DUANE SHERRILLSports Writer

Tullahoma and Spring Hill locked up in a see-saw battle this past week to tip off district play with the Raiders getting the best of the home standing Wildcats 60-56 as the ‘Cats were simply unable to find the bucket in the waning minutes of the close contest.

Deandre Jenkins and Xavier Ferrell shared leading scorer honors for Tullahoma as both had a dozen on the night while Khani Johnson went for nine, all three of his baskets coming from three point land. However, the ‘Cats were unable to solve the puzzle of Kai Seanne Breshear and Quintaveous Simmons who combined for 42 points on the night with Breshear posting 24 of the damage. Keeton Jackson joined them in double figures with 12.

The squads played to a draw after one with both teams posting 13 on the scoreboard. Tullahoma’s Malik Grizzard had five of his game total seven in the opening frame while Grant Chadwick registered four of his evening total five in the first. Xavier Ferrell pitched in four, all of them one at a time from the foul line. Ferrell was six-for-seven from the charity stripe during the game. Spring Hill countered with Simmons who bucketed five of his total in the first.

The second was much like the first as the teams finished the half in a draw, both scoring 19 to make the total 32 apiece going into the locker room. Seven Wildcats got in on the scoring action in the second with Ferrell leading the way with seven. For Spring Hill, Brashear got his groove on, scoring over half of his team’s points in the second as he went for 10, four of those from the charity stripe.

Tullahoma was the first to blink in the third as they relinquished a tenuous lead late in the quarter. Jenkins led the way with a trio of deuces while Johnson and Keegan Taylor both hit bombs from beyond the arc. Simmons had four for Spring Hill as did Bryck St. Croix and Elijah Anderson to boost their squad to a scant 48-46 lead going into the home stretch.

The Wildcats; however, were unable to scratch back into the game as Spring Hill held them at arm’s length, maintaining a three to five point leads through much of the final period. The Raiders made their hay at the free throw line during the fourth, going a perfect eight-for-eight from the stripe with Breshear and Jackson making the crucial free throws. Simmons had the only two field goals of the period for Spring Hill. Ferrell led Tullahoma in the fourth with four while Johnson canned a three and Jenkins added a two.