Post Photo by Dennis Holley Jachelle Ridley battles for a loose ball under the rim against Central Magnet.
By DENNIS HOLLEY
Sports Writer
LEWISBURG — The Marshall County Tigerettes (14-7, 2-5) hosted the Murfreesboro Central Magnet Lady Tigers (16-9, 5-2) for a District 8-3A game on Friday night on Steely Court in the friendly confines of Dottie Kelso Memorial Gymnasium.
The Tigerettes find themselves struggling as the district and regular season schedule winds down and looked to end a two-game losing streak but hot 3-point shooting by Central Magnet’s Addison Melton in the third quarter put a damper on Basketball Homecoming night as the Lady Tigers handed the Tigerettes a 41-29 defeat.
The Tigerettes were led in scoring by Jachelle Ridley, continuing her late season strong effort, with 14 points.
Central Magnet was led by Melton with 24 points as she blistered the net with five 3-pointers, four of them in the second half.
Things began well for the Tigerettes as Maggie Steely buried a 3-pointer to open the scoring for Marshall County from out in front of the basket, but Melton returned the favor with a three-pointer from the left side that tied the score, 3-3.
Jachelle Ridley sank two free throws for the Tigerettes before Julia Stuible for Central Magnet canned a short jumper to re-tie the game at 5-5.
Both teams employed a man-to-man defense and play was tight on both ends with Demiyah Blackmon for Marshall County scoring on a free-throw and a three pointer to keep the score close at the end of the first quarter with the Lady Tigers leading, 13-10.
The second quarter saw the Lady Tigers stretch the lead to seven points on baskets by Madison Stanley, before Jachelle Ridley made one of two free-throws and a basket for Marshall County to make the score 17-13.
Melton, however, answered with a basket to make the score 19-13.
Melton scored again and the Lady Tigers led 21-13 before Jachelle Ridley, fouled on a 3-point effort, sank all three free-throws and Central Magnet led 21-16 at the halftime break.
The third quarter began as Marshawna Ridley breathed some air into the Tigerette offense, then on the next possession Ridley drained a short jumper and to tie the game at 21.
Then on back-to-back possessions Melton buried two 3-pointers to extend the lead to six points.
Melton added another basket and a free-throw to score nine of the 11 points the Lady Tigers put on the board in the quarter and the Lady Tigers now led 32-21 heading into the fourth quarter.
The fourth quarter began with Melton striking again with another 3-pointer as the Tigerettes struggled to put points on the board against the Lady Tiger defense and with 4:23 left in the game Central Magnet led, 38-26.
Jachelle Ridley canned another 3-pointer, but the Lady Tigers held a 12-point lead as the horn sounded to end the game, taking a 41-29 victory back to Murfreesboro.
Central Magnet 13 8 11 9 — 41
Marshall Co. 10 6 5 8 — 29
Central Magnet: Addison Melton 24, Madison Stanley 9, Bethany Jackson 6, Julia Stuible 2.
Marshall Co.: Jachelle Ridley 14, Marshawna Ridley 6, Maggie Steely 6, Demiyah Blackmon 3.
3-Point Goals Marshall Co. (3): M. Ridley, J Ridley, Steely; Central Magnet (7): Melton 5, Jackson 2.
Halftime Score: Central Magnet 21, Marshall Co. 16.
