MT. JULIET — Many high school basketball people consider the sectional the best night of the season. Others cast their vote for the region semifinals.
Monday night’s Region 4-4A semifinal was certainly great for host Green Hill as star player K.T. Tolbert, benched with foul trouble for much of the night, was in the right place at the right time for the game-winning layup with six seconds left in a 44-43 win over Lebanon on the Hill.
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On the flip side, there are losses and then there are gut punches, and the latter would qualify for the Devilettes, who inbounded the ball in front of their bench with 11.6 ticks left. But Ellie Beth McDonald couldn’t find an open teammate in the frontcourt, so she fired a pass deep into the backcourt where Green Hill’s Willa Heilman deflected it to Tolbert for the go-ahead basket.
Lebanon had time to go the length of the court. But Maggie Kelley missed on a short open look, as did Naleiya Withrow-Walker, though her shot may have come after the buzzer sounded.
“Luck went our way,” second-year Lady Hawk coach Cody King said. “Anytime you play a game like this against a good team, you need the ball to fall your way sometimes.
“They got a good look at the end and we thought we were going to stop them in the backcourt, so for Walker to get a runout on us, that wasn’t really in the game plan there. They got a good look and sometimes the ball bounces your way.”
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“What a great game,” Lebanon coach Cory Barrett said. “It’s what high school basketball’s about right there. Your region semis are such a big night. It’s one of my favorite nights because you’re so close to your dreams and aspirations for what you want for your team and if you get that win tonight, you take that next step and you’re in the final 16.
“But on the other side, you get beat, especially like that, your dreams are kind of crushed. But that comes with the territory. And as a competitor, you want that pressure, you want to see what you’re made of. Both teams battled their tails off. Everybody had different various adversities tonight. I’m just proud of my kids and how they laid it on the line.”
Green Hill advanced to today’s 7 p.m. championship game against city rival Mt. Juliet. The winner will host a sectional at 7 p.m. Saturday while the loser goes on the road. Cookeville and top-ranked/undefeated/defending state champion Bradley Central will be the opposition out of
Region 3. Should Bradley win tonight, it’s game would be at 6 p.m. CST in Cleveland, while Cookeville comes to west Wilson County.
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In an action-packed thriller from start to finish, Lebanon led 7-5 at the first-quarter break as Kelley scored six.
McKenna Solomon’s 3-pointer put Green Hill ahead 8-7 before Tramaria Neal scored from underneath to swing the edge back to Lebanon 9-7. The teams continued to battle between a Devilette lead and a tie even as Lady Hawk fouls piled up. Tolbert picked up her third with 4:51 to play and didn’t leave the bench until the second half. Lebanon took a 19-17 halftime lead as Withrow-Walker drove down the right side of the lane and dropped a pass to Neal on the weakside for a layup at the buzzer.
Green Hill assumed command with a 9-0 run to start the second half as the Lady Hawks built a 26-19 lead.
“We were in foul trouble,” King said. “We switched to a zone to prevent additional fouls in the second quarter. We weren’t at full strength. We hadn’t practiced that. We didn’t know — I’ve looked, I’ve scanned, I haven’t seen anyone play a 2-3 zone against Lebanon. I told them at a timeout, ‘I don’t know what they’re going to do. I haven’t seen this before. I assume they’ll go high-low and overload one side’, which is what they did. Our girls just made that adjustment.
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“And then at halftime, we said we got to get back to what we do best. We get stops. We hold them to one shot and then get out and run in transition. That’s when we’re at our best.”
Lebanon chipped away at the lead slowly. Kelley, who showed she can be a 3-point threat during the tournament, buried a triple from the corner to put the Devilettes ahead 41-40 with 2:02 to play. After a Tolbert free throw, Kelley connected from the baseline for a 43-41 LHS lead with 29 ticks left. A free throw by Juliana Mitchell with 20.9 to go brought Green Hill to within 43-42, setting up the final nail-biting seconds.
“We had a great look there at the end, it just didn’t go down,” Barrett said. “Credit to Green Hill. Wish them the best of luck. I’m so proud of my seniors and the efforts they’ve given. They’ve won almost 100 games in their career. I have kids coming back and I told them remember this feeling and let it motivate and drive you. We’ll take some time off and then get back to work pretty soon.”
Solomon sank three triples as she and McKinlee Parker each knocked down nine points for Green Hill while Tolbert added eight in the second half, Heilman seven, Emma Savage six on two second-quarter 3s and Mitchell five as the Lady Hawks improved to 28-3.
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Neal notched 13 points, Kelley 11 and Carleigh Barrett 10, including a pair of fourth-quarter 3s, for Lebanon while Tiara Spencer scored three and Withrow-Walker, McDonald and Audrey Jones two apiece as the Devilettes went home with a final 25-7 mark.
Lady Bears roar back in second half to take down Hendersonville
MT. JULIET — Hendersonville finished well back in the District 7-4A pack during the season. But its defense made life tough for the teams at the top, including handing Mt. Juliet its only regular-season district loss.
The Lady Commandos roughed Mt. Juliet in the first half Monday night before the Lady Bears stormed back in the second half to take a 46-36 semifinal win in the Region 4-4A tournament at Green Hill.
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“They are frustrating,” Mt. Juliet coach Jeremy Hawks said of the Lady Commandos. “When we had our district meeting, basically all of the coaches said they didn’t want to be on the same side of the bracket with Hendersonville. They have good players and Kelli Reed does an amazing job. She’s an outstanding coach.”
