Wildcats start hoops season 1-1
Oak Ridge High School’s boys basketball team is leaning heavily on its youth early in the season, and the first week showed both promise and growing pains.
The Wildcats (1-1) wrapped up last week with a 59-53 road loss at Cookeville. The Cavaliers led 35-24 at halftime and kept Oak Ridge at arm’s length as the Wildcats struggled to find rhythm.
“This was a tough game for us,” Oak Ridge Coach Aaron Green said. “We have a hard time getting teams to play us in Hall of Fame games, and we tried to get it at our place, but we went down there. We didn’t shoot the ball really well, and they were just more aggressive than we were.”
Senior Charlie Taubenheim scored 18 points to lead Oak Ridge in the Midstate. Eli Peters added 10, while Ethan James and Luis Soria had eight apiece.
While the Wildcats had trouble scoring at Cookeville, their season opener was a different story. Oak Ridge rolled past Oliver Springs 88-29 on Tuesday, Nov. 18, in Wildcat Arena.
The Wildcats buried 17 three-pointers — the second-most in program history — and rode that hot shooting to a decisive win.
Despite the final margin, Green said Oliver Springs has the tools to make noise as the season progresses.
“We shot the ball really well,” Green said. “We made 17 three-pointers ... I don’t think the score was indicative of the game.
“I think Oliver Springs is a really good team, and I think they’re going to have a big year.”
Oak Ridge spread the scoring around in the opener.
Taubenheim finished with 22 points.
James added 13, Peters had 11, and both Josh Amos and Soria contributed eight.
The Wildcats continue their early-season stretch looking to blend their young roster with the steady leadership of their veterans.