The Soddy Daisy Trojans have played some inspiring basketball at times this season and they’re having a successful season so far as a result, but they took a step backward on Tuesday night at East Ridge High School’s Catherine Neely Gymnasium.

Facing the East Ridge Pioneers with both teams seeking their second win in District 6-AAA, the Pioneers had it and the Trojans didn’t.

East Ridge improved to 9-6 overall and 2-3 in 6-AAA while Soddy Daisy is now 10-7 overall and 1-4 in 6-AAA following East Ridge’s 50-47 victory.

“We pulled one out,” said East Ridge head coach Tre High following the contest.

“A win is a win and it’s a district win, which is a big deal, but we have to do a better job shooting free throws,” he said after admitting that his team only sank nine of 21 from the charity stripe.

“We’re trying to learn how to win with discipline and that’s our motto for the season, but we also have to learn how to win in difficult situations.  I thought we played well in spots and we were efficient in the paint, but we still have to be in the right spots on defense.

“We had a nice lead in the fourth quarter and could have put the game away with smart play, but we had a couple of silly turnovers that hurt us.  Soddy Daisy also had a couple of turnovers that saved us, but we just have to be smarter in close games like this,” High added.

Soddy Daisy coach Bill Eller wasn’t nearly as positive with his post-game comments.

“The bottom line is that we just didn’t play well.  I’d ask for my money back if I was a spectator as that was an ugly basketball game,” he said before addressing his team.

“I’m at a loss for words to be honest with you, but our heart just wasn’t in it tonight.  We can’t play like we did and expect to win against anybody,” the veteran coach added.

A layup by Soddy Daisy’s Bryson Reid right at the buzzer knotted the score at 9-9 when the first quarte ended.  Josh Davis had given the Trojans their last lead at 7-3 with a bucket just inside a minute, but that was the last lead of the game for the guys in blue.

Luke Cabe sank the first of two free throws with 6:18 to play in the half as Soddy Daisy got within a point at 11-10, but a 13-4 run by the Pioneers in the next four minutes put the hosts ahead 24-14 following two charity tosses by Devon Anderson with 1:52 showing in the second quarter.

Soddy Daisy scored four points in the final minute to trail by 24-18 at intermission.

Six straight points by Tyree Smith in the first minute of the third quarter allowed East Ridge to double its lead, but Soddy Daisy was still in striking distance when the quarter ended following a 3 by Reid with 22 seconds left.

Anderson scored on a layup following a steal with 4:34 to play as the East Ridge lead was 45-35 at that point and it looked like the Pioneers might just cruise on down victory lane, but the Trojans had other ideas.

A 9-0 run, sparked by seven points from Reid including a three-point play with 1:57 left, cut the East Ridge lead to 45-44, but the Trojans couldn’t get over the hump as the Pioneers responded just a quickly with five unanswered points for a 50-44 lead inside the final minute.

Zack Ryans canned a 3 from the wing with 26.3 seconds to play to get Soddy Daisy within 50-47 and East Ridge could have put the game away at the free throw line, but missed three straight.

Soddy Daisy got the all-important rebound with 11 seconds remaining and had plenty of time to get a good shot, but Shaun Pangle’s long shot at the buzzer was off the mark as the Pioneers were able to hang on and win.

Anderson scored 14 points to lead East Ridge while Hasani Jackson was next with 13.  Smith finished with nine points.

Reid was tops for Soddy Daisy with 16 points while Ryans was also in double figures with 11.  Pangle, who had a miserable evening from the field, was next with nine points.

Soddy Daisy also had an unofficial 31-22 rebounding edge as Pangle grabbed 10 for the Trojans.  Josh Davis also had six for the Trojans.  Jackson topped East Ridge with five while Darius Hamilton and Smith both had four each.

SODDY DAISY GIRLS 47, EAST RIDGE 24: The first quarter told the tale in this game as Soddy Daisy bolted to a 19-3 lead and never looked back.

Melody Crawley was the only Lady Trojan in double figures as she tallied 17 points for the winners that included five 3-pointers, who improved to 11-6 overall and 3-2 in district play. 

Candyce Yother added eight points for the winners while Adyson Collins had six.

Nia Barnes topped East Ridge with 10 points.

GIRLS SUMMARY

SODDY DAISY  19  6  11  11  --  47

EAST RIDGE  3  10  2  9  --  24

SODDY DAISY (47) – Ledford 2, Morgan 2, Trimiar 4, Yother 8, Varner, Melody Crawley 17, Hall 4, Collins 6, Pourfarzib, Edmonson 2, Mull, Bearden 2.

EAST RIDGE (24) – Gomez 6, Burnham 4, Hickman 4, Bassett, Wade, Nia Barnes 10, Reynolds.

3-POINT GOALS: Soddy Daisy 5 (Crawley 5); East Ridge 2 (Gomez, Burnham).

BOYS SUMMARY

SODDY DAISY  9  9  11  18  --  47

EAST RIDGE  9  15  12  14  --  50

SODDY DAISY (47) – Zack Ryans 11, Pangle 9, Bryson Reid 16, Eller 4, Love, Natale 2, Bridgman, Cabe 1, Davis 4.

EAST RIDGE (50) – Martin 1, Hasani Jackson 13, Lim 2, Smith 9, Harris 4, Devon Anderson 14, Barnes, Carnes 3, Hamilton 4.

3-POINT GOALS: Soddy Daisy 3 (Ryans, Pangle, Reid); East Ridge 3 (Smith, Anderson, Carnes).

(email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)