Fannin County High Schools Lady Rebels and Rebels’ basketball teams traveled to Gilmer County, for contests versus the Lady Bobcats and Bobcats of Gilmer High School. The teams went 0-2 on the day, as the Lady Rebels came up three points short, 41-38, and the Rebels were thoroughly dismantled 74-39.Fannin fell behind early in the day, as the Lady Rebels were held to two points in the first quarter. The Lady Bobcats’ furious full court woman to woman press defense, forced Fannin into a flurry of bad shots and turnovers. Gilmer led 11-2 at the end of the first quarter.

(Photo by LT Melton)

The Lady Rebels’ offense woke up in the second quarter, despite Gilmer’s Brittany Lowman blocking shots like a bartender at last call. She finished the game with six. The Lady Rebels used an 8-4 run to cut the Gilmer lead to 15-10.

Logan O’Neal came of the bench and hit two big three, getting fouled on the second one; however, she missed the free throw.

Momentum was swinging the Lady Rebels’ way, until Lowman’s block of McKenzey Ryder’s fast break bucket ignited the home team crowd into a feverish frenzy. The Lady Bobcat led 17-13 at the half.

The Gilmer defense frustrated Fannin all night, while the Lady Bobcats’ Jenna Parks, who led all scorers with 14 points and tied with teammate, Ansley Mulkey, for the game lead in rebounds with seven, befuddled the Fannin defense on the other end of the floor. The Lady “Cats” outscored the Lady Rebels 10-5 in the third to take a 27-18 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Fannin offense exhibited some fight in the fourth, as the visiting Lady Rebels repeatedly cut into the lead, behind the sticky fingers of Ashley Ellison, who led all with four steal, and the timely shooting of Mallory Arp, who finished with a team high 13 points.

The Lady Rebels cut the lead to seven, 30-23 off of another O’Neal three point basket with just under six minutes left in the game. An Arp three cut the lead to five, with 3:04 left.

Gilmer’s Jenna Parks hit a three with just under two minutes left, to push Gilmer’s lead up to seven, 41-34. The Lady Rebels never got closer than three as the home team Lady “Cats” closed the door with a 41-38 win.

The boys’ game commenced after a short Hip Hop dance routine, courtesy of Dance Etc. Fannin fell behind early, as the Bobcats ran out to a 10-2 lead before the game’s third minute. By the end of the first quarter, the Rebels faced a substantial deficit, 19-5.

Despite the Bobcats picking up a plethora of fouls, causing Fannin to frequent the free throw line, Gilmer gave Fannin a heavy dose of full court press.

Just a 1:21 into the second quarter the Fannin was in double bonus (shooting two free throws for every defensive Gilmer foul); however, the Rebels could not capitalize.

The Rebels simply had no answer for the full court pressure that produced a 13-3 advantage for Gilmer in steals; Joe Bob Charles led all players with six. He also led the game in scoring and assists, 17 and five respectively.

Ryan Lowery, who finished with a double double, 11 points and 10 rebounds, repeatedly sparked fast breaks with a defensive rebound followed by an outlet pass. The Bobcats out rebounded the Rebels 33-18.

The second half mirrored the first half, as the Bobcats relentless defensive pressure frustrated Fannin’s offense the rest of the night. The Rebels’ leading scorer, Luke Adams, finished two points shy of double digits. The Rebels’ leading rebounders, Brady Stanley, and Jonathan Vecchio, each finished with three. Jason Arp led the team in blocks with two.

Each team cleared its bench, as Gilmer cruised to a 74-39 victory.