By By Adam Robinson
sports editor
Each and every time the playoffs arrive, the T.R. Miller Lady Tiger basketball try and take things up a notch.
Thursday night in the first round of the class 3A area 1 tournament in Brewton was no different as the Lady Tigers cruised their way into the championship game Saturday with a 49-18 win over Cottage Hill Christian Academy. The win improved the Lady Tigers to 22-2.
Jackson said his team was able to strengthen their bench a little bit in the win over the Warriors.
The Lady Tigers used a 10-0 run in the first quarter, a 13-0 run in the second quarter, an 8-0 run in the third quarter, and a 5-0 run to end the game and claim the 31-point win.
The Lady Tigers led 16-3 after the first quarter and used a 15-3 run in the second quarter to hold a 31-6 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Lady Tigers outscored Cottage Hill 13-4 to hold a 44-10 lead heading into the final quarter of play.
In the fourth, Cottage Hill started the quarter on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 44-18 but was held scoreless the last 4:07 of the game while T.R. Miller ended the game on a 5-0 run.
The Lady Tigers shot 12-of-19 from the free throw line while Cottage Hill was 4-of-9.
Nakiya Smith led the Lady Tigers with 20 points, two points more than Cottage Hill as a team, and Leah Brundidge added 11 points in the win.
Keydra Shedrone poured in seven points and Courtney Jones added six points.
Desiree Gibbs chipped in three points and Shay Kiser added two points.
With the win, the Lady Tigers will take on No. 3 seed in the tournament Bayside Academy, who knocked off No. 2 seed Choctaw County Thursday night in the earlier game 46-43.
Game time is set for 3 p.m. Saturday at T.R. Miller Gymnasium in Brewton.
The winner of Saturday’s game will play the Area 3 runner-up while the loser of Saturday’s game will travel to the area 3 winner in the sub region round of the playoffs set for Thursday, Feb. 11.
Area 3 consists of Calhoun, Straughn, Central-Hayneville, and Luverne.
Calhoun was set to play Straughn and Central-Hayneville was set to play Luverne Friday night at Central of Hayneville.