By Mike Goodson/Sports Correspondent
The 2014-2015 season came to a screeching halt for the Gadsden City High girls basketball team on Tuesday (Feb. 17), as the Lady Titans suffered a 42-27 defeat at the hands of the No. 1 Huntsville at Jacksonville State.
“We never got in a rhythm offensively, even in the first half when things were going our way,” Gadsden City coach Jeremy Brooks said. “A lot of that had to do with Huntsville. They did a good job taking away what we wanted to do.”
The Lady Titans shot just 25 percent from the field and 15 percent from the three-point line.
Gadsden City (24-5) led 9-8 late in the first quarter after a 3-point basket by Haley Troup before Huntsville scored the final four points to go ahead 12-9.
The Lady Titans then went on a 10-2 run, capped by Taylor Tucker’s lay-up with 54 seconds left until halftime, to take a 19-14 edge. The Lady Panthers’ NaKeia Burks made a pair of free throws with 41 seconds remaining to cut Gadsden City’s lead to three points.
The story of the first half took place several minutes before the second quarter’s end, when sophomore guard Brook Burns the lane and collided with a Huntsville player. Burns’ went down hard, injuring her elbow and taking away one of the Lady Titan’s leading scorers. Burns attempted to play in the second half but was unable to score. She ended the day with two points.
Meanwhile, Huntsville outscored Gadsden City 14-6 in the third quarter to take a 30-25 lead into the final eight minutes.
The Lady Panthers outscored the Titans 8-2 in the final eight minutes, with Takara Blount’s lay-up at 3:44 accounting for Gadsden City’s only points of the final period.
Troup and Takara Blount with eight points each. Blount also surpassed the 1,000 point plateau for her career during the game.
Taylor Tucker added seven points, while Tansley LaCount grabbed eight rebounds.
Shaquera Wade led Huntsville with 17 points.
Troup and Blount each made the all-tournament team.