Grace Christian

Junior guard Geevantay Gee (12), the only returning starter to play in the season-opener, scored the only points for the Wildcats during the first quarter against Grace Christian on Tuesday, but the rest of the team played better in the next three quarters and Oak Ridge won 70-54.

 

KARNS—They had a rough start in the season-opener on Tuesday, but the relatively young Oak Ridge Wildcats improved after the first quarter and turned a 12-point deficit into a 70-54 win.

Junior point guard Geevantay Gee, the only returning starter to play in the season-opener at Grace Christian in Karns, scored the only points for the Wildcats during the first quarter—seven total. Meanwhile, the Rams started hot and quickly racked up 19 points.

But after their nerves calmed, the Wildcats started defending better—stepping up their pressure and forcing turnovers—and their performance improved. For example, Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said, the Wildcats had two assists at the half, and Gee alone had five in the second.

After giving up 19 points in the first quarter, the Wildcats held the Rams to 35 total in the next three. Green said he thought Grace Christian became fatigued. [Read more…]