Basketball Recap: Smoky Mountain Takes a Loss

Smoky Mountain was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their sixth straight defeat. They took a 53-46 hit to the loss column at the hands of the West Henderson Falcons. The Mustangs were probably out for revenge after losing 58-32 to them when the teams met back in February of 2024, then they'll just have to keep looking.

When it comes to explaining why Smoky Mountain lost, don't look at Aaliyah Voss. Despite the final result, she went 8 of 18 en route to 21 points. Kieaira Ensley was another key player, putting up nine points and five boards.

Mustangs

Offensive Rebounds

01/03/25 @ West Henderson	16
12/26/24 vs East Burke	5
12/19/24 @ Enka	5

Even though they lost, Smoky Mountain smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive boards. That's the most offensive rebounds they've managed all season.

West Henderson's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Kayden Lyda, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and 16 rebounds. The dominant performance gave Lyda a new career-high in boards. Another player making a difference was Allison Justus, who posted 11 points in addition to five rebounds and four steals.

Smoky Mountain's loss dropped their record down to 2-10. As for West Henderson, their victory ended a three-game drought at home and bumped them up to 7-6.

Smoky Mountain wasted no time getting back out on the court and has already played their next match, a 50-33 win against Robbinsville on the 7th. As for West Henderson, they also didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next contest, a 61-40 defeat against Pisgah on the 7th.