Girls' basketball: JCCHS offense bottoms out in loss to Oconee Co.

The Lady Panthers (7-5, 2-1) were limited to nine first-half points in a 44-32 loss to Oconee County Saturday, one night after dropping a tough one to rival Jefferson.

“I really thought we’d bounce back tonight (Saturday),” coach John Hawley said. “We hit rock bottom tonight and never could get out of that hole. It was just a snowball effect.”

The Lady Panthers had won five straight entering the weekend. But following a 54-52 loss to Jefferson Friday, Jackson County trailed 19-9 against Oconee at the half Saturday afternoon.

“We just never really got into a flow,” Hawley said. “We’ve had quarters like that, but we’ve not a whole half like that. Those are the things that we’ve been struggling with. It just goes back to those basic skills – passing and catching and moving without the basketball and knowing when to attack.”

Hawley expects his club will improve when it resumes play after Christmas.

“The good news is when you hit rock bottom you’ve only got one way to go – that’s up,” Hawley said. “So we want to be positive about the whole thing, too.”

Jackson County will have plenty of chances to improve when it returns to the court with four games in four days. The Lady Panthers play in a Dec. 28-30 tournament at Oconee County followed by a Dec. 30 home date with Stephens County.

But Hawley’s team has a much-needed break for now. The coach said his team has been challenged so far with its schedule.

“They had a long road trip,” Hawley said, referring to the seven-consecutive away games that started the season. “They’ve been at it. They haven’t played too much at home.”