High school basketball teams from North Carolina and Georgia were busy Wednesday night, Feb. 18, with tournament and postseason stakes on the line. In the Smoky Mountain Conference Tournament, the Murphy Lady Bulldogs moved on by eliminating the Hayesville Lady Yellow Jackets, keeping their postseason run alive. The night was just as dramatic on the boys’ side, where the Murphy Bulldogs advanced with a thrilling 71–68 buzzer-beating win over the Andrews Wildcats. Andrews also

Cherokee swept a road doubleheader Tuesday night, rolling past Andrews in Western North Carolina conference play. The Cherokee girls dominated from the opening tip, cruising to a 94–25 victory, while the Cherokee boys followed with a 73–47 win over the Wildcats. At Murphy, Hayesville split its trip against the Bulldogs. The Hayesville girls pulled out a 37–25 win in a defensive battle, but the Murphy boys responded with an 82–48 victory to earn the split. Hiwassee Dam complet

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 har