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Wildcats advance to Region 2 finals with 61-58 win over Karns

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Oak Ridge Wildcats and Karns Beavers Region 2 Semifinals

Oak Ridge advanced to the Region 2 finals with a 61-58 win over Karns on Tuesday in front of one of the largest crowds ever at Wildcat Arena. The game’s theme was “America.”

Note: This story was last updated at 11:45 p.m.

The Oak Ridge boys’ basketball team advanced to the Region 2 finals with a 61-58 win over Karns on Tuesday in front of the one of the largest crowds ever at Wildcat Arena.

It was the third time this year that the Wildcats (29-6) have beat the Beavers, and the win guarantees them at least two more post-season games.

“It’s hard to beat any team three times, especially a good team,” Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said.

Oak Ridge will play Powell (22-9) at 7 p.m. Thursday at home in the Region 2 finals. The outcome will determine whether the Wildcats play at home or away in a Monday sectional game where teams will fight for a chance to go to the state tournament in Murfreesboro in March. [Read more…]

Wildcats play Karns in Region 2 semifinals tonight

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Jaylin Henderson Dunk

Senior Wildcat Jaylin Henderson dunks in the fourth quarter of a Feb. 7 game against Karns. (Photo courtesy Bruce Phillips)

The Oak Ridge Wildcats boys’ basketball team (28-6) plays the Karns Beavers (23-6) in the second of two Region 2 semifinal games in Oak Ridge tonight.

The Oak Ridge-Karns game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. It will follow the other Region 2 semifinal game, which features the Powell Panthers and Halls Red Devils. That game starts at 6 p.m.

All four teams playing tonight are District 3 teams that eliminated District 4 teams from the Region 2-AAA tournament on Saturday.

Before those first-round Region 2 games, Oak Ridge won the District 3 championship, defeating Halls 61-43 at Powell on  Wednesday, Feb. 19. Karns beat Powell 62-56 in the third-place game that same day. [Read more…]

Wildcats win regular season district championship 87-69 over Karns

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Jaylin Henderson Dunk

Senior guard Jaylin Henderson dunks in the fourth quarter on Friday, giving the Oak Ridge Wildcats a 60-45 lead over the Karns Beavers. (Photo courtesy Bruce Phillips)

Note: This story was last updated at 11:55 p.m.

The Oak Ridge Wildcats won the regular season district championship in a 87-69 win over the Karns Beavers on Friday.

It was the second time this season the Beavers were able to chip away at a large Oak Ridge lead, again narrowing the deficit to one point, but the Wildcats used zone play and defensive stops to help maintain and then stretch out their lead.

The game featured 17 three-point baskets between the two teams—Karns had 11 of them—and three crowd-pleasing dunks by Wildcats, with one by senior guard Jaylin Henderson and two by senior forward Isaac Merian. Oak Ridge (25-5, 15-1 in District 3) led the entire game.

Both teams started the game 14-1 in the district. [Read more…]

Wildcats hold lead, hand Karns its first district loss

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Oak Ridge Wildcats and Karns Beavers Basketball

Senior Isaac Merian goes up for a shot as the Oak Ridge Wildcats keep their halftime lead on Saturday and give the Karns Beavers their first district loss.

KARNS—Oak Ridge fans grew nervous as Karns chipped away at a 13-point halftime lead on Saturday night, but the Wildcats were able to hang on for a 70-64 win, handing the Beavers their first district loss and giving the fans a satisfying victory.

The Wildcats were up 39-26 at halftime, but Karns knocked the lead down to 65-64 with 41 seconds left in the hard-fought basketball game.

But Oak Ridge (17-5, 7-1 in District 3) held the lead and then widened it in the last half-minute through big plays and clutch free throws.

The Wildcats weren’t able to stop senior Devin Sibley of Karns on Saturday—he scored 29 points—but seniors Isaac Merian and Jaylin Henderson of Oak Ridge combined for 40 points, scoring 20 each. Ted Mitchell added 14, Gevantay Gee knocked down 11, and Kevin Steen contributed 5. [Read more…]

Wildcats take 66-37 win over Gibbs; Lady Wildcats fall 49-39

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Oak Ridge Wildcats and Gibbs Eagles Basketball

The Oak Ridge Wildcats beat the Gibbs Eagles 66-37 at Wildcat Arena on Friday night.

They played without 6-foot-6 senior Isaac Merian on Friday, but the Oak Ridge Wildcats built a 30-13 scoring cushion in the first half and kept it in the second, taking a 66-37 win over the Gibbs Eagles at home.

The Wildcats (16-5, 6-1 in District 3) took advantage of a series of deflections and steals, especially in the first half, used an effective press, and stayed aggressive throughout the game, Oak Ridge coach Aaron Green said. Keeping the Eagles (0-12, 0-7) to 13 points in the first half was also important, Green said.

Merian injured his shoulder during a Tuesday night third-place game in the 2013 Arby’s Classic in Bristol, when the Wildcats lost 67-40 to the Christ Presbyterian Academy Lions. Merian is a scorer, protector, rebounder, and leader, and the team should know more about his shoulder injury after an MRI on Monday, Green said. [Read more…]