Mavs on wrong end of score in region play against Carter
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Anderson County senior Connor Martin takes the rock to the hoop during the Mavs’ first-round region game against Carter last Friday. - Ricky Williams
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Anderson County’s Ryan McGhee gets a break in the Carter defense for a layup last Friday. - Ricky Williams
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Mav Bryson Vowell muscles his way to the basket against Carter last Friday. - Ricky Williams
The basketball season came to an end for the Anderson County Mavericks last Saturday night with a 67-50 loss at Carter.
“We went on a scoring drought in the second quarter and it continued into the third quarter,” said Derek Wallace, head coach of the Mavericks.
“I think we only scored 20 points across those two quarters, and Carter is a better team than that. They made easy shots and we didn’t,” he said.
The Mavericks took an early lead at 13-11 in the first quarter. But the Hornets rallied in the second as they found their range from the floor. Carter led 30-20 at halftime.
The Hornets got separation in the third quarter as they nearly doubled the Anderson County scoring output to go ahead 53-32.
The Mavs cut into the Carter lead in the fourth quarter, but the deficit was too large to overcome.
“They put a box and one on Connor [Martin] and he didn’t have an easy shot all night,” Wallace said. “We didn’t step up and make the shots we needed to.”
But the Maverick boss said he didn’t want the loss to be placed on the shoulders of his young team.
“When it comes down to it, I don’t think I did a good job of putting us in the right position,” Wallace said. “Carter plays five guards, and I wanted to play some of our bigger kids. And they struggled to match up. They’re [Carter] a one seed for a reason.”
Carter Nelson led Anderson County with 16 points, and Connor Martin added 12 as the senior closed out his basketball career for the Mavs. Brandon McGhee, who was unable to play due to injury, also closed out his high school career.
“Connor is arguably one of the best scorers who ever walked into our gym, and Brandon McGhee ... I’m not even sure I knew his name his freshman year,” Wallace said with a chuckle.
“That was a very good incoming class, and only two of them made it all the way through. They’re two great kids and we’ll definitely miss their leadership,” he said.
Wallace also addressed the future.
“We’ve got a lot of kids coming back and we’ve got a chance to improve quite a bit for next year, he said.
AC 13 7 12 18 50
Carter 11 19 23 14 67
AC - Carter Nelson (16), Connor Martin (12), Brandon Dake (7), Tate Russell (6), Bryson Vowell (4), Zeke West (2), Jacob Dooley (2), Daylen Cole (1)
Carter - Dalton McNew (19), Blake Smith (16), Chandler Wilson (11), Kaleb Harper (7), Brody Blakenship (7), Jaxson Shuford (3), Zane Brown (2), Gage Hutchison (2)