Sweetwater shows maturation in Polk County win

Down three at the start of the fourth quarter, the Wildcats dropped 14 points in the fourth quarter to top Polk County 52-46 and earn its first District 3-2A win of the season.

“In one of the last timeouts I had, some of the boys stood up and said they were going to refuse to lose. They found a way to fight through,” Sweetwater coach Joe Allen said.

Sweetwater’s duo of senior Chris Alford and freshman Hunter Daffron scored all 14 points in the comeback final frame. On the other side of things, Sweetwater’s defense stepped up by holding Polk County to five points, and two field goals, in the fourth quarter.

“We defended well and we got some stops, block outs and rebounds. I would like to say we made some free throws, but we missed a few of them. They just kept competing,” Allen said. “We came out in the fourth quarter and had three of four possessions with a three-pointer or two-pointer and then we got a three-point play.”

Sweetwater (6-8; 1-2) turned to Alford, Daffron, Campbell Hicks, Cade Houser and DeMarth Upton in the closing minutes. The defensive shift was one of Sweetwater’s finer moments this season and could help to right the ship in league play.

The host Wildcats are by no means lost at sea. One win and two losses is where Sweetwater sat last season before storming back and winning the 2023 District 3-2A tournament.

Alford’s three field goals and 11 points in the fourth quarter came after he was held to more modest numbers by the Polk defense.

Alford was held to four field goals through three quarters with his 9 for 11 shooting at the line being extremely influential and led the 2022-23 All-County Player of the Year to 24 points. As a team, Sweetwater shot 20 for 34 on the night and five for 12 in the fourth quarter.

“They seem to have lost him a time or two and we found him. They tried to take him away and we found him. He was able to make a couple big baskets,” Allen said.

Daffron finished with 19 points, nine of those coming in the second half. He found five field goals on the night and shot 62% at the line. Daffron’s three-pointer came in a key moment in the Wildcats’ slower third quarter.

“He is our ball handler and he handles the pressure. He is getting stronger mentally and physically. He is beginning to mature into the basketball player that I know he can be,” Allen added.

Alford and Daffron were the only Wildcats to score in the second half. Nolan Dacus supplied five points — all in the second quarter — while Hicks hit a field goal and Upton shot 2 for 4 at the line.

Sweetwater finished with 15 made field goals.

All of Polk County’s points in the second half came from Kolton Casson and Zanten Branham. The duo combined for 28 on the night and 17 in the third and fourth quarters.

Limiting each to one field goal in the fourth quarter created a massive swing for the hosts.

“Campbell Hicks did a great job with his length and his defensive ability against (Casson). He pretty much guarded him the whole game; we switched off him a couple times, but not many,” Allen said.

Daffron and Houser both defended Branham at various times.

“I think we put just enough pressure on the ball that kept them from wanting to shoot the ball,” Allen added.

Polk County (9-7; 0-3) finished with 16 field goals, only six in the second half, while shooting 7 for 8 (86%) at the line.

Sweetwater has picked up two wins in a row after snapping a six-game skid. The Wildcats started sharp and finished strong in their first game in a week.

“The Rhea County tournament was a good thing for our basketball team. We were able to find ourselves and have a little bit of a break,” Allen said. “When we won the game against Ooltewah and competed against Red Boiling Springs and Chattanooga Prep, things just sort of came around to us.”

The Wildcats topped Ooltewah 80-39 after losing by six and seven points to Red Boiling Springs and Chattanooga Prep over Christmas break.

“It was sort of a confidence builder and I told them that is what they have to bring to every game. I am proud of the effort and the fight they have been giving each and every day,” Allen added.

Houser and Dacus, along with Alford, helped control the boards in Sweetwater’s favor. Houser stood out defensively — 46 points allowed is eight points below Sweetwater’s season average.

Kingston took sole possession of the league’s top spot with a win over McMinn Central while Tellico Plains moved into the top half, convincingly beating Meigs County.