On Feb. 4, the Lady Tigers were at home where they took on Livingston Academy, and right from the beginning found it would be a tough game.
The girls scored eight points in the first period, while Livingston took 15. Jailyn Bolding and Morgan Pedigo each had a three-point basket, while Paige Winningham had a two-pointer.
The Lady Tigers didn’t fare much better in the second period, adding only eight more points to their total. Loren Cripps had a two-point basket and a three-pointer, while Bolding had a two-point shot. Livingston scored 18, and went into halftime with a 33-16 lead.
DeKalb got 12 points in the third period, including two two-point baskets by Winningham, and three-pointers by Kenzie Poteete and Pedigo. Livingston piled on to their tally, scoring 27 and taking a 60-28 lead.
The girls had 10 points to finish the game, including two two-point shots by Cripps and a two-pointer by Winningham. Livingston closed the fourth period with 11 more points, and a 71-38 victory.
There was a bright spot to the game however. Loren Cripps, a junior who was only 13 points shy of having her 1,000th point before the game, came away with 14 points by the end of the fourth period. Cripps gave the hometown crowd something to cheer about as she scored nine during play, and another five from the free throw line. The fans stood in the stands holding signs, celebrating Cripps as she passed the milestone.
Cripps was five for eight from the foul line in the game, while Winningham went two for four.
On Feb. 6, the Lady Tigers were on the road, this time going up against Macon County. The game would stay close until the third period, when DeKalb pulled away.
The early lead went to DeKalb, who scored 12 points in the first period. Winningham had two two-point goals, while Pedigo had a three-pointer and Cripps a two-pointer. Macon came away with nine points.
Cripps and Bolding each had a three-point shot in the second period, while Winningham got another two-pointer. Macon scored 12 to DeKalb’s 11, but the Lady Tigers kept the lead at halftime, 23-21.
The Lady Tigers turned up the heat in the third period, scoring 16 points. Pedigo had three three-point baskets, while Winningham had two two-point shots and Cripps added another three-pointer. Macon was held to nine points, giving DeKalb a 39-30 lead.
DeKalb would finish the game with 19 more points, including two two-pointers by Bolding, a three-pointer by Pedigo, and a two-point basket by Cripps. Macon came away with only 17 points, with DeKalb taking the victory, 58-47.
Winningham went five for eight on free throws, while Pedigo was five for seven. Bolding was four for seven, Poteete two for two, and Cripps zero for two.
On Feb. 8, the Lady Tigers faced Warren County at home in the last game of the regular season. The match would end as a battle, being decided in a close overtime period.
Warren County took the early lead in the first period, coming away with 20 points to DeKalb’s 18. Pedigo had two three-point baskets and a two-pointer, while Cripps had two two-pointers. Poteete came away with a three-point goal, and Winningham a two-pointer.
Poteete had a two and three-pointer in the second period, while Winningham, Cripps, and Bolding each had a two-point goal. DeKalb and Warren each scored 13 points, with the Lady Pioneers taking the lead at halftime, 33-31.
Things looked bleak for the Lady Tigers in the third period, as Warren piled on 13 points while holding DeKalb to only six. Winningham would score all of the Lady Tigers’ points, getting three two-pointers. Warren took a 46-37 lead going into the fourth.
DeKalb was not going away easily however, and the Lady Tigers bounced back in the fourth period, scoring 18 points and holding Warren to nine. Poteete had two three-point shots, while Cripps had a two and three-pointer. The game was tied at 55.
The game was decided in overtime where the Lady Tigers scored eight points, including a two-pointer by Cripps. Warren scored 11 however, giving them the 66-63 victory.
Cripps went six for six on free throws, while Winningham went four for eight. Poteete was two for two, Bolding one for four, Ashli Chew two for four, and Pedigo one for five.
The Lady Tigers will face Central Magnet in the first round of the District 8AA Tournament Thursday at 6 p.m. at White County High School in Sparta. The team goes into the tournament as the sixth seed, while Central Magnet is the third seed.
The girls semi-finals will be Saturday, Feb. 15, at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. The tournament consolation game will be Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. followed by the championship contest at 7:30 p.m.