Tigers Win Thriller at Upperman
The Macon County Tigers won a nail biter at Upperman this past week, in the battle for the top spot in District 8AA.
The Tigerettes split a pair of conference games in the week as well.
On Tuesday Jan 10th Cannon County came to Lafayette. The Tigerettes came out sluggish and couldn’t get anything consistent connected on both ends of the floor. After leading 15-12 at the end of the first, the halftime score was 25 all. Poor defense and turnovers by Macon kept the Lady Lions in this game. In the second half Macon still could not get consistent scoring and fell behind by as much as five before ending the 3rd period behind 38-41. However, showing the maturity of an older team (which they are not) their defense clamped down and they got some key steal-and-scores from Freshman Keeley Carter. Tigerettes built a lead late and held on 59-53 despite not having their best night.
Scoring was: Jamie Ashburn 3, Kyndal Bullington 4, Mattie Goolsby 5, McKaylee Mix 5, Jenna Russell 15, and Keeley Carter 27. Morgan Carter and Luci Allen played but did not score.
The Cannon County Lions have not won an 8AA contest and they had no chance on the 10th either. Macon had their largest scoring period and half in the season to date, leading 29-12 after the 1st and 41-21 at halftime. The Tigers poured it on in the 3rd and the bench kept their foot on the gas in the final quarter and bettered their first half scoring. Macon won the game 87-48. The success of the 2 point shot again proved to be the difference in the lopsided victory. Macon shot 6 of 14 behind the arc, which is good, but shot 31 of 50 inside it.
Scoring was: Michael Ashburn 12, Heston King 12, Seth Carlisle 10, Riley Phillips 9, Cameron Welch 9, Cole Carnahan 8, Kendrick Carter 8, Dalton Marsh 6, Spencer Hogin 5, Clay West 4, Trent Cook 2, and Matt Young 2. Kelton Ballou played but did not score.
On Thursday the 12th Macon travelled to face a boys and girls Upperman team ranked in the CoachT top 20 in the state. (The Tigers and Tigerettes are as well.) The Tigerettes face the #1 AP ranked team in the state in the Lady Bees and also were without starting freshman guard Jamie Ashburn as she has an injury that needs rest to heal. However, the Tigerettes appeared to be game and led 11-10 after the 1st quarter. Then the train started heading off the tracks. Macon shot 4 of 15 and trailed 23-20 at the break. Too many turnovers allowed the Tigerettes only six total shots at the basket in the 3rd and seven in the 4th, making only 3 total in the second half. Upperman pours it on in the last half and wins convincingly 71-32.
Scoring was: K. Carter 6, Bullington 5, Russell 6, M. Carter 8, Allen 5, and Landra Stafford 2. Goolsby, Mix, Keeley Clariday and Savannah Colvin played but did not score.
The Tigers and Bees both come into this game undefeated in district play. Macon led 10 -8 after the first quarter. After leading by five in the 2nd, the Tigers trailed by 23-25 at the half. Macon came out on a 6-0 run at the beginning of the 3rd quarter only to have the Bees come right back to lead 37-36 heading into the final period. Again Macon would jump out to a six point lead early in the quarter but find themselves down by six with about five minutes to go. The Tigers were having a rough night shooting from the field and missed two front ends of 1-and-1 midway through the last quarter. However, the Tigers found themselves down by just one point, with possession of the ball, with 0:35 left in the game. Senior “Big Mike” Ashburn gets fouled heading to the bucket and calmly makes both free throws to give Macon a one point lead. Upperman’s 6’6” center Endicot can’t get a putback to fall and Macon takes sole possession of the lead in 8AA with a 48-47 win over Upperman in a thriller.
Scoring was: Ashburn 14, Welch 11, Carter 10, Carlisle 9, King 2, and Phillips 2. Marsh, Carnahan, and Ballou all played but did not score.
This week Macon comes home to host DeKalb County on Tuesday Jan 17th and will make the much anticipated trip to York on Friday Jan 20th.