Rams seeks reset after tough loss
Robertsville Middle School boys basketball Coach John Spratling hopes his team got a wake-up call after suffering its first loss of the 2024-25 season Thursday night.
The Rams fell 38-30 to Farragut Middle at Bobby J. Henry Gymnasium.
“We were selfish, and we just didn’t play well,” Spratling said after his team was outscored 10-3 over the final six minutes of the game. “Farragut outplayed us and outhustled us. That was the bottom line.
“We just weren’t ready to play, and Farragut was.”
The Admirals (3-3) entered the fourth quarter with a one-point lead and scored the first seven points of the final frame. Harrison Holmes extended Farragut’s lead to 35-27 with a three-pointer at the 2:11 mark.
The Rams (8-1) were whistled for two technical fouls, one earlyand another late.
“Those both came at crucial times,” Spratling said. “We didn’t play well, and we got one late when one of our players argued with a Farragut student. That one really hurt us.”
Thursday’s game was the first of two back-to-back trips to Knoxville for the Rams, who faced Holston on Monday (results were not available at press time).
Spratling hopes the Rams can return to their winning ways in East Knox County.
“The good thing about this is that it wasn’t a conference game, so it doesn’t hurt us in the standings,” Spratling said. “But you want to win them all.”
The game was evenly matched early, with both teams tied at 6 after the first quarter.
Farragut, missing starting point guard Porter Smith due to illness, took a 19-17 lead before halftime after Mac Harris hit two free throws with 35.7 seconds left in the second quarter.
Harris, typically a forward and center, moved to point guard in Smith’s absence and played a key role in the Admirals’ win, scoring four points from the free-throw line.
“Our point guard, Porter Smith, was sick and really couldn’t go, so we had Mac Harris play the point,” said Farragut Coach Shane Wells. “He can handle the ball really well, and he was big for us.
“This game wasn’t a league game, but it was a big win for us because Robertsville was undefeated, and they’re a really good team,” Wells said.
Farragut’s Henry Crecy led all scorers with 15 points, including 11 in the first half. He was the only player to score in double figures.
La’Miere Porter led the Rams with nine points. Josiah McClure, Tre Threat and Kashton Seaman added six points each.
