VARSITY BOYS
The Indians hosted #1-ranked Towns County Thursday and were handed their fourth consecutive loss in a 47-44 final. Despite several times being within a single possession, TFS couldn’t take a lead in a physical game.
Towns County opened the game with an 8-3 run, but Neyo Bain kept TFS in contention with seven points in the quarter. The visitors held a 16-10 advantage, and outscored Tallulah 15-9 in the second to go up 31-19. The Indians then had a 14-2 run that spanned the entire third quarter, making it just a 35-33 deficit heading into the final quarter. Jay Taylor hit a long jumper, and Zakhar Valasiuk had a clutch 3-pointer in the third, with the latter going for eight points in the quarter.
In the fourth, neither team could get much to go, though Towns hit several free throws to go back up nine points before a Bain triple and layup got it back to within 44-39. Taylor hit another triple to make it a 5-point game late, and a Sam Ketch putback had TFS down just three in the closing seconds. However, Towns County held on from there for the 47-44 win.
Bain led TFS in scoring with 14 points, as Valasiuk had 13 with three buckets from beyond the arc. Taylor finished with eight, Hayden Bootle three, and two apiece for Ketch, Brian Neely, and Stevan Gabric.
TFS is now 2-4 overall on the season, with an away game Friday at Stephens County.
VARSITY GIRLS
The Lady Indians, playing for the first time in 16 days, dropped a 48-45 home game against #3-ranked Towns County on Thursday evening, nearly pulling off a huge upset victory.
TFS fell behind early and didn’t hold a lead until early in the fourth. Breelyn Wood had a pair of 3-pointers in the first quarter as part of an 8-point quarter for her. Towns held a 19-10 lead after one, and both teams traded baskets in the second. TFS trailed 29-18 at the break. Haygen James had eight points in the second.
In the third, the Lady Indians outpaced Towns 18-8, getting within 37-36 heading into the final period. In the third, Allie Phasavang had a 3-point play and Molly Mitchell nailed a pair of big 3-pointers.
Wood and Adrijana Albijanic had back-to-back buckets to open the fourth, as TFS took its first lead at 40-37. Albijanic had a putback to push it to 42-39, but Towns County rallied to take the win. Tallulah Falls had the ball with a chance to tie on the final possession but couldn’t get a shot off.
Wood led the team with 14 points and had 10 rebounds as well, while James and Mitchell had nine apiece. Phasavang and Albinjanic both finished with six, and Millie Holcomb chipped in three.
Tallulah Falls is now 1-2 overall and returns to action on Friday at Stephens County.
