Kayli Clarkson's 34 points not enough for Briarcrest girls basketball to reach TSSAA final

COOKEVILLE - Briarcrest’s loss to Ensworth was senior forward Kayli Clarkson’s last game of her high school basketball career, falling to the defending TSSAA Division II-AA state champions 73-58 Friday at Tennessee Tech in the state semifinals.

It was also the final chance she had to play for her best friend: Briarcrest coach Lee Smith.

Clarkson's afternoon, though, was one to remember for the fifth-year player. She began her career as an eighth grader. Clarkson scored a season-high 34 points and a team-high 13 rebounds.

“Kayli played championship basketball,” Smith said. “A tremendous, tremendous, tremendous player and I just hate it so bad for them because I just thought this was the year.”

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Briarcrest senior Mafo Tekobo finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Biarcrest (27-5) was able to keep the score close at multiple points in the game. It ended the first quarter tied at 23 points. However, in the second quarter, the Saints were outscored 19-6 by Ensworth (27-4).

Briarcrest also showed grit in the third period when they went on a 12-2 scoring run over the last four minutes of the third quarter. Clarkson continuously carved space in the paint to score with he advanced footwork and knack for playing through contact of defenders. She made 12 of 21 shots and made all eight of her free throws.

Just as impressive, Briarcrest rendered Ensworth star junior guard Jaloni Cambridge scoreless in the period. Ensworth only led 50-46 entering the final period. 

However, that was as close as they would make the score for the remaining eight minutes of the game. 

Briarcrest could not contain Cambridge — the No. 1-ranked player in the country by ESPN for the 2024 class. The 5-foot-6 guard surpassed her season average of 26.9 points by scoring 29 points, making 11 of 25 shots. She also ended the evening with seven rebounds and four assists. 

“(Cambridge) is an elite type guard,” Smith said. “She does a good job splitting defenses. She’s the best female I ever coached against."

Coach Mary Taylor Cowles said that the game plan was to at a fast tempo and score in transition.

"We wanted to run," Cowles said. "That was the basic plan for tonight. Our girls just bought into that concept and they see how it benefits (Cambridge's) team and it starts with them and all the work they can do on their own conditioning."