After a big road win at Fairview on Saturday night, the Marshall County Tigers went back on the road again to Unionville on Tuesday night for a Region 6-AA Tournament semifinals clash with the Vikings.

There was much on the line in the season rubber match with a win over the Vikings securing Marshall County’s first appearance in a region title game in five years and a berth in the state sectional round.

The Tigers came out on top in a low scoring first half, but surrendered the lead early in the second half and could never get the lead back in a tough 58-48 loss.

“We wanted to come in here and give it everything we got and I thought we did that, it was just a matter of two or three possessions and they stepped up and made plays and we didn’t and I think experience paid off for them because they have been in that situation the last couple of years,” MCHS coach Lavon King said. “I can’t take anything away from my guys because they left it all out on the floor and that is all I can ask for.”

Devonte Davis, who scored 33 points at Fairview on Saturday was held to 15 points by the Vikings.

“They did a lot of doubling and things every time he put the ball on the floor and that’s what you have to do with a player of his caliber, especially after the way he played on Saturday,” King said.

Jayden Hart also scored 15 points to co-lead the Tigers in the scoring column, while Jaamil Hazel had five points, Omari Alred and Bryson Hughes netted four points apiece, Kaamil Hazel nailed one 3-pointer, and Silas Hurt finished with two points.

The Vikings had three players in double figures in the scoring column with Jackson Bailey leading the way with 19 points, including the Vikings lone 3-pointer in the game.

Evan Petrie did heavy damage in the low post with 17 points and Will Reed scored 16 points and was deadly from the free throw line, burying 12-of-13 charity shots and all eight he attempted in the pivotal fourth quarter.

Petrie went 5-for-5 from the free throw line and Bailey was also a perfect 2-for-2.

The Tigers attempted only five free throws in the game and made two.

Both teams were mostly contained on offense in the first half with Community holding an 11-8 lead after the first quarter before the Tigers came back to lead 20-18 at the half.

Reed and Alred exchanged field goals to begin the second half and that was the last time Marshall County led in the contest as Community slowly took control.

Midway through the third period, Community had built a 31-24 lead before the Tigers rallied with five straight points by Davis to make it a two-point game.

Reed began his free throw shooting clinic as he sank four in a row to make it a 34-29 contest before two Alred free throws and a Petrie bucket down low sent the Vikings to the fourth quarter with a 36-31 lead.

The Tigers scratched and clawed, fighting to stay in the game and after a Kaamil Hazel 3-pointer with 3:30 left in the contest, Marshall County only trailed by two points at 42-40.

The Vikings responded once again with a 6-0 mini-run behind three low post baskets with two coming by Bailey and one by Petrie to stretch the Community lead to 48-40 with just over two minutes to play.

Hughes came up with a layup to stop the Community run and from there it turned in to a free throw shooting exhibition by Reed, who canned eight straight charity shots that was matched by only one field goal by the Tigers (16-8), who ran out of time in the season ending loss to the Vikings.

“These seniors that are leaving told me they only won three games in middle school, so I mean from winning only three games in middle school to have a chance to be region champions as seniors, they stepped up and I am proud of each and every one of them,” King said.

Creek Wood (26-7), who beat Murfreesboro Central Magnet School 48-46 in Tuesday night’s other semifinal, hosts Community (21-7) on Thursday for the Region 6-AA title.

Marshall County 8 12 11 17-48

Community 11 7 18 22-58

Marshall County (48): Devonte Davis 15, Jayden Hart 15, Jaamil Hazel 5, Omari Alred 4, Bryson Hughes 4, Kaamil Hazel 3, Silas Hurt 2.

Three-Point Goals (2): Kaamil Hazel, Jaamil Hazel.

Free Throws (2-for-5): Hart 1-for-2, Davis 1-for-1, Alred 0-for-2.

Community (58): Jackson Bailey 19, Evan Petrie 17, Will Reed 16, Stratton Lovorn 6.

Three-Point Goals (1): Bailey.

Free Throws (21-for-23): Will Reed 12-for-13, Petrie 5-for-5, Bailey 2-for-2, Lovorn 2-for-3.

Halftime Score: Marshall County 20, Community 18.