Two very different starts brought about a change in fortune for the Todd County Central girls’ basketball team on Thursday at the Murray Bank Lady Tiger Classic, with the Lady Rebels following a 51-42 loss to Mayfield with a 56-34 victory over Livingston Central.
The Lady Rebels paid for a slow start in their opener against Mayfield, managing only eight first-half points and trailing the Lady Cardinals by 19 at the half.
The margin reached 24 points at 38-14 in the third quarter before the Lady Rebels began to crawl back into it with their press. Todd Central cut it to 12 early in the fourth and trailed 49-39 with 1:20 left to play.
The Lady Rebels were within single digits for the first time since the opening quarter after Abby Williams’ three-pointer with 12 seconds left, but the comeback ran out of time.
Alexis Taylor scored ten in the fourth to finish with 17 for Todd Central, and Williams finished with ten.
Determined not to suffer the same fate in their second matchup of the day, the Lady Rebels raced out to an 18-0 lead after Jamaia Burks banked in a straight-away three-pointer. Burks had nine in the opening frame, and Taylor scored six, including a pair of free throws in the final seconds for a 24-5 advantage.
However, Livingston Central led off the second quarter with a pair of threes by Hadley Hargrove and was within eight after four straight points by Victoria Joiner. Emersyn Ramage hit one of two free throws with five seconds left for the Lady Cardinals to cut it to 32-25 at the break.
Just as they did to start the game, the Lady Rebels turned to their defense to rebuild the lead. Taylor’s pull-up jumper in the lane capped a 14-2 run to start the third, and Todd Central equaled its largest cushion at 48-29 with a quarter to play.
The difference reached 26 after a 7-0 spurt to start the fourth, and the Lady Rebels cruised in to snap a three-game skid and improve to 8-5.
Burks finished with 15 to lead all scorers, followed by Williams with 13 and Taylor with 12.
Joiner was the lone Lady Cardinal in double figures with 12, but she was scoreless after halftime.
Livingston slipped to 5-5 with its third loss in a row and will play Caldwell County Friday morning.
Todd Central advances to Friday’s consolation championship against the host Murray Lady Tigers at 1:30.
Todd Central 4 4 12 22 — 42
Mayfield 13 14 13 11 — 51
Todd Central (7-5) — Taylor 17, Williams 10, Kay 8, Collins 4, Burks 2, Shemwell 2
Mayfield (5-2) — Mayes 20, Henson 10, Mandry 9, Smith 7, Feagin 3, Creason 2
Todd Central 24 8 16 8 — 56
Livingston Central 5 20 4 5 — 34
Todd Central (8-5) — Burks 15, Williams 13, Taylor 12, Collins 8, Kay 4, Shemwell 4
Livingston Central (5-5) — Joiner 12, Ramage 7, Hargrove 6, Holman 5, Downey 2, Leahy 2
