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 Tullahoma High School boys’ basketball team went on the road to Livingston Academy on Saturday to pick up the 72-59 victory in the regional quarterfinal.

The win set up the ‘Cats third matchup with Lawrence County in the semifinal, with a sectional birth on the line. The game was at the Tullahoma High School gym at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night. If the Wildcats won they will play again at home on Thursday at 7 p.m. Results were not available at press time.

Tullahoma was led in scoring by Xavier Farrell with 19 points. He scored all 19 in the second half. Jaiden Sanchez scored 18, with 12 in the first half. Khani Johnson scored 17 points. He scored 10 in the third quarter.

The two teams went back and forth during the first quarter and went into the second tied at 13. Sanchez led the Wildcats with 8 points in the period. Johnson made his only 3-pointer of the night. Austin Tinnon scored the other 2 points for the ‘Cats. Wyatt Hargis led Livingston Academy with 6 points in the first.

Tullahoma trailed 24-23 at halftime, after Livingston Academy made two technical free throws and a buzzer beating 3-pointer. Sanchez led Tullahoma in scoring with 4 points, making two shots from the field. Johnson, Tinnon and Jayden Thompson all scored 2 points by making a field goal. Cole Harris led the opposing Wildcats with 4 points in the second quarter.

Coming out of halftime Livingston was awarded another pair of technical free throws for a T given to coach Welch after the second quarter. The made free throws capped a 7-0 run for Livingston Academy in just eight seconds of game time. Tullahoma answered with a 9-0 run in the third after the free throws. They won the quarter 29-16, leading 52-40 going into the forth. Johnson led the ‘Cats with 10 points in the quarter. He made four shots from the field and two free throws. Farrell scored 9 points. He made three field goals and three free throws. Taylor sunk a shot from beyond the arc. Tinnon, Sanchez and Thompson scored 2 points each. Alex Bobo scored 1 point from the foul line. Tucker Miller led Livingston with 5 points in the quarter. He made two free throws and a 3-pointer.

The Wildcats had a slow start to the final quarter, giving up an 11-4 run. Their lead sat at 5 points with 4:50 remaining. The ‘Cats defense held tough in the last 4:50 though, allowing just 8 more points. Farrell led the team with 10 points in the fourth quarter. He went 4-of-6 from the stripe in the period. Sanchez scored 4 points, making two baskets. Bobo, Johnson and Taylor scored 2 points. All of their points came from the field. Hargis scored 11 points leading Livingston in the final quarter.

Tullahoma made 27 shots, only two from beyond the arc. They went 12-of-29 from the foul line. Livingston Academy hit just 18 field goals, five from long range. They went 18-of-21 from the free throw line.

Lady Wildcats’ season comes to a close

Tullahoma High School girls’ basketball team hosted Upperman in their regional quarterfinal matchup and fell 48-37.

The loss ends the District Champions season with a final record of 16-10. The Lady ‘Cats won District 8 AAA in both the regular season and postseason. They went 9-1 in district play during the season. This was the first time the Lady ‘Cats have won the District tournament since 2019. 

Tullahoma was led in scoring against the Lady Bees by senior Lily Melton 14 points. She scored 8 in the third quarter. McLayne Bobo scored 10 points, she went 7-of-8 from the foul line. Isabella Lidstrom scored 8 points and Nyjah Gibbs scored 5 points.

The Lady Wildcats scored the first four points of the game in the paint. Melton and Lidstrom made the baskets. Upperman answered by hitting back to back 3-pointers. Bobo stopped their run by sinking two free throws. The Bees scored 4 straight before Melton went to the line and made a pair of foul shots. The Bees hit a buzzer bester to take a 12-8 lead into the second.

The second period was the worst offensive quarter for Tullahoma, only scoring 6 points. Bobo led the way with 3 points, hitting her only triple of the match. Melton made two more free throws. Lidstrom scored the other point at the line, splitting her two attempts.

The Lady ‘Cats came out of the locker room full of energy, making a 5-0 run in the first 50 seconds of the third. Melton scored all 5 of the points. The Lady Bees settled in after that, giving up just 10 more points in the rest of the period. Melton added another 3 points in the quarter with a made field goal and free throw. Lidstrom knocked down the last made 3-pointer for Tullahoma. Bobo and Gibbs each scored 2 points. Gibbs scored from the field while Bobo made free throws. The Lady ‘Cats trailed 34-29 headed into the fourth.

Tullahoma’s offense was still struggling in the fourth, only scoring 2 points in the first five minutes. They trailed 44-31 with three minutes left. Gibbs and Bobo led the way for the Wildcats with 3 points each in the fourth. Bobo made three free throws. Gibbs made a field goal and a foul shot. Lidstrom scored the other 2 points for Tullahoma from the field.

The Lady Wildcats made just 10 shots, three from behind the arc. They went 14-of-20 at the foul line. Upperman made 17 field goals, six of those were 3-pointers. They went 8-of-16 at the stripe.