Lady Cyclones Fall Just Short to Top-Ranked Jackson South Side in Double Overtime Heartbreaker
by STEVE WILMOTH
TriCitiesSports.com
March 9, 2023
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Elizabethton Lady Fightin’ Cyclones took the fight to unbeaten and top-ranked Jackson South Side Thursday evening and nearly came away with a stunning upset in the TSSAA Class 3A semifinals at the Murphy Center.
Elizabethton led by as many as 15 points in the first half, by eight in the fourth quarter and had a shot at the buzzer to win at the end of the first overtime before eventually running out of steam and fouls in an 84-76 loss the Lady Hawks.
The Lady Cyclones led for the first 21:25 and for all but 1:52 of regulation. Lina Lyon’s bucket with six seconds to play tied the game at 63-63 and forced the first overtime.
With the game still deadlocked at 67-67, Jackson South Side committed a turnover with 6.7 seconds to go. Lyon weaved through the Lady Hawk defense for a clean look at one of her patented runners in the lane, but the attempt came up just short, forcing another extra session..
Marlee Mathena gave Elizabethton the early lead in the second overtime, but soon joined teammate Renna Lane on the bench with five fouls. The Lady Hawks then scored five straight and led the rest of the way.
The Lady Cyclones had the Glass House abuzz early by mounting a 30-15 lead in the second quarter and despite losing Lyon for the rest of the half at the 2:28 mark in the period and turning the ball over four times still led 34-22 at halftime.
Albany Collins gave Jackson South Side its first lead at 43-42 with 2:45 left in the third quarter. Collins’ three-pointer gave the Lady Hawks a 63-61 lead with 24 seconds to play, but Lyon answered with a well-defended floater in the lane to tie the score.
Jackson South Side’s Miss Basketball Finalist Ti’mia Lawson led all scorers with 36 points on 10-of-24 shooting and also grabbed nine rebounds and distributed four assists. Jaidynn Askins had a double-double of 20 points and 12 boards to go with four assists while Collins finished with 13 points, connecting on the only two three’s of the night for the Lady Hawks.
Lyon, who should have also been a Miss Basketball finalist, led Elizabethton with 24 points and added seven rebounds and five assists. Lane with for 16 points, five boards and also had five assists. Reiley Whitson came off the bench to score 13 points and Katie Lee was also in double figures with ten points before also fouling out. Mathena contributed six points, five rebounds and six blocks. Olivia Holly chipped in with seven points.
The loss snaps a 20-game Elizabethton losing streak and ends the Lady Cyclones remarkable season at 30-5.
JACKSON SOUTH SIDE (84) – Albany Collins 4-14 3-4 13, Ti’mia Lawson 10-24 16-21 36, Jaidynn Askins 7-20 6-9 20, Jakarrah Anderson 2-3 4-4 8, Kimora Currie 2-4 1-3 5, Akira Lacy 0-1 0-0 0, Reanna Kemp 0-0 0-0 0, Felicity Long 1-1 0-0 2, Totals 26-67 30-41 84.
ELIZABETHTON (76) – Olivia Holly 3-5 0-0 7, Lina Lyon 10-17 3-6 24, Rena Lane 2-6 11-12 16, Marlee Mathena 2-8 2-2 6, Katie Lee 4-8 0-0 10, Kayelyn Nave 0-0 0-0 0, Maddie Fowler 0-2 0-0 0, Reiley Whitson 3-8 6-6 13, Totals 24-54 22-26 76.
Jackson South Side | 11 | 11 | 23 | 18 | 4 17 -- 84 |
Elizabethton | 15 | 19 | 15 | 14 | 4 9 -- 76 |
Paint Points – Jackson South Side 46, Elizabethton 26. Points Off Turnovers – Jackson South Side 24, Elizabethton 2. Second Chance Points – Jackson South Side 20, Elizabethton 9. Fast Break Points – Jackson South Side 14, Elizabethton 0. Three-Pointers – Jackson South Side 2-10 (Collins 2-9, Lacy 0-1), Elizabethton 6-12 (Holly 1-3, Lyon 1-1, Lane 1-1, Lee 2-2, Fowler 0-2, Whitson 1-3). Rebounds – Jackson South Side 40 (Askins 12, Lawson 9, Anderson 8, Collins 3, Lacy 3), Elizabethton 34 (Lane 9, Lyon 7, Mathena 5, Whitson 4, Holly 3). Assists – Jackson South Side 14 (Lawson 4, Askins 4, Anderson 4), Elizabethton 13 (Lyon 5, Lane 5). Steals – Jackson South Side 9 (Lawson 2, Askins 2, Anderson 2, Currie 2), Elizabethton 4 (Whitson 2). Blocks – Jackson South Side 4 (Askins 2), Elizabethton 8 (Mathena 6). Turnovers – Jackson South Side 6, Elizabethton 19. Total Fouls – Jackson South Side 20, Elizabethton 26. Technical Fouls – Currie, Jackson South Side; Jackson South Side Bench. Fouled Out – Currie, Jackson South Side; Lacy, Jackson South Side; Lane, Elizabethton; Mathena, Elizabethton; Lee, Elizabethton.