After scoring just three second-quarter points to trail 24-12 at halftime, Mt. Juliet went on a 17-2 third-quarter tear, getting the first 12 points as McClaine Ringenberg buried three 3-pointers, including back-to-back bombs to ignite the rally before the third put them ahead 27-26 in the final minute.
Two free throws by Claire Emery opened a 29-26 lead going into the fourth where the Lady Bears put the Lady Commandos away with 11-of-1 free-throw shooting, including 6-of-6 from Addy Osborne as Mt. Juliet moved to 24-9 for the season and into today’s 7 p.m. championship game at Green Hill.
“We have a lot of nicked-up players, hurt players, a few who are battling the flu right now,” Hawks said. “It’s just patchwork right now. I just challenged them. That was as bad a first half as we can play.
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“But we were in this spot last year. Hendersonville had us beat and we came back and scored 20-something points in the fourth quarter and won that one. Aaliyah Holman was the one who stepped up and said we were in this spot last year and we can do it again. They responded in the second half.”
Tonight’s winner will host a sectional at 7 p.m. Saturday while the loser goes to either Bradley Central (for a 6 p.m. CST start) or Cookeville with the other coming to west Wilson County.
Ringenberg racked up 18 points while Osborne added nine, Makayla Hopson eight, Emery six and Ryleigh Clayton five in the second half.
No one scored in double figures for the Lady Commandos, who completed an 18-13 season.
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Lady Purple Tigers fall to Upperman in defensive struggleWATERTOWN — Watertown’s run through the postseason ended Monday night when perennial top-10 power Upperman posted a 35-21 triumph in a Region 4-3A defensive struggle of a semifinal.
The Lady Bees held a 10-9 first-quarter edge, widened it to 19-12 by halftime and 29-14 through three periods as Watertown’s season ended at 20-13.
Gracie Butler led the Lady Bees with 15 points while Taylor Dolente dropped in a pair of 3-pointers on her way to 13 as Upperman moved to tonight’s championship game with a 25-8 record.
Molly Followill fired in two triples in leading the Lady Purple Tigers with nine points while Macie Brelje scored six, Julianna Pruitt a 3, Maddie Willard two and Dailey Hight a free throw as Watertown was held to 8-of-27 shooting from the floor.
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Lebanon rolls past OvertonNASHVILLE — Lebanon breezed into the Region 4-4A semifinals with a 65-31 thumping of John Overton last Friday in the opening round at James Lawson.
The Devilettes led 17-12 at the first-quarter break, 34-16 at halftime and 58-24 going into the fourth.
Tiara Spencer sank three 3-pointers in leading Lebanon with 16 points while Maggie Kelley and Tramaria Neal each added 11 and Tramaria Neal 10. Naleiya Withrow-Walker notched nine while Carleigh Barrett buried a pair of first-quarter 3-pointers for her six, Marlie Beaty two and Audrey Jones a free throw.
Briley Anderson buried three triples to lead the Lady Bobcats with 11 points.
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Following the first round which saw the four District 7 teams sweep their District 8 opponents, the semifinals and final were moved to District 7 tournament champion Green Hill.
Watertown reaches 4-3A semifinalWATERTOWN — Watertown advanced to the Region 4-3A semifinals with a 47-30 win over Livingston Academy last Friday night.
The Lady Wildcats’ only lead was 3-2. The Lady Purple Tigers were ahead 14-8 at the first-quarter break, 30-17 at halftime and 39-22 going into the fourth as they improved to 20-12.
Dailey Hight hit two 3-pointers as she knocked down nine of her 16 points in the second quarter for Watertown while Macie Brelje added 11, Molly Followill nine, Maddie Willard six and Bryley Bowers five.
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No one scored in double figures for the Lady Wildcats, whose season ended at 12-20.
Dominant second quarter launches Lady Bears past Cane RidgeNASHVILLE— Mt. Juliet pulled away from Cane Ridge in the second quarter last Friday night to complete a first-round sweep of District 7-4A teams over District 8 with a 73-41 win over Cane Ridge in the first round of the Region 4-4A tournament at James Lawson.
With the sweep, the remainder of the tournament was moved to District 7 tournament champion Green Hill.
The Lady Bears used a 23-4 second quarter to turn a 21-16 first-quarter lead to 44-20 by halftime.
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Ryleigh Clayton connected on two 3-pointers to lead the Lady Bears with 16 points while Makayla Hopson had 15 and McClaine Ringenberg 10, including a pair of triples. Addy Osborne knocked down nine while Sophia McGresham and Isabella Craig each added eight, Marissa Hopson four, Lexie Shoop four, Lilly Bugg two and Ava Grisham a free throw.
Makayla Westfield led the Lady Ravens with 18 points while Sa’miya Brown threw in 13.
Lady Hawks soar past McGavockCANE RIDGE — District 7 champion Green Hill had no trouble dispatching McGavock from the Region 4-4A tournament 56-31 last Saturday at James Lawson.
The Lady Hawks led 13-2 at the first-quarter break, 27-16 at halftime and 48-31 through three before pitching a fourth-quarter shutout.
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McKinlee Parker poured in 15 points, K.T. Tolbert tossed in 12 and Willa Heilman had 11 for Green Hill. Emma Savage sank three 3-pointers for her nine while Reid McClain finished with four, McKenna Solomon a 3 and McKenzie Mangan two.
Zakariah Webster led the Lady Raiders with 11 points.
