Oak Ridge Today

Wildcats beat 2014 Arby’s Classic champion to play for 5th place on Thursday

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This photo is property of Allen Greene. Unauthorized use of this photo is not permitted without consent.

Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins (5) hit two free throws with 2.4 seconds remaining to beat North Mecklenburg of North Carolina, 56-54, in the 2015 Arby’s Classic in Bristol on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015. (Photo by Allen Greene / TriCitiesSports.com)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 10:25 a.m. Dec. 31.

Oak Ridge lost an Arby’s Classic tournament game on free throws on Tuesday, and then won one on free throws on Wednesday. The Wildcats beat last year’s Arby’s Classic champion on Wednesday to play for fifth place in Bristol on Thursday.

Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins hit two free throws with 2.4 seconds remaining to beat North Mecklenburg of North Carolina, 56-54, in the 2015 Arby’s Classic. North Mecklenburg was the champion in the 2014 Arby’s Classic.

Higgins, a University of Tennessee football commit who had a one-handed dunk early in the third quarter, finished with 11 points. Junior Tajion Jones, who had a three-pointer in each of the first three quarters, scored 11 for the Wildcats. Higgins pulled down five rebounds and had three assists, while Jones had four rebounds and a block. Senior Geevantay Gee had 10 points, two rebounds, and two assists for Oak Ridge.

Oak Ridge will play for fifth place in this year’s Arby’s Classic against the winner of a Wednesday afternoon game between Urspring, Germany, and Taylor County, Kentucky. (Thursday, December 31 update: Oak Ridge will play Taylor County.) The fifth-place game starts at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, December 31. [Read more…]

Wildcats lose to Pioneers in double-overtime game that features 30 three-pointers

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This photo is property of Allen Greene. Unauthorized use of this photo is not permitted without consent.

Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins (5) scored 25 points for the Wildcats in a double-overtime 87-85 quarterfinal loss to David Crockett in the 2015 Arby’s Classic basketball tournament in Bristol on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015. (Photo by Allen Greene / TriCitiesSports.com)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11:40 a.m. Dec. 30.

The Oak Ridge Wildcats lost their first basketball game of the season in a thrilling quarterfinal game that went into double overtime in the Arby’s Classic tournament in Bristol on Tuesday. It featured a combined 30 successful three-point shots. The final score was 87-85 in favor of the David Crockett Pioneers.

Oak Ridge junior Tajion Jones had a game-high 28 points and was credited with seven three-pointers, while junior Tee Higgins had 25 points and hit six three-pointers. Jones hit four of his seven three-point shots in the first quarter. The 6-foot-4 guard also finished with seven rebounds and one assist, and the 6-foot-5 Higgins had five rebounds and two steals.

It was a personal best for Jones, both in terms of total points scored and made three-pointers.

The Wildcats (15-1, 5-0 District 3-AAA) had 14 three-point shots total, while David Crockett (12-2, 2-0 District 1-AAA) had 16. That tied the single-game record of 16 set by Memphis White Station in 2003. The 15-0 start for Oak Ridge was the best in school history.

Oak Ridge and David Crockett, two top Class AAA teams that received a standing ovation at halftime after a flurry of three-pointers, made 21 three-point shots in the first half alone and shot an incredible 68 percent from beyond the arc (21 of 31). In comparison, the two teams shot 60 percent or less from two-point range in the first half. [Read more…]

Wildcats wallop Dobyns-Bennett 81-35 in first round of Arby’s Classic

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Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins (5) led the Wildcats with 15 points during a 81-35 opening-round rout of Dobyns-Bennett in the 2015 Arby’s Classic in Bristol on Saturday, Dec. 26, 2015. (Photo courtesy Heather Williams/WCYB-TV, Bristol, Va.)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12 a.m.

For the second time in less than two weeks, the Oak Ridge Wildcats beat the Dobyns-Bennett Indians by more than 40 points.

The first time was at Wildcat Arena in the Rick McGill Toyota Classic on Friday, December 18, when Oak Ridge won 88-36.

The second time was on Saturday, December 26, when the undefeated Wildcats trounced the Indians 81-35 in the opening round of the 2015 Arby’s Classic basketball tournament at Tennessee High School in Bristol.

At 15-0, the Wildcats are off to their best start ever. [Read more…]

Sulack of CAK sets record with nine 3s at Arby’s Classic

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Junior guard Isaiah Sulack (3) of Christian Academy of Knoxville set a single-game record with his nine three-point shots during the second game of the Arby’s Classic basketball tournament in Bristol on Saturday. (Photo courtesy CAK Boys Basketball)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:17 a.m.

Junior guard Isaiah Sulack of Christian Academy of Knoxville set a single-game record with his nine three-point shots during the second game of the Arby’s Classic basketball tournament in Bristol on Saturday.

