Tigerettes move into Area round

ALEDO – Jacksboro and Eastland hooked up in a battle royale Monday evening in a bi-district girls basketball matchup. Backed by a boisterous student section and a raucous crowd of supporters, the second seed Tigerettes out of District 8-3A overcame a fourth quarter deficit and pulled away from the third seed out of District 7-3A Lady Mavs in a 42-36 win at Bearcat Gym.

Jacksboro is now 28-6 overall while Eastland ends its campaign at 20-10. 

The Tigerettes will have a rematch with No-5 Tuscola Jim Ned Friday night at 7 in Dublin. Jim Ned won the first encounter 47-26.

Jacksboro took a 28-26 lead into the fourth quarter but a pair of Hailee Stacy buckets put Eastland ahead early. Stacy, who had eight points in the frame, received little offensive support from her teammates. Haley Laake and Baylee Thompson put Jacksboro back ahead.

With their friends and family rooting them on, Jacksboro began to go for the kill after a timeout. Sophomore Trinity Tisdale, who started the game strong, used a steal and nifty layin to put the squad up five with 2:11 to go.

Unlike Eastland, who had no support offensively for Stacy, senior Kaylea Maples buried a pair of free throws to build the lead to seven with 1:40 to go. Stacy countered with a bucket only to have Tisdale bury a pair of free throws for an eight-point cushion with 1:12 remaining.

Eastland would get within five in the final seconds but a turnover with three seconds left ended any comeback chances.

Tisdale had an extra bowl of Wheaties Monday morning and it showed as she scored the first seven Tigerette points. Thompson extended the lead to 9-2 before Eastland closed strong, Savannah Blount’s three-pointer tying the game at nine after one.

Maples slipped down the baseline for a basket to end the Eastland run early in the second but the Lady Mavs showed they weren’t going anywhere, taking a 15-11 lead midquarter.

Much like Eastland did in the first, Jacksboro closed the half with a 9-0 run. Thompson had a pair of buckets inside with Jordan Nichols burying a short jumper. Free throws by Maples and Leah Plaster helped the Purple take a 20-15 lead at the half.

Stacy tied the game at 20 with a three-pointer but Thompson and Tisdale built the lead back to four early in the third. Jacksboro had just six shots in the third but used free throws from Thompson and Maples to maintain their slim lead heading into the fourth.

Tisdale tossed in 14 points and Thompson 10 along with 10 rebounds for the Purple. Stacy tossed in 17 to lead Eastland.