Pisgah boys notch first win of the year at Erwin
Dec. 1—Going on the road for the first time this season, Pisgah (1-1) scrapped its way to a 69-64 win at non-conference opponent Erwin (0-2) on Tuesday night.
"We found a way to win a close game," Bears' head coach Jonathan Whitson said. "It's always good to get that monkey off your back."
After a tough 78-68 loss to Enka to start the year, Whitson was impressed with the way his team responded to grit out the road win. He especially liked what he saw from freshman guards Jake Lowery and Sawyer Belue.
"I had two freshman guards in there late, two minutes or so to go, we're up 64-60. They found a way to close it out and finish it which boosted my confidence not only in them, but in the team," Whitson said.
Belue finished with 14 points and four assists in the win while Lowery added 11 points and two assists, each finding ways to be effective in their second game at the high school level.
Whitson said when he subbed Lowery in, he noticed a higher level of defensive pressure.
"I felt like he picked our defensive pressure up and then the guys kind of followed after that. That's huge, being a freshman and coming in like that," Whitson said.
Junior wing Caden Robinson led the Bears with 20 points and 15 boards and averages a double-double through two games.
Robinson is listed on MaxPreps at 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds but can handle the ball despite his stature. Whitson said having a player with his versatility allows the Bears to go with different big or small lineups depending on matchups with opposing teams.
Pisgah knocked down 23 shots in the win and 16 of those were assisted, a ratio that Whitson was happy with. The Bears also scored 13 second chance points, another area that Whitson was pleased with.
"We're getting more unselfish, and I'm a big believer that the more unselfish you get, the better you are," Whitson said.
Against Erwin, Whitson said the Bears settled for jump shots early in the first quarter and fell behind but fought back to tie it up at 17 heading into the second. Pisgah held the Warriors to 10 points in the second quarter and took a 31-27 lead into halftime.
Whitson said the message at halftime was to work in the paint on offense more and play inside-out to get high percentage looks from close range or find open shooters around the perimeter.
"Still, defensively I felt like we gave up too much in the second half," Whitson said. "But offensively, I felt our shots were better."
Pisgah increased its lead by two after the third quarter and held a 51-45 lead entering the final period. Whitson said it took some key stops and free throws late in the game to ultimately come away with the 69-64 victory.
Pisgah is back in action with a quick turnaround Wednesday night as the Bears host the Cherokee Braves. The varsity girls are set to tip off at 6:30 with the varsity boys following at 8 p.m.
