After suffering a pair of 70-point losses in the past week, Jacksboro’s girls basketball team had one choice to turn things around.
That they did with a home game vs. Eastland Nov. 22. The Tigerettes erased a halftime deficit and rebounded from a slow start with a strong second-half to post a 57-49 win over the Lady Mavs.
Jacksboro is now 2-3 on the young season. Coach Charla Valenzuela said the girls buying in to the message was so important.
“I just had to reiterate to be the best you have to beat the best,” Valenzuela explained. “We came out in the second half and (the girls) began to buy into it.
Down 32-28 to start the 2nd half vs. Eastland, the hostesses opened on a 12-2 run on 6-7 shooting from the field. Baskets from Avery Bennett, Erin Jonas and Brailyn Tullous pushed the lead to 3432. Jonas, a senior, post used a nifty hook shot to add another two baskets to boost the lead to 40-34.
Eastland didn’t get on the board until 3:04 remained in the frame but used a pair of baskets in the final minute, along with the Tigerettes missing their last six shots from the floor, to get within one shot at 42-40 entering the fourth quarter.
Jacksboro again got out quickly in the fourth with an 11-2 run, using buckets from Rylee Mathis and Jonas to go up six. The Tigerettes then opened things up from outside with Kylie Tullous and Bennett converting three-point shots to put the lead at 11 with 5:11 to go.
The visitors would get within eight but this time Eastland was then one to close a quarter cold, missing eight shots in a row to quell any comeback opportunities.
Jacksboro jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first minute but missed nine shots from the field in a row at one juncture, allowing Eastland to take a 7-6 lead. Jonas caught a hot hand late with a basket and free throws to cap an eight-point frame for the senior and give the Tigerettes a 10-9 lead after one.
The Lady Mavs’ Mi-Cayla Henry opened the second quarter with baskets on three straight possessions as part of a 7-0 run for a 16-10 lead in the second. Jacksboro countered with a 9-0 skein of its own, using a Mathis three and buckets from Jonas, Landrie Valenzuela and Brailyn Tullous to retake the lead at 19-16. After exchanging the lead most of the rest of the half, Eastland went up four, 32-28 on a three-pointer at the buzzer from Ana Cunningham.
Jonas paced the Purple with 23 points and nine rebounds. Brailyn Tullous and Bennett contributed eight tallies each for the victors. London Carroll tossed in 11 to lead Eastland.
