By Chandler Nernes

The Robbinsville Black Knights took the 50-minute bus ride to Murphy High School on Thursday night, as the two teams were set to tip off in the Dog House. 

Murphy would get the tip-off then score first on a free throw by Lailee Holloway who would lead the Lady Bulldogs in scoring this entire game with 19 points. The last time these two met up the Lady knights took care of business and handled Murphy pretty easily, however, after 1 quarter this game seemed like it would show a different outcome as the Lady Dogs would take a 5 point lead going into the second. 

(10-15) 

Out of the timeout Murphy kept scoring, these Black Knight girls saw a Murphy team they hadn’t seen a month prior, as the dogs would continue to outscore the Lady Knights and play a different kind of basketball at home. After countless 3’s from both teams this competition would stay close but still different enough for Murphy to score more points in both quarters than the Lady Knights in this contest. Robbinsville was staring at a 6 point deficit coming out of the break. 

(23-29)

10 seconds after the huddle broke, Sophomore Addie Johnson drained a 3 which kept this lead growing in the third quarter for the Lady Dogs. Being up by 16 at some points, Murphy seemed like they might run away with this one, but halfway through the third they seemed to have woken the sleeping giant that was Robbinsville. The Lady Knights started making shots and got the score back within 6 with less than 3 minutes to go in this quarter of play. When the horn blasted signaling the end of the third, Robbinsville had cut the lead to 5 and had all the momentum on their side entering quarter 4. 

(41-46)

The Lady Black Knights started out the fourth quarter hot, quickly putting up a shot from deep with no hesitation. This would be a back and forth battle from both teams all quarter not separating more than 5 points the last 4 minutes of the game. Ultimately, the fourth quarter belonged to #4 as Desta Trammell proved to be unstoppable down the stretch for the Lady Knights. Trammell’s intensity and timely shot making ability proved to be the difference in this one, as the senior leader stepped up when her team needed it most.

After fouls and free throws by Robbinsville which kept the Lady Knights scoring, an intense matchup at Murphy High would end. Desta Trammell lead both teams with 27 points overall, with 12 of those coming in the Lady Knights fourth quarter comeback run. Murphy would be silenced late in tonight’s matchup and the Lady Knights would go back to Graham County with a 64-59 win in the Dog House. 

Robbinsville will be on the road at Hiwassee Dam on Monday, but then they will have a 4 game homestand to end the regular season as Andrews, Hayesville, HD, and Swain all come to town. 

Murphy Stats 

Lailee Holloway – 19 Points 

Emma Laney – 14 Points 

Lochlan Rogers – 13 Points 

Addie Johnson – 12 Points 

Julia Dockery – 1 Points

Robbinsville Stats 

Desta Trammell – 27 Points

Liz Carpenter – 15 Points 

Kensley Phillips – 10 Points 

Aubrie Wachacha – 10 Points

Abby Wehr – 2 Points