By David Rogers. LENOIR, N.C. — Try as they might, host Hibriten had few answers for visiting Watauga’s Kate Sears on Feb. 7. The Pioneers’ senior guard scored a game-high 31 points to lead Watauga to a comfortable, 57-45 win.
The Pioneers received even-handed offensive production from a supporting cast that included Julie Matheson and Blair Haines scoring seven points each, with Kaitlyn Darner and Chloe Wilson adding six points each.
Basketball is often a game of “runs” and whichever team has the most runs is usually declared the winner when the final buzzer sounds. On this night, that was the Pioneers. They opened the game strong, but the Aamori Patterson-led Panthers struck back to briefly take the lead in the first quarter. That didn’t last for long as the visitors from Boone used a dominating, 22-12 performance in the second quarter to gain decisive separation.
Patterson helped keep the Panthers within some semblance of striking distance throughout the night, tallying a team-high 24 points and the only Hibriten player to reach double figures, scoring.
Now 15-5 overall and 7-1 in Northwestern Conference play — the lone conference loss a double overtime, 93-91 loss to South Caldwell on Jan. 31 — the Pioneers will look to close out the regular season next week at Freedom, in Morganton (Feb. 11) and vs. Ashe County on Feb. 14 in Lentz Eggers Gym.
SCORING
- WAT – Kate Sears (31 points)
- HIB – Aamori Patterson (24)
- WAT – Julie Matheson (7)
- WAT – Blair Haines (7)
- HIB – Kara Connor (7)
- WAT – Chloe Wilson (6)
- WAT – Kaitlyn Darner (6)
- HIB – Skyla Lail (6)
- HIB – Karlee Starnes (5)
- HIB – Emilee Cook (3)
