WBB: Lady Tigers can't get offense in sync
Sabine defender during action in the fifth-place bracket on Thursday
at the Tenaha Holiday Hoops Classic. (Photo by John Krueger)
TENAHA, Tx -- With just one game between the Tenaha Lady Tigers and start of district play, there are decisions to be made by Lady Tiger head coach Laura Holmes. The reason was evident as the Lady Tigers fought hard, but were unable to generate enough offense in their 43-29 loss to Sabine Thursday afternoon.
Tenaha (7-11) finished the Third Annual Tenaha Holiday Hoops Scholarship Classic with three straight losses after an opening 45-31 victory over Hughes Springs. And although they lost games to No.1-ranked (Class 1A D-II) Lipan (60-45) and No.13-ranked (1A D-I) Slocum (38-29), it concerns Holmes with District 22-1A D-I action beginning Friday at home against Beckville.
"I thought when Okievia (Bratchett) graduated last year the other girls would step up and we'd have a more balanced attack this year," Holmes said Thursday night as she watched other final games at the tournament. "But we're really struggling with our half-court offense and I'm looking for someone to step up and be a leader on this team.
"Right now we look kind of out of sync out there and we're struggling with ourselves as much as with the teams we're playing. It's not that the girls aren't playing hard, it's just that we can't seem to find the rhythm. I'm going to be working hard this next week to see if I can't figure out a solution to it."
In other girls' finals at the tourney, No.2 (1A D-II) Saltillo rolled past No.7 (2A) Tatum, 60-32, for the title game, No.11 (2A) Edgewood placed third with a win over Lipan and San Augustine claimed the Consolation championship with a win over White Oak. Slocum placed fifth, with a 46-42 victory over Elysian fields.
The Lady Tigers appeared to have a good game plan against No.1-ranked Lipan Tuesday, but poor shooting with its half-court offense kept Tenaha from making a serious run at the Lady Indians.
Only one Tenaha player scored in double figures in the Lady Tigers' final tournament game on Thursday against Sabine, with Jalysa Steadman scoring 11 points. Of Steadman's points, seven of them came in the third quarter when THS outscored Sabine 9-6.
Ashlee Ray added seven points for Tenaha, with five of her points coming in the second half.
"Ashlee is most effective right now when she has time to set up and shoot," Holmes explained. "I think she presses sometimes and that hurts her scoring. But when she just relaxes and goes out and plays and we can get her some good looks at the basket, she can help our offense the most."
Taylor Killey was held to just four points, while Shantivia Gray, Tia Thomas and Eboni Moore chipped in two points apiece.
Jordan Baker did most of the damage for the Lady Cardinals scoring 14 points in the first half and finishing with a game-high 16. Haley Stuart added seven points, while Kylie Baker chipped in five and Mallory Ford had four points.
The Lady Tigers managed just three points in the opening period as they fell behind 10-3 after eight minutes of play. Jordan Baker scored six of the Lady Cardinals' 17 second-quarter points as they assumed a 27-11 lead at the half.
Tenaha came alive in the third quarter at both ends of the court, holding the Lady Cardinals to six points in the third and scoring nine offensively to trim the lead slightly. But the advantage was too much for THS to overcome in the fourth quarter.
The Lady Tigers will now host arch-rival Laneville on Tuesday night (JV,V - 5 p.m.) before hosting district foe Beckville (6:30/8 p.m.) on Friday.
THIRD ANNUAL HOLIDAY HOOPS
Thursday's Girls Finals
THURSDAY, DEC. 30
Championship
#2 Saltillo 60, #7 Tatum 32
Third Place Game
#11 Edgewood DEFEATED #1 Lipan
Fifth-Place Game
#13 Slocum 46, Elysian Fields 42
Consolation Bracket
Chireno 44, Hughes Springs 36
Stamford 42, Garrison 41
Consolation Championship
San Augustine DEFEATED White Oak
Fifth-Place Bracket
Sabine 43, Tenaha 29