Smokey Mtn Tourney Championship: Cookeville vs Gatlinburg-Pittman
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Two excellent teams with aspirations of going to state between Cookeville (10-2) and Gatlinburg-Pittman (13-2) squared off in the Championship Game of the Smokey Mountain Christmas Tournament. In a game in which Cookeville led essentially the entire 2nd half, except…
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Continue ReadingTwo excellent teams with aspirations of going to state between Cookeville (10-2) and Gatlinburg-Pittman (13-2) squared off in the Championship Game of the Smokey Mountain Christmas Tournament. In a game in which Cookeville led essentially the entire 2nd half, except the last minute when GP snuck in to take a lead.
1st quarter: Cookeville: 11 Gatlinburg-Pittman 22
Halftime: Cookeville 28 Gatlinburg-Pittman 26
3rd quarter: Cookeville 39 Gatlinburg-Pittman 34
Final: Cookeville 52 Gatlinburg-Pittman 54
Made some really tough shots early in the game, including a late 1st quarter three pointer which gave Gatlinburg-Pittman a 22-11 lead at the end of the 1st quarter. Looked like a really confident shot maker from the perimeter which was taking pressure of Newman inside. If Glasper can continue to be a high level shot make, it really lifts GP to another level on that end of the floor. Glasper has high level athleticism and is really able to get to her spots, giving her the change to be a really good offensive player. Had a really nice 3rd quarter helping keep GP in the basketball game. Had 9 points after 3 quarters.
Down 3 with :30 seconds left, GP ran an elevator set for Glasper. She pump fake, side stepped, and knocked it down to tie. Glasper hit perhaps the biggest shot of the game!
Highlights
Simply a dominant performance by Newman as Cookeville did not have a great size answer for her. Newman scored 12 first quarter points and was able get Garcia in early foul trouble. Against the Cookeville 2-2-1 press, Newman continually got one on one situations in the paint…and from there it’s automatic drop step to a right handed layup and automatic bucket. Newman had 16 points at the half.
Newman didn’t let up in the 2nd half, continuously attacking the rim and never letting up. She runs the floor so well, knows how to seal, know angles, how to use her shoulders, etc. Newman’s old-school game inside the paint is a joy to watch. Had 24 after three quarters, and was up to the 30 point mark in the fourth quarter before you could blink.
Newman looked every bit the part of a high Division 1 player. She was without question the best player on the floor. Finished with 36 points and the game-winning free throws.
Emma Horner
Emma Horner
Came off the bench and did about as well as you can do vs Newman defensively. Horner is a long defender that’s really active, and came in and made an immediate defensive difference helping contain Newman in the 2nd quarter. Cookeville was down 11 points at the end of the 1st quarter, and quickly erased the lead to tie it up, and Horner played a huge role in that. Gave Cookeville great minuetes.
Didn’t shoot the ball really well in the 1st half, but did a pretty good job against the Gatlinburg-Pittman pressure as a ball handler. Had a beautiful take at the end of the 1st half to put Cookeville up 28-26 going into halftime. Would love to see Gillies continue to develop in the mid-range, and not be reliant on the three ball.
I felt like she really came alive in the 2nd half as passer and rebounder. Its always important for younger scorers like Gilles to learn to not rely on points to determine your worth or how hard you play…and Gillies did a great job simply worrying about the controllables.
Looked like a big time scorer in the 1st half on all three levels. GP had a hard time containing the dribble vs Gilbert, and she was able to get into the paint often. Hit a few shots in the paint that were highly contested…but great offense will always beat great defense. Scored seven points in the first half.
Gilbert came out in the second half ultra aggressive on both ends. The defensive intensity by Cookeville spear-headed a 3rd quarter run, and Gilbert played a big part of that.
Highlights
Garcia has been an automatic double-double as of late, but got into very early foul trouble in this one. Garcia came out in the 2nd half with a ton of energy and helped lead a 3rd quarter Cookeville run. Garcia runs a really nice pick and roll, and is simply underrated as one of my favorite unsigned ’24s. Garcia played a terrific second half on both ends of the floor. Made a beautiful move lat in the 4th on a drop step to give Cookeville the two point lead. Ended with 11 points
Stinnett had a tough task Cookeville was bringing the intensity defensively. She didn’t a good making the correct reads vs the 2-2-1 press, and so many GP buckets came from layups vs the press. Stinnet’s ability to handle pressure will be an important aspect of the GP season. She’s also gotta be a perimeter shot maker for this team. GP struggled in the 2nd half vs Cookeville’s zone, and a huge part of that was the inability of GP to hit a 3.
Charlie Roby Charlie Roby 5'6" | PG Cookeville | 2026 TN
Charlie Roby Charlie Roby 5'6" | PG Cookeville | 2026 TN
Roby plays such an important part of this Cookeville team! She plays with a relentless energy, and had six points in the big 2nd quarter Cookeville run. She simply makes winning plays, and is a really high IQ basketball player. She was all over the floor in this game.