Without Smith, Tigers fall at Pickett County

Watertown's shooting guard out with shoulder injury

From staff reports

BYRDSTOWN — Watertown's stay as the No. 2 team in the Associated Press Class A boys' poll may be a brief one.

A day after earning perhaps their highest ever ranking in a state poll, the Purple Tigers lost at Pickett County 53-48 Tuesday night.

The Purple Tigers were without shooting guard Josiah Smith, who injured his shoulder late in Friday's win at Friendship Christian.

"That hurt," Watertown coach Matt Bradshaw said of Smith, who has an AC joint sprain and received a cortisone shot Wednesday. "We lost his defensive energy and 12 points per ballgame.

"That's not the reason we lost. We were stagnant on offense. We didn't board very well at all. We went on the road and didn't play very well."

Without Smith, Watertown hit 17 of 45 shots from the floor and 8 of 17 free throws in falling to 14-2.

After getting off to a 16-12 first-quarter lead, a bad second dropped Watertown behind 23-21 by halftime. The Purple Tigers edged back in front 35-34 going into the fourth.

Forward Garrett Hughes had 18 points as Pickett County's only double-figure scorer.

"They shot the ball well and we did some things to help them out," Bradshaw said. "It was a good lesson for our kids. You got to come ready to play every night."

Guard Ty Jobe's 16 points paced the Purple Tigers. He hit half of Watertown's six three-pointers and took down 11 of Watertown's 29 rebounds, had half of its eight steals and both blocked shots. Big man George Theragood totaled 12 points and six rebounds before fouling out.

Macieo Gaines supplied seven points, six rebounds and three assists while Nolan Allison added six points on a pair of threes and had a couple of steals. Ben Bain finished with four points and Jake Belcher a three. Ethan Moss didn't score but posted four assists.

Watertown will play host to District 8-A rival Gordonsville on Friday night. Bradshaw said Smith might be recovered sufficiently from the injury, which he compared to a rolled ankle, to play.

"It's progressively gotten better," Bradshaw said.

Tigerettes cool off in second half of 61-53 loss

BYRDSTOWN — Watertown's young girls struggled to consistently score in the second half of a 61-53 loss at Pickett County on Tuesday night.

The Tigerettes led 20-15 following the first quarter and 36-31 at halftime before falling behind 46-42 going into the fourth as they returned home 8-9.

"Struggled from the foul line, missed layups," Watertown coach Lane Price said after the Tigerettes hit just 5 of 17 free throws. and 21 of 50 field-goal attempts, though they did make 15 of 29 two-point shots.

"We got any shot we wanted; we couldn't put it in the hole," he said. 

Jayna Ferrell totaled 25 points from the wing and Tristen McClellan 10 from the post for Pickett County.

Kirstin Vantrease, Watertown's only senior, connected on three 3-pointers in leading the Tigerettes with 11 points while sophomore Bay Cole and freshman Bobbi Staats each tossed in 10 from inside. Alicia Jennings, the team's only junior, notched nine points, freshman Shelby Mofield six on a pair of threes, sophomore Katie Dalton five and freshman Jasmine High two.

Watertown will return home to take on defending District 8-A champion Gordonsville, which won the WHS Christmas Tournament less than two weeks ago, at 6 p.m. Friday.