The first game of the New Year at Dottie Kelso Memorial Gymnasium featured the Hickman County Lady Bulldogs and the Marshall County High School Tigerettes, meeting for the second game in a row.

The Tigerettes beat Hickman County 37-29 on December 30 in the third-place game in the Above the Rim Christmas Classic at Centerville.

The Tigerettes used a big second quarter scoring burst by their dynamic duo of Kelsey Keiler and Dionna Crutcher that pushed MCHS to a 51-26 victory.

MCHS controlled the tip before a Hickman County foul, but the Tigerettes missed their first shot and the Lady Bulldogs came down with the rebound.

The Lady Bulldogs then lost the ball out of bounds and the Tigerettes came down the floor where Sydney Tidwell put up a 15-foot jumper that swished the net and MCHS led 2-0.

Hickman County responded with a jumper by Bailey Gilbert, then after a Tigerette miss, Korbin Witherspoon nailed a three and the visitors led 5-2.

Keiler went to work with a basket and after a HC miss Keiler was fouled on a drive and made a free throw.

Israel Hurt was fouled inside and made one-of-two free throws and on the next MCHS possession, Keiler added another free throw as the first quarter ended with the Tigerettes leading 8-5.

“We started out a little slow, but we played good defense and we try to do that every quarter,” MCHS coach David Steely said.

The second quarter opened with Hickman County’s Lacey Carter making one of two free throws after being fouled.

Crutcher raced in on a pretty drive down the lane for a layup and Keiler did the same on their next possession, pushing the MCHS lead to 12-6.

“Finally we got our offense going and Dionna and Kelsey started to penetrate their zone defense with drives down the lane,” Steely said.

Harmony Dansby scored a basket for the Lady Bulldogs before Keiler added two free throws and Crutcher stole the ball and raced down the court to lay the ball in and the Tigerettes led 16-8.

Adele Gilbert made a three point play the old fashion way with a basket and a free throw, but Crutcher and Kayla Keiler responded with baskets for MCHS.

Crutcher got another steal and Kelsey Keiler drove down the lane for another basket and the halftime score was MCHS 24, Hickman County 11.

The Tigerettes came out burning in the third quarter as Karlye Wiser and Tidwell dropped in long 3-pointers.

Orton scored two baskets and two free throws for Hickman County, but Keiler and Crutcher had another productive quarter as they scored five and seven points, respectfully.

Puckett netted two free throws, but Wiser nailed another three and at the end of the quarter, MCHS had pushed the game out of reach at 45-19.

“We have several players that can shoot beyond the three-point line and that put them (HC) away,” Steely said.

The fourth quarter saw substitutes for MCHS and HC fighting vainly but the Tigerettes with Keiler and Crutcher anchoring the younger players maintained the lead.

“We took some things that they do well and took that away from them, and we did better with the lead and not let it slip away like we did the other night,” Steely said. “We are finding new roles to fill and Keiler and Crutcher set the tone.”

Hannah Davis, a big part of the Tigerettes’ offense, sat out the game with an ankle injury, but Steely said she would be back in about a week.

Hickman County 5 6 8 7-26

Marshall County 8 16 21 6-51

Hickman County (26): Adele Puckett 7, Audrey Orton 6, Harmony Dansby 5, Bailey Gilbert 4, Korbin Witherspoon 3, Lacey Carter 1.

Three-Point Goals (1): Witherspoon.

Free Throws (9-for-12): Puckett 5-for-5, Orton 2-for-2, Carter 1-for-2, Dansby 1-for-2, Kinsley Spears 0-for-1.

MCHS (51): Dionna Crutcher 17, Kelsey Keiler 15, Sydney Tidwell 6, Karlye Wiser 6, Israel Hurt 3, Kayla Keiler 2, Micayla Canty 2.

Three-Point Goals (6): Tidwell 2, Wiser 2, Crutcher, Kelsey Keiler.

Free Throws (9-for-19): Kelsey Keiler 6-for-8, Crutcher 2-for-4, Hurt 1-for-4, Kayla Keiler 0-for-3.

Halftime Score: MCHS 24, Hickman County 11.