Local Teams Split in Busy Weekend on the Hardwood

Area high school basketball teams were busy Friday night, Jan. 16, with a full slate of games across western North Carolina and north Georgia, producing a mix of close finishes and decisive victories.

At Hayesville, the Yellow Jackets girls earned a narrow 52-48 home conference win over Andrews, pulling away late to secure the four-point victory. The Hayesville boys were unable to complete the sweep, falling to Andrews 58-45 in the nightcap.

Hiwassee Dam’s girls dropped a hard-fought home contest Friday, losing 61-53 to Summit Charter Academy of Cashiers. Murphy’s teams, however, had a strong showing at home against Swain County. The Lady Bulldogs claimed a 54-43 conference win, while the Murphy boys delivered a dominant performance, rolling past Swain County 95-54.

Across the state line in Georgia, Union County split its home games against Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe. The Lady Panthers cruised to a 45-23 victory, but the Union County boys came up short in a 72-64 loss.

In other action, the Lady Indians of Towns County fell 59-40 to Washington Wikes. Towns County rebounded on the boys side, earning a 63-54 home conference win over Washington-Wilkes.

Saturday’s action saw Towns County travel to Lincolnton, where Lincoln County’s girls picked up a 46-32 home victory. The Towns County boys avoided a sweep, edging Lincoln County 57-52 in a tightly contested matchup.