Tigerettes lose opener
An 18-0 first half run by the Lady ‘Dog girls basketball team Saturday, Nov. 5 would prove detrimental to the Jacksboro Tigerettes, winding up on the short end of a 5040 stick.
In the season opener for both schools, Jacksboro found itself on the short end of a couple issues. One missing starters Kylie Tullous and Rachael Chalmers due to injury and the other a major size disadvantage.
Tigerette Coach Charla Valenzuela said sending Millsap to the free throw line 33 times was also a problem.
“You can’t let them live at the free throw line like that,” Valenzuela offered. “In any season opener there are things you’re going to need to work through as well. Missing a pair of two-year starters also hurt.”
Millsap converted 23 of those free throw chances, the Lady ‘Dogs going 11-15 at the line in the second quarter alone while the Tigerettes were 8-16 at the line for the game.
Jacksboro opened the game on a 10-0 run, seven of the tallies coming from Rylee Mathis. The Tigerettes also held Millsap off the board with Erin Jonas handling the glass for the Purple.
Millsap missed its first nine shots from the floor, but snapped the Purple run with a pair of Samantha Black free throws with 1:32 left in the first. Berkli Sims’ basket but the lead to 10-4 to close the first frame.
Millsap would eventually lead 18-10 before a Jonas bucket with 4:04 left in the half snapped a more than eight-minute scoring drought. Jonas would add the other two baskets of the quarter for Jacksboro as part of a 3-15 shooting frame for the Tigerettes.
Free throws from sophomore Lauren Morris and Emma Lee Gray would end the scoring at the visitors down 23-20 at the half.
Jacksborohadaspark to open the second half, opening on a 9-2 run. Landrie Valenzuela’s three-pointer tied the game with a trio of Mathis baskets putting the Tigerettes back up 29-25 and forcing Millsap into a timeout with 5:44 left in the third.
Over the next 1:45, the Lady ‘Dogs went on a 10-0 skein to retake control up 35-29. Jacksboro went 5-10 shooting in the third with Mathis tossing in eight points. Millsap was 4-16 from the floor but a 5-7 free shooting quarter from Kelsey Ground enabled the host team to take a 37-31 lead into the final stanza.
Jacksboro missed its first seven shots of the fourth, enabling Millsap to go up by as many as 12. Valenzuela baskets and free throws got the Purple within eight with 2:47 to go but Millsap was 5-6 shooting free throws down the stretch to preserve the win.
The mentor Valenzuela said she would like another crack at Millsap.
“Once we get everything together, this is going to be some fun,” Coach Valensuela said.
Mathis tossed in 15 points and Landrie Valenzuela 11 for Jacksboro. Ground had 17 points and Claire Dale 12 for Millsap.
The squad faced Burkburnett in its home opener Tuesday, Nov. 15 and will play Saturday, Nov. 19 at Peaster.
