Lady Generals Defeat Clay County in a 49[th] District Tournament Thriller

On Monday night, Coach Tyra and the JCHS Lady Generals began post-season play in the opening game of the 2025 49[th] District Tournament, which the JCHS is hosting. Their opponent was the #3 seed Clay County Lady Tigers. These two teams were very evenly matched. The Lady Generals are ranked 8[th] (out of 16 teams) in the 13[th] Region with an RPI of 55. The Lady Tigers are ranked 9[th] in the region with an RPI of 53. The teams had played each other twice in the regular season and split the victories, with each winning on the opponent's home court. On February 03[rd] the Lady Generals defeated the Lady Tigers by a final score of 45-40 at Clay County. The Lady Tiger rebounded on February 14[th], defeating the Lady Generals 52-56 at the JCHS. 

As the regular season ended, each team was on a winning streak. Clay County had won four games in a row, while the Lady Generals had won three of their last five. Most recently, the Lady Generals defeated Bell County at home by a final score of 50-47. 

These two teams have played each other 19 times in the 49[th] District Tournament. Of those 19 meetings, Clay has won 11 games while the Lady Generals have won 8. Jackson County has won the last three 49[th] District tournament games between the two teams. However, the last time the 49[th] District tournament was hosted by the JCHS (2020), Clay defeated Jackson by a final score of 35-36. 

The Lady Generals fell behind early in the game, trailing by a score of 9-14 at the end of the fir[st] quarter. Although the team struggled to score overall, Abby Gilbert recorded 8 of the Lady Generals' 9 points in that opening stanza. By halftime, the Lady Generals still trailed with a score of 25-31. Gilbert had contributed 20 of the Lady Generals' 25 points at the half. 

The third quarter proved to be a turning point in the game. Gilbert scored 14 points, Sammie Creech added five, and Larkin Vaughn added two, resulting in a 21-point quarter for the home team. The Lady Tigers scored only 7 points in the third. The score after three periods was 46-38 in favor of the Lady Generals. 

The fourth quarter provided the excitement that makes high school basketball so much fun to watch. The Lady Tigers focused their defense and targeted Gilbert, holding her to only 4 points in the last period. Annslee Nichols and Larkin Vaughn each scored 2. The lead switched back and forth as the game neared the end. With two minutes left in the game, the Lady Generals took a 52-47 lead. The Lady Tigers responded, and a three-point basket by Maci White narrowed the Lady General's lead to 52-51 with 1:30 left in the game. A running floater in the lane by Lady Tiger Daisy Samples gave Clay County the lead (52-53) with only 32 seconds left to play. Abby Gilbert took charge and dribbled the ball the full length of the court to score a layup, putting the Lady Generals back in front 54-53 with 23 seconds left in the game. The Lady Tiger's had several chances to score but the Lady General's held firm securing the victory 54-53. 

Abby Gilbert ended the game with a total of 38 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks. 

Gilbert simply refused to lose. "I want to be a good player for my home town and I couldn't let this be the last game I played for this team," Gilbert remarked in a post-game interview with Brian Murray (PRTC Live). 

The Lady Generals will face the North Laurel Lady Jaguars on Thursday night for the 49[th] District Championship.