Adversity comes in many forms over the course of a high school basketball game. The ability to respond positively to that adversity could be the difference between winning and losing.
Tuesday night the Chestatee girls faced a hostile environment, an inspired defensive effort by North Hall and a 40-percent shooting night from the free throw line.
They overcame it all, however, en route to a 41-33 win against the Lady Trojans (3-13, 1-6) on Tuesday night at North Hall.
With the win, Chestatee remains in second place behind Gilmer in the subregion standings.
"(North Hall) had a good game plan," Chestatee coach Web Daniel said. "It was effective and shut our shooters down early.
"It feels good though, winning in a pumped environment. It was ugly, but it was a win."
On the defensive end, the Lady Trojans keyed on Chestatee standouts Peyton Robertson and Chelsea Wilson with success.
In the first half Robertson was held to only one made shot from her low-post position and Wilson was held without a made 3-pointer, her trademark shot.
The downsides were Robertson, who finished as Chestatee’s leading scorer with 19 points, stepping out to hit two first half 3-pointers and Daniel having halftime to adjust.
Chestatee, which beat North Hall by 24 points earlier this season, was up only six at halftime.
Daniel started reserve shooting guard Brooke Peck coming out of the half and the switch paid off.
Peck hit two 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to help Chestatee begin the half on a 6-2 run and take a 10-point lead.
"They were guarding Peyton (Robertson) and Chelsea (Wilson) really tight, so I thought we’d put our other shooters in and Brooke (Peck) came up big," Daniel said. "I think she threw them out of their defense."
While Chestatee’s run did throw North Hall off course for a short while, it didn’t throw the Lady Trojans out of the game.
North Hall went on a 13-3 run, capped by seven straight points by McKenna Rushton, to dwindle Chestatee’s lead down to two points.
Rushton finished as the game’s leading scorer with 19 points, 13 in the second half.
"(McKenna Rushton’s) been struggling shooting of late," North Hall coach Bryan Richerson said. "But she’s been working hard to get it back.
"She gives it her all every night and you can’t ask for much more."
As it had done in various ways throughout the night, Chestatee responded to North Hall’s momentum-turning comeback.
After Rushton hit a 3-pointer with 2:15 left in the game to pull North Hall within three points at 36-33, Chestatee closed out the game with five straight points.
North Hall had chances to cut into the lead but had four turnovers and missed two 3-pointers in the final 1:47 of the game.
"That’s our best overall, full game," Richerson said. "We’re trying to get better, not looking at wins and losses and we’re pleased with the way we executed.
"I’m proud of our girls, it was a great complete game."
Chestatee returns to action at 2:30 p.m. Saturday when it goes out of region to play host to Atlanta International. North Hall next plays host to Pickens at 7 p.m. Friday night.
North Hall boys 64, Chestatee 49
Led by Ty Smith’s 16 points, North Hall remained undefeated in subregion play.
Chestatee came out hot, going on a 9-2 run capped by a Branden Jovaag 3-pointer to start the game.
Jovaag finished with 16 to lead the War Eagles (8-11, 4-3 Region 7A-AAA)
North Hall (13-5, 7-0) took a 10-point lead early in the third quarter but Chestatee came back to cut the deficit to one with seven minutes remaining in the final period.
That would be as close as the War Eagles would get, however, as North Hall went on a game-ending 16-4 run which included three straight 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions to put the game out of reach.
Ethan Satterfield had 10 points for North Hall, Chris Barnes had nine and Robbie Hill added eight.
Michael Boisclair contributed nine points for Chestatee.
North Hall returns to action at 8:30 p.m. Friday when it plays host to Pickens. Chestatee next plays host to Atlanta International at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.