By DENNIS HOLLEY
Sports Writer
LEWISBURG — On Friday night, the Marshall County Tigerettes (13-4, 1-2) on Friday night faced the Lady Wildcats of Tullahoma High School (7-9, 2-1) in the first game of the basketball doubleheader at Dottie Kelso Memorial Gymnasium.
Having lost to the Lady Wildcats back on January 9 the Tigerettes were looking to avenge that loss with a win at home, but a strong second half showing by Tullahoma prevented that and Marshall County came up on the short end of a 40-31 decision.
The Tigerettes were led in scoring by Mashawna Ridley with 16 points and Kerionna Thomison with eight points.
Meshawna Ridley put Marshall County up 3-0 with a 3-pointer from out front, but Lily Melton put Tullahoma on the board on a short jumper to make the score 3-2.
Both teams played tight defense, but Marshall County’s Demiyah Blackmon broke free and from the left corner sank a 3-pointer before Mashawna Ridley and Thomison added baskets to put the Tigerettes up by eight points.
Melton scored on a short jumper for Tullahoma to make the score 10-4 before Mashawna Ridley scored her seventh point of the quarter on a nifty move under the basket to make the score 12-2.
Melton scored her second basket from in front of the goal and Marshall County led 12-4 at the end of the first quarter.
The Tigerettes opened the scoring in the second quarter on a basket by Thomison with an assist from Blackmon and stretched the lead to 10 points, 14-4.
The Lady Wildcats began to up the pressure on the defensive end of the court and Melton scored a basket before Thomison scored again to make the score 16-6.
McLayne Bobo for Tullahoma and Mashawna Ridley swapped 3-pointers to make the score 19-9.
From there until the end of the quarter, Tullahoma’s pressure began to take its toll on the Tigerettes, while on the offensive end the Lady Wildcats went on a 6-0 run and gained momentum for the second half.
By halftime, the Tigerettes still led 19-15.
The second half began and the Lady Wildcats pressure now on both ends of the court hampered the Tigerettes, but Mashawna Ridley’s quick hands stole an errant Tullahoma pass and the slender junior out raced everyone to the basket.
Tullahoma responded with a basket by Farah Vincent and a 3-pointer by Aubrey North to make the score 21-20.
Adrianna White from the right side sank a three-pointer to make the score 24-20 before free-throws by Melton and Lidstrom cut that lead to one point, 24-23 with 2:24 left in the third quarter.
Tullahoma’s North then sank her second 3-pointer from deep in the corner on the left side with 1:34 left in the third quarter that put the Lady Wildcats in the lead for the first time, 26-24.
Lidstrom scored a basket and the third quarter ended with Tullahoma leading 28-24 as the Tigerettes went cold from the defensive pressure of the Lady Wildcats.
The fourth quarter began with the Lady Wildcats’ Lidstrom sinking a free-throw, but the Tigerettes fought back as Ridley sank one-of-two free-throws and Thomison scored another basket to cut the lead to 29-27.
Nyiah Gibbs on a put back from a rebound made the score 31-27 before Ridley sank a free-throw to make the score 33-28 but North struck again with another 3-pointer to make the score 34-28.
Tullahoma 4 11 13 12 — 40
Marshall Co. 12 7 5 7 — 31
Tullahoma: Lily Melton 14, Aubrey North 10, Isabella Lidstrom 5, McLayne Bobo 5, Nyjah Gibbs 4, Farah Vincent 2.
Marshall Co.: Mashawna Ridley 16, Kerionna Thomison 8, Demiyah Blackmon 3, Adrianna White 3, Jachelle Ridley 1.
3-Point Goals Marshall Co.: (3): M Ridley 2, White; Tullahoma (5): North 3, Bobo, Melton.
Halftime Score: Marshall Co. 19, Tullahoma 15.
