BY BRIAN HAMILTON
GATLINBURG – Ty Glasper had a huge night for Gatlinburg-Pittman, finishing just a couple rebounds and steals shy of a quadruple-double. The junior phenom finished the game with 33 points, 12 assists, eight steals and seven rebounds, as the Highlanders defeated Monroe County (KY) 105-66 to win the Smoky Mountain Winter Classic.
“I didn’t even know that I had eight steals,” Glasper said after the game. “I knew about the seven rebounds, but I had no clue about the eight steals. That was a shocker to me.”
Ty Glasper (10) goes up for a layup while Monroe County’s Tucker Kirkpatrick (2) defends. Photo by Brian Hamilton
The Highlanders scored early and often, with Mason Harriss converting an old-fashioned three-point play to give Gatlinburg-Pittman an early 3-0 lead.
Ty Glasper hit a three to make the score 6-2, followed by two Wade Whaley free throws to give the Highlanders an 8-2 lead.
Monroe County’s Tucker Kirkpatrick scored on a layup to trim the GP lead to 8-4, but a Glasper steal and pass to Whaley for a layup to increase the lead to 10-4 with 5:40 left in the first quarter.
A rebound and putback by Gatlinburg’s Ethan Reagan would give the Highlanders a 12-6 lead. Gatlinburg-Pittman would increase its lead to 17-9 on a Glasper triple and a fast break dunk by Harriss.
The Falcons would end the first quarter on a 12-5 run, however, as Austin Arnett caught fire from beyond the arch. The Highlanders took a narrow 24-22 lead into the second period.
“I had a pretty good first quarter, so obviously I’m going to have a lot more attention drawn to me, and with that, I realized that I’m not really going to get the type of shots that I want, so with that attention, I’m able to distribute and drive in and kick it out to teammates for some easy looks,” Glasper said.
Another three by Arnett gave Monroe County its first lead of the game, at 25-24, as the Falcons were in the midst of a 10-2 run, dating back to the first quarter.
A Glasper steal and layup would put Gatlinburg-Pittman back in front 26-25, but Arnett hit another three to put the Falcons back in front 28-26.
Gatlinburg-Pittman’s Carlos Orr goes up for a basket. The senior forward finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Photo by Brian Hamilton
The Highlanders were assessed a technical foul and trailed 30-26 after the foul shots. Charlie Yazel would sink a triple on the next GP possession to trim the Monroe County lead to 30-29. Glasper would score on a steal and layup to put the Highlanders back in front 31-30.
A pair of free throws by Kirkpatrick would put the Falcons back in front 32-31, as the lead went back and forth early in the second quarter.
Glasper nailed a three to put Gatlinburg-Pittman in front 34-32 and that would be the last time the Highlanders trailed during the game.
Reagan hit a jumper on the next GP possession to stretch the lead to 37-32 with just over three minutes left in the half, which was followed by a Glasper basket to make the score 39-32.
Gatlinburg-Pittman would extend its lead to double digits later in the quarter, as the Highlanders went to the half leading 49-39.
“Things got chaotic there for a minute,” Gatlinburg-Pittman head coach Rashid Moore said after the game. “I knew it was still early enough in the game that we didn’t have to panic, but we weren’t doing the things we were supposed to be doing defensively and offensively. I knew if we could settle down, I felt like we would be alright. That’s not the first time we’ve been in those type of dog fights.”
Glasper opened the third quarter with a basket to stretch the lead to 51-39 and the Highlanders would extend the lead to 56-41 with 6:29 left in the quarter.
The Highlander lead would reach 20 when Yazel made a layup to make the score 64-44 with 4:46. A long three by Carlos Orr would then give Gatlinburg-Pittman a 67-46 lead.
Mason Harriss (5) goes up for a hoop while defended by four Falcon players. Photo by Brian Hamilton
It soon began clear that the Highlanders would have a good chance to eclipse the century mark in the fourth quarter. Gatlinburg-Pittman hit the 100 point plateau for the second time this season with just over three minutes left in the game when Quinn Coykendall scored to make the score 100-66.
Lucas Erozen hit a three on the next Highlander possession to make the score 103-66, as Gatlinburg-Pittman would come away with a 105-66 win and its second tournament championship of the season. The Highlanders won the Smoky Mountain Christmas Classic last week in Gatlinburg.
“It was huge, especially because of the margin of victory,” Moore said of his Highlanders winning two tournaments in as many weeks. “Although we had some pretty big wins, several of those teams were pretty good basketball teams.”
Glasper led all scorers with 33 points, while Carlos Orr finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Mason Harriss scored 12 points, while Ethan Reagan added 11 for Gatlinburg-Pittman.
The Highlanders will be back in action on Friday, January 5, as they travel to Oneida (10-3) for a district matchup. Gatlinburg-Pittman won the first meeting between the two teams 92-53 on December 15.