2016 Year in Review – Girls’ Prep Basketball

As we have turned the page on 2016, Thunder Radio Sports looks back at some of the highlights of the calendar year for each of the 12 prep sports. Today we look back at a highlight from the girls’ basketball teams. The highlight of the 2016 year in girls’ basketball was the amazing 2015-2016 season by the Coffee County Middle School Lady Raiders as they compiled a record of 25 and 1 and finished as the runner-up in the TMSAA state tournament in Murfreesboro. The Lady Raiders fell to Mt. Juliet 43 to 42 on February 6^th.

Thunder Radio reported on their success with the following story we published on February 8^th

The Coffee County Middle School Lady Raiders with the 2nd place trophy following the TMSAA Middle Section State Tournament on Saturday(Photo by Jay Bailey – Manchester Times)

Mt Juliet got a short jumper from Emma Palmer with 4 seconds remaining to hand the Coffee County Middle School Lady Raiders their first loss of the year 43 to 42 on Saturday afternoon in the TMSAA Middle School Sectional State Finals in Murfreesboro. A Coffee County rebound under the Mt. Juliet goal was tied up with the possession arrow belonging to the Lady Bears with 9 seconds showing on the clock. That set up the last second in-bounds play to the taller and more physical Lady Bear post player who sank the shot and the Red and Black’s state title dreams.

CCMS basketball players (left to right) Julia Duncan, Bella Vinson and Jenna Garretson were named to the All Tournament team following the TMSAA Middle Section State Tournament on Saturday(Photo by Jay Bailey – Manchester Times) [EDITED FROM ORIGINAL]

Coffee County, which trailed by 5 points at the half, roared back to take the lead with 69 seconds remaining behind the support of a huge Lady Raider cheering section. A pair of 3 pointers helped Coffee County tie the score with 4:35 left in the 3rd quarter and set up an exciting final 10 minutes of basketball as each team swapped the lead down the stretch. The loss broke a 34 game winning streak for Coffee County stretching back to 2014. The Lady Raiders finished the season with a mark of 25 and 1.

Coffee County was led in scoring by Julia Duncan who had 16 points. Jenna Garretson added 9 points, including 7 in the 4th quarter. Ellie Graham and Bella Vinson each finished with 6 points. Following the game, Duncan, Garretson and Vinson were all named to the All-Tournament Team.

Thunder Radio was on hand to record the finals match-up and that game will be broadcast on Monday night at 8 PM. A copy of the podcast will be available at our website, beginning on Monday evening at: http://www.thunder1320.com/downloads/ The Lady Raiders will also be guests on Saturday’s Coffee Coaches Show at 10 AM here on Thunder Radio. The Coffee Coaches Show is broadcast live from Al White Ford/Lincoln.

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The Westwood Lady Rockets faced a rebuilding task this year after advancing to the Conference Tournament title game in 2015. The biggest win of the year for the Lady Rockets came on December 5^th when Westwood defeated Fayetteville on 8^th grade night 31 to 13.

Thunder Radio reported on their success with the following story we published on December 6^th

2016 Westwood Lady Rockets 8th graders and families

Westwood welcomed Fayetteville to the Joel Vinson Gym for 8^th grade night on Monday. The Lady Rockets controlled the game for the onset to capture a 31 to 13 win. The Rockets got off to an ice cold start as they fell 50 to 32.

The Lady Rockets used their pressure defense in the 3^rd quarter to blow open a 4 point game and coast to the season sweep of the Lady Tigers. Allie Roberts was the leading scorer for Westwood with 8 points. Elissa Woodard added 6 points and Kasen Holt finished with 5 points.

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The CHS Lady Raiders continue to improve under Coach Herb Horton as they have begun this season with a record of 9 and 3. The most dramatic win of the year for the Lady Raiders came on December 6^th as Abby Morgan hit a jumper with 3 seconds remaining to give Coffee County an exciting win over Warren County.

Thunder Radio reported on their success with the following story we published on December 7^th

Abby Morgan of CHS basketball [Photo by Demarco Moore – Manchester Times]

How sweep it is! The Coffee County CHS basketball teams got a doubleheader sweep over Warren County on Tuesday night as each team raised their season record to 6 and 1 on the year. The Lady Raiders needed a jumper with 3 seconds to go to claim a 51 to 50 win at the Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gym. The Red Raiders outscored the Pioneers 23 to 14 in the 4th quarter to take a season split with their McMinnville rivals.
With 9.9 seconds remaining in the game, Coffee County coach Herb Horton called a timeout with his team trailing by 1 point. The play call was drawn up for Abby Morgan to take the game’s final shot and the sophomore did exactly that burying a 10 foot jumper with 3 seconds left to give the Lady Raiders the dramatic win. Coffee County, which led most of the game, saw Warren County take a 5 point lead with 6 minutes remaining. But the Lady Raiders hit eight of their ten 4th quarter free throws to capture the dramatic win and a season sweep over the Lady Pioneers. Alliyah Williams led the Lady Raiders on scoring with 19 points. Holli Smithson added 10 points and Abby Morgan finished with 9. Williams and Morgan were named the Crazy Daisies co-players of the game.