Lady Wildcats fall to Upperman in tourney

January 3, 2024 by Ken Lay

The 2023 calendar year closed on a sour note for the Oak Ridge High School girls basketball team over the weekend.

The Lady Wildcats dropped a 50-35 decision to Upperman High School Saturday morning in the Andrew Johnson Ladies Classic at Greeneville High School.

“That’s a program,” Oak Ridge Coach Paige Taylor said. “We knew coming in that they could shoot. They hit 17 threes in their game the other day.

“We turned the ball over in the second quarter against their press because we stopped doing what we were supposed to do,” Taylor said. “I’m happy with our effort. We didn’t quit, but it seems like we take one step up and two steps back.”

Anaya Porter scored 12 points and Euleesha Mitchell added eight for the Lady Wildcats (8-5), who trailed 30-16 at halftime.

Oak Ridge notched a 67-50 comeback victory over Elizabethton Thursday at South Greene High School.

Jenna Johnson scored 27 points for the Lady Wildcats, who trailed 31-26 at halftime.

Porter added 15 points, and Jenayah Pippins finished with 14.

Oak Ridge opened tournament play with a 64-40 win over West Greene on Tuesday, Dec. 26.

Oak Ridge played at Clinton Tuesday, but results were not available at press time.

The Lady Wildcats host Cleveland Saturday at Wildcat Arena.

Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m.