The Midway Greenwaves and Greenback Cherokee faced off Friday night south of the river. The schools would split games with the Lady Cherokees going home with a win and their boys…not so lucky.
Girls Game:
Straight from the office to the gym, SORSN arrived at Midway High School’s Boyd Woody Gymnasium to find the Lady Waves down more than 25 to Greenback late in the 3rd quarter.
But the Lady Waves didn’t quit. The girls started knocking down jumpers that had previously been banging off the rims to shave more than 10 points off the lead. But it was too little too late. The Lady Cherokees would end the game strong, winning 52-34.
Boys Game:
After the worst warm-up music in Midway basketball history finally came to an end – earning a steady round of applause from the crowd – the Waves and Cherokees went to battle. Waves would jump out early, up 13-5 late in the first, behind solid defense and consistently attacking the rim on the offensive end led by Caleb Ruffner. Young Ruffner would use the Cherokees on this night to add to his personal high-light film.
But the Cherokees would make a run to start the 2nd quarter and eliminate the Waves lead. Tied at 24 with 2 minutes remaining in the first half, the Waves would capitalize on some turnovers and take a 5-point lead into the break.
The Waves would expand on that lead in the 3rd, going back up 11 points but just like any annoying distant relative, Greenback would not go away. The Cherokees would once again erase the Greenwave lead, even taking a 1-point lead in the 4th…the first and only time they led. But the ole’ ball coach would rally the troops, the boys from the south would find that second wind and finish off the Cherokees 58-52.
See pictures from the game in the SORSN galleries.