Comeback ’Cats
Oak Ridge rallies past Sevier, punches ticket to state
-
Oak Ridge High School’s Ayana Porter (10) and teammate Ze’yana Stewart led a second-half comeback against Sevier County on Saturday with 25 of the team’s 39 second-half points. The Lady Wildcats advanced to the state tournament in Murfreesboro for the first time since 2019. - Tony Cox
The Oak Ridge High School girls basketball team overcame a daunting challenge Saturday night, beating Sevier County for the third time this season.
This time, it was a thrilling 53-52 comeback at Wildcat Arena, to earn a trip to Murfreesboro and a chance to compete on Tennessee’s biggest stage.
It’s tough enough to beat a good team once, let alone three times.
The difficulty only grows when a victory sends one team to the Class 4A state tournament and sends the other home.
With the team down by 10 at halftime, 24-14, Oak Ridge Coach Paige Taylor had simple yet powerful advice during the break. The Lady Wildcats heard her loud and clear.
“We just talked about having fight,” Taylor said. “I told them at halftime, ‘You’re not 29-3 for nothing. You’re not going to lie down and quit.’”
Oak Ridge fell behind by as many as 12 points early in the third quarter before rallying behind a surge of energy, gritty defense, and timely baskets.
“I’m super excited about it,” Taylor said. “It’s about these girls, and I’m so proud of them. This group of seniors, they’ve been through a lot, and to finish their careers like this is special.”
The Lady Wildcats (30-3) will face Bartlett (23-11) on Thursday at Middle Tennessee State University’s Murphy Center.
Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET in Murfreesboro.
This marks Oak Ridge’s first appearance at the state tournament since 2019, when the team narrowly fell to Bradley Central in overtime. 56-50, in the semifinals.
Oak Ridge dominated District 3-4A in the regular season, racing through the district tournament with wins over Powell and Campbell County to secure its 10th-consecutive district title. The Lady Wildcats continued their postseason run, capturing the Region 2-4A crown by defeating Maryville, Farragut, and District 4-4A champion Bearden.
Still, Taylor said beating Sevier County three times was no easy task.
“That’s tough to do,” she said. “We had a two-point game here the first time, and a nine-point game on Senior Night. They didn’t have anything to lose. They’re a good basketball team. We knew we were going to get their absolute best, and we did.”
Ze’Yana Stewart paced the Lady Wildcats with 19 points, while senior guard and District 3-4A Player of the Year Ayana Porter added 14. Euleesha Mitchell chipped in 13 for Oak Ridge, which had an 11-9 first-quarter edge.
A tough second quarter saw the Lady Wildcats go ice-cold, with only a single field goal in 12 attempts, scoring just three points. The Bearettes capitalized with a 15-3 run to take the halftime lead.
Oak Ridge fought back, taking a late four-point lead and hanging on through a tense final stretch. Now, the Lady Wildcats head west on Interstate 40, focused on getting a state championship plaque.
