PIGEON FORGE — The Gatlinburg-Pittman Highlanders started their junior varsity basketball squad Tuesday night in a 74-32 loss to the Austin-East Roadrunners in the District 3-AA Tournament consolation contest at Pigeon Forge High School.

Due to violating team rules, 10 G-P players never undressed from team warm-ups and sat on the sidelines watching eight mostly younger teammates — there was one G-P senior, Drew Barton, who dressed and started — try to match-up with a tough A-E squad in a contest to determine the third-place team in the district tournament.

“First, I would like to say that I’m very proud of the effort of the eight boys who played,” said G-P coach Raul Placeres. “But we have team rules, and when you don’t follow team rules, you don’t play.

“It’s not a right to play, it’s a privilege to play at our school. When kids take that for granted, there’s consequences to things, and that’s life.

“My job is not to win or lose ball games, it’s to teach young men to be men and to teach them the right lessons in life.”

Although the 42-point Highlander loss keeps G-P away from possible Fulton and A-E matchups for awhile, Placeres said that had nothing to do with his decision not to play his varsity squad.

“By no means is that what I meant to do tonight,” said Placeres. “But that’s what some people think, that we lost on purpose.

“What I meant to do tonight ... was teach them a lesson. You’ve got to send them a message sometimes. But they’re kids, and they’ll learn from this, hopefully, and that’s all I can do.”

The Highlanders will travel to either Stone Memorial or Alcoa on Saturday for a region tournament win-or-go-home clash. Placeres expects his starters to return to action that night.

“I hope they’re ready,” said Placeres. “But that’s really on them (the players).

“I’m always prepared, and I do my job. They (the players) have to do theirs. And their job is to go to school, get the best grades possible and to give me an honest effort. That’s all I ask for.”

Barton led G-P with 12 points, Davis Soehn had eight, Spencer Lewis six, and Christian Chaffin and Josh Russell added three apiece in the loss.

All-Tourney Team

Five local players were named to the All-District Tournament Team after the Fulton boys’ 68-61 championship victory over Carter on Tuesday night.

On the boys’ team, Pigeon Forge’s Justin Carter and G-P’s Barton were named.

For the girls, Pigeon Forge’s Danielle Rauhuff and Ashlynn Trotter were given honors, along with G-P’s Leah Bryan.