LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — Raiderette fans at Thursdays nights Tullahoma game got a bargain. For a the price of admission, fans got a basketball game, wrestling match, a rugby scrum, and a volleyball game all in one. It was a tough, physical match up in which the referees just “let them play” that often felt on the edge of out-of-control.
It was the second meeting for the two teams in the 2022-23 season. The AAA Wildcats beat the Raiderettes 46-34 in the Jeff Taylor Christmas Classic on December 22. Thursday’s win advanced Tullahoma to a 9-7 record and dropped Moore County to 11-7. District play for both teams will kick off next week.
Raiderettes lead in first period
The two teams traded turnovers for the first minute or so before Moore County’s Ellie Graham got the first points of the contest. Tullahoma immediately answered with a 3-point shot – one of nine in the contest. Their strategy seemed simple: drive inside to distract the Raiderettes while leaving money shooters on the perimeter. It worked.
About two minutes in, the Lady Wildcats coach decided to double team Graham. Undaunted, she passed to a teammate and then headed back up to the top of the key for the first Moore County trey of the contest to make is 5-3. Tullahoma immediately called a time out. Moore County and Tullahoma then traded turnovers again. At the 1:18 mark, a Wildcat drove for two to tie the game 5-5.
Raiderette Paisley Logan immediately answered with a trey to make it 8-5 then Katy Fletcher dished to Anna Harder for two more to make it 10-5. Tullahoma ended the first period with two from the foul line. At the end of the first eight minutes, Moore County led 10-7.
The Wildcats managed their big scoring period in the second – mounting 25 points, thanks in no small part to ace 3-point shooting. Tullahoma’s Alivia Bowen swished nine points from the perimeter line and McLayne Bobo added three more. Their hot streak combined with Moore County’s second period offensive struggles led to a 32-19 Wildcat halftime advantage.
Moore County never recovered. They headed into the locker rooming trailing by 13 and ultimately lost by a 12 point margin, 55-43.
Moore County scored 24 points from the field and six from the perimeter. They were 13 of 18 from the line (72 percent). Tullahoma scored 14 points from the field and 27 from the 3-point line. The Wildcats were money from the line – hitting 14 of 16 (88 percent).
Ellie Graham led for Moore County with 16 points
Ellie Graham led for Moore County with 16 points. Other contributing Raiderettes were Maecy Fletcher (8), Katy Fletcher and Anna Harder (6 points each), Paisley Logan (3), and Audrey Harder and Madison Dingler added a bucket each. Alivia Bowen led for Tullahoma with 19 total points including six 3-point shots.
Moore County will travel to Giles County on Friday to take on the AA Bobcats (0-15, 0-0). Tip off the girl’s game starts at 6 p.m. and the boy’s game will follow. •
{The Lynchburg Times is an independently-owned, community newspaper located in Lynchburg, Tennessee the home of The Jack Daniel Distillery. We focus on public service, non-partisan, rural journalism. We cover the Metro Moore County government, local tourism, Moore County schools, high school sports, Motlow State Community College, as well as whiskey industry news and regional and state stories that affect our readers.}