HOT SPRINGS -- Kassie Tyner and Greene County Tech's defense came up with huge plays in the fourth quarter to propel the Lady Eagles over Nettleton in Saturday's Class 5A girls state tournament semifinal game.
Tyner, a senior post player, scored six points in the game's final 6:34, and the GCT defense held the Lady Raiders to one fourth-quarter field goal in a 44-37 victory at Bank of the Ozarks Arena.
Nettleton junior guard Javia Wilson knocked down two field goals in the final 22 seconds of the third quarter to tie the game at 32, but Tyner scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to put the Lady Eagles on top for good.
Tyner finished with a game-high 14 points and eight rebounds. Five of her rebounds came in the final quarter.
"She's been huge for us," GCT Coach Trey Harding said. "We talked about it in our pregame today that we needed to get Kassie isolated down low and get her the ball. The girls did a great job of doing that."
GCT held a 16-7 advantage on the offensive boards, which allowed the Lady Eagles to attempt nine more shots than the Lady Raiders. GCT was 13 of 45 from the floor while Nettleton was 12 of 36.
Tyner hit two free throws with 6:34 remaining to put GCT (23-9) on top 34-32. A minute later, senior guard Lara White fed Tyner with a pass, which led to a 3-footer and a 36-32 Lady Eagles lead.
It was the third meeting between the two 5A-East rivals this season, but it was the first time GCT was victorious.
"We just had to keep playing our game," White said of GCT's fourth-quarter effort. "We felt like we could beat them, it was just a matter of getting it done."
Nettleton (27-4) freshman Daisa Young hit a 5-footer with 4:10 remaining, pulling the Lady Raiders to within 36-34, but it was the last field goal the Lady Raiders managed. Nettleton senior Gabby Sherman hit 3 of 4 free-throw attempts, the last of which came with 3:35 to play, to again pull Nettleton to within two points, 39-37. GCT scored the game's final five points.
Nettleton sophomore Bailey Booker hit four three-pointers -- three in the first quarter -- and finished with a team-high 12 points. Young added 10 points, and Wilson came up with 9 points and 4 assists.
White scored 12 points, and sophomore Allie Thomas finished with 11 points and 4 assists for the Lady Eagles.
WATSON CHAPEL 73,
BATESVILLE 55
Junior forward Peyton Martin scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds as the Lady Wildcats (26-3) pulled away late to rout the Lady Pioneers (25-4). Batesville had whittled a 14-point third-quarter deficit down to two points, 57-55, with 3:52 remaining, but Watson Chapel scored the game’s final 16 points. Junior guard Cayla Trotter scored six points in the final quarter to help the Lady Wildcats pull away. She finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Batesville trailed 34-29 at the half and was trailing 48-34 with 2:21 to play after two free throws by Watson Chapel’s Ladajah Scott, but the Lady Pioneers scored the next nine points.
Watson Chapel managed to push its lead back to nine, 52-43, to start the final quarter. Batesville closed the gap to 57-55 after back-to-back baskets by Haley Cormican, but they were the final points Batesville could muster.
Timisha Cole added 16 points and 3 assists for Watson Chapel and Jerica Bell scored 9 points. The Lady Wildcats blocked 16 shots, 11 of them by Shanna Shavers.
Junior guard Hannah Qualls led the Lady Pioneers with 14 points and eight rebounds. Gracen Ratliff added 12 points.
Sports on 03/06/2016