CAK beat Tabernacle Baptist of the Bahamas 71-44 behind a barrage of three-pointers to advance to play Taylor County, Kentucky, on Monday. That game starts at 8:30 p.m. Monday at Tennessee High School in Bristol.

Sulack, a 6’2” guard, came off the bench in the play-in game and finished with 39 points for the Warriors, a 6-5 Class AA team. He had 26 at the half.

The previous record for three-point shots was eight. Sulack broke it halfway through the third quarter on Saturday. CAK finished with 13 three-pointers total. [Read more…]

A spark for the Wildcats, Gibson scores personal high of 21 in win over Science Hill

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Oak Ridge junior Anthony Gibson (14) scored a personal-high 21 points in an 82-67 win over Science Hill at Wildcat Arena on Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12:35 a.m.

Oak Ridge junior Anthony Gibson scored a personal-high 21 points in an 82-67 win over Science Hill at Wildcat Arena on Saturday. Gibson also had five rebounds, four assists, and a steal for the undefeated Wildcats.

Oak Ridge led 50-32 at halftime against Science Hill on Saturday, but the Hilltoppers outscored the Wildcats 35-32 in the second half to narrow the lead. But it wasn’t enough to overcome the large first-half Wildcat lead.

“They’re a scrappy team,” Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said of the Hilltoppers. “They’ve got a good group. They play hard.”

Gibson, who hit three three-pointers, scored 10 of his points in the first quarter and 14 in the first half. His nickname is “Buckets,” and he showed why on Saturday.

“He’s a spark,” Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said. [Read more…]

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

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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…]

Basketball: Undefeated in district, Oak Ridge boys, girls beat Anderson County

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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 the season-opener 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). (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The Oak Ridge boys and girls basketball teams both beat Anderson County on Friday, and both teams are now 4-0 in district games.

The undefeated Wildcats (11-0, 4-0 District 3-AAA) defeated the Mavericks 79-44.

And the Lady Wildcats (6-2, 4-0) beat the Lady Mavericks 58-31.

Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins had the game high with 19 points in the boys game. Junior Tajion Jones scored 17, again hitting five three-pointers, as he did on Tuesday at Powell, according to Oak Ridge Wildcats.
[Read more…]

Basketball photos: Oak Ridge and Powell

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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)

 

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. Here are pictures by John Huotari of Oak Ridge Today.

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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)

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Jones leads Wildcats to win with five 3-pointers, 22 points at Powell

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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. [Read more…]

Basketball photos: Oak Ridge and Central

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Oak Ridge junior Tee Higgins (5) scored 15 points for the Wildcats in a 94-66 win over Central at home on Friday, Dec. 4, 2015. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

The Oak Ridge Wildcats beat the Central Bobcats 94-66 at Wildcat Arena on Friday. The Wildcats are now 9-0 and will play at Powell on Tuesday.

Here are photos from the Friday night game by Julio Culiat.

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Oak Ridge senior guard Geevantay Gee (12) had 10 assists for the Wildcats during a 94-66 win over Central at home on Friday, Dec. 4, 2015. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

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Playing for team, Middleton scores 18, rebounds 15 in blowout over Central

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Playing for his team, senior post Darel Middleton (33) had one of his best games as an Oak Ridge Wildcat, scoring 18 points and picking up 15 rebounds during a 94-66 win over Central on Friday, Dec. 4, 2015. (Photo by Julio Culiat)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11:30 p.m.

Playing for his team, senior Darel Middleton had one of his best games as an Oak Ridge Wildcat, scoring 18 points and picking up 15 rebounds during a 94-66 win over Central on Friday.

It was the most memorable performance by Middleton, a 6-foot-6 post, since he scored 14 points and pulled down 10 rebounds against Memphis East in the state quarterfinal game in March.

“I just felt like I owed my team,” said Middleton, who said he’s gotten into a little trouble this year. “I gave them my all tonight and from now on.”

Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said Middleton is playing a lot harder this year than he did last year.

“He played well,” Green said. “He’s been playing well.” [Read more…]

Five Wildcats score 10 or more in 85-51 win over Clinton

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Oak Ridge junior Tajion Jones (3) led the Wildcats with 22 points in an 85-51 win over Clinton at Wildcat Arena on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Five Wildcats scored 10 points or more as Oak Ridge beat Clinton 85-51 in the first district game of the basketball season on Tuesday.

The Wildcats (8-0, 1-0 District 3-AAA) were led by junior Tajion Jones, who scored 22 points, including on four three-pointers. Jones also had three rebounds.

Junior Tee Higgins, who was named most valuable player in a basketball tournament in the Bahamas on Thanksgiving weekend and was named Mr. Football in Class 5A in Tennessee two days later, on Monday, finished with 16 points. Higgins knocked down three three-pointers in the third quarter, and he also had five rebounds and six assists.

Oak Ridge hit nine three-point shots, compared to one for Clinton. That’s a difference of 24 points. [Read more…]