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1A TSSAA Girls’ Basketball Tournament

Lady Bulldogs, Lady Rebels Advance to Semifinals

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MURFREESBORO (March 10) — The Gleason Lady Bulldogs and the McKenzie Lady Rebels picked up opening round wins in the TSSAA BlueCross State Championship Tournament. The McKenzie 58-44 victory over North Greene, was the first championship series win for the Lady Rebels since 1960. As for the Lady Bulldogs’ 55-39 win over Clay County, this was their first victory and appearance in 15 years since their 2007 State Championship under Coach Randy Frazier.

Gleason 55, Clay County 39
The Gleason Lady Bulldogs and the Clay County Lady Bulldogs game was a back-and-forth battle with seven lead changes. Statistically, Gleason was 19 of 41 from the floor with twelve points scored beyond the arc with thirteen points picked up by way of free throws. Clay County was 13 of 55 from the floor hitting two three-pointers and adding eleven from the line.

In the first quarter, Gleason pulled led by as much as seven points with 5:05 on the clock. Alayna Anderson, Sophie Wilson, and Carrington Lifsey led the offensive Gleason. Following a well timed timeout by Clay County, Gleason’s momentum was stalled as their lead was cut to two. At the end of the quarter, Clay County led 13-12.

Wilson put Gleason back in the lead 14-13. As Gleason increased their advantage by 10 points (25-15) with less than five minutes remaining in the half, Clay County called timeout. Killing the Gleason momentum again, Clay County cut into the Gleason lead 27-24 at the half.

At the halfway point, Lifsey led with 10 points, followed by Wilson with seven, Tinsley Parkins with four and three points for Anderson and Daisy Blevins. Lifsey led in rebounding as well with four.

To open the third quarter, Clay County put up a quick four points but Gleason was able to respond with field goals from Anderson and Lifsey. With 4:11 to play in the quarter, Gleason led 35-28. Parkins hit a three pointer late in the third, increasing the Gleason lead by eight points. Anderson closed the quarter drawing a foul on a layup and hitting the and-one putting Gleason up 43-32.

Gleason worked out of spread offensive attempting to control the clock and protect their lead. Clay County began fouling in an attempt to pick up necessary points in the hopes of reclaiming the lead. With less than two minutes, both Gleason and Clay County began inserting their substitutes. At the sound of the horn, Gleason took the win 55-39.

Leading Gleason in points scored were Anderson and Lifsey with 16, followed by Parkins with 11. Clay County’s leading scorers were Abby Head with nine and Briley Burchett with eight. Lifsey led Gleason with eight rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot.

McKenzie 58, North Greene 44
The McKenzie Lady Rebels controlled the game from tip-off to the final horn against the Lady Huskies of North Greene. McKenzie put up the first field goal of the game and lead the entire way. Looking at the stats, the Lady Rebels were 22 of 55 with fifteen points from three-point range with nine points off of the foul line. North Greene was 17 of 43 with five three-point shots and five points from the free throws.

Lady Rebel Dani Dyer put up the first points for McKenzie as the Lady Rebels kept the foot on the gas for the majority of the game. McKenzie’s swarming defense made it hard for North Greene to find their rhythm. As North Greene pulled within one point of the Lady Rebels, Briley Auvenshine and Katie Chesser knocked down a pair of threes putting McKenzie up 12-5 with just under a minute to play in the first quarter. Lady Husky Hailee English scored from behind the arc narrowing the McKenzie’s lead, but Mikaela Reynolds put up the duce to cap the quarter lead at 14-8.

McKenzie continued its aggressive play in the second quarter leading by as much as nine points. Savannah Davis led the offense down the court for most of the half, but went two for seven from the floor. Dyer led the Lady Rebels in points scored with nine and Auvenshine led in total rebounds with six. The half time score was Lady Rebels 30, Lady Huskies 21.

The third quarter did little to help North Greene chances of winning. The Lady Huskies were three of seven from the floor. For McKenzie, Kylie Reynolds was able to pick up points from within the paint while Auvenshine heated up from three-point line. Davis began to heat up as she and the Reynold sisters put up the final six points of the quarter. The McKenzie Lady Rebels led 47-29.

The Lady Rebels spread out the offense eating up as much clock as possible in the fourth quarter. In a game of attrition, McKenzie worked the ball slowly down court working their way through North Greene traps and double teams. At game’s end, the Lady Rebels picked up the 58-44 win over the North Greene Lady Huskies.

Auvenshine led McKenzie in scoring with 18 points (nine points from long-range) and in rebounds with 10. Dyer had 13 points and five rebounds. Davis had nine points and six rebounds. Kylie Reynolds had eight points and three rebounds. Mikaela Reynolds had six points and three rebounds.

For North Greene, Shelby Davenport led in scoring with 14 points and seven rebounds. Hailee English followed with 12 points and one rebound.