The losing streak is over after the DeKalb County Tigers jumped on Livingston Academy early and stayed on top, putting the brakes on their six-game skid with a 53-49 win in Smithville this past week.

The Tigers hadn’t tasted victory since game-two of the season when they defeated Pickett County at home after opening the season with a win at Van Buren County. While coming close to getting off the snide, the Tigers had not been able to seal the deal until this past week.

The Tigers went up early, thanks to the hot hand of Lucas Hale who led all scorers on the night with 26 points, including several three-pointers from way down town. The early run gave the Tigers a 26-12 advantage after the first quarter. However, their offense went into a swoon in the second quarter, allowing their guests to came back and close their disadvantage to only a single point. The score stood at 31-30 at the half.

The Tigers shooting prowess returned in the third quarter as senior Dallas Cook threw his large frame around the hardwood, gathering rebounds and getting a hot hand from the field as he scored 17 before the loud home crowd. The second win gave the Tigers a 49-38 cushion going into the fourth. Jordan Young added nine to the equation while Evan Jones contributed eight to spur the squad on to victory in the fourth, shutting the door on a late Livingston run.

The win set the Tiger record at 3-8 as they prepared for the holiday tournament in Watertown before getting ready for the district schedule at the first of the year. Their district record sits at 1-2 going into the New Year. The holiday tournament was set to include another head-to-head with Cookeville, who they will play host to in Smithville in early January. They lost their recent tilt with the Cavs in Cookeville but looked to get a measure of revenge in the upcoming games.