By Staff
Scot Beard
The Russellville varsity girls basketball team opened its RHs Invitational Tournament with a thrilling overtime game against Haleyville.
Unfortunately, the Lady Golden Tigers came out on the losing end 59-54.
Russellville held a 21-20 lead at halftime and pushed the advantage to 37-33 after the third.
Haleyville rallied to take a 48-45 lead with 1:27 remaining in the game. A free throw by Erin Reynolds cut the deficit to 48-46 before she scored to tie the game with 15 seconds left.
Reynolds added another free throw early in overtime, but Haleyville scored the next five points and the Lady Golden Tigers could never recover.
Reynolds led the Lady Golden Tigers with 15 points while Tasha West added 13.
With the loss, Russellville falls into the consolation bracket and will play Tharptown at 3:15 p.m. today.
Red Bay 55,
Tharptown 54
The Red Bay girls held a seven-point lead Tharptown heading into the third quarter and almost let it slip away.
The Lady Tigers regained their composure for a 55-54 win at the RHS Invitational Tournament..
Tharptown's Laken Barnett tied the game at 50-50 with 55 seconds remaining, but Red Bay was able to score two quick baskets to regain a four-point lead.
Tharptown's Hollie Hines hit a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to two points, but Red Bay added a free throw with 25 seconds remaining.
The Lady Wildcats had a chance to tie the game, but confusion on offense led to a two-point basket by Hines seconds before the clock expired.
Hines led all scorers with 24 points. She also had 23 rebounds.
Chelsea McCluskey added 15 points for Tharptown while Heather Hatton and Barnett scored seven points each.
Whitney Sharp scored 12 points to lead Red Bay while Leah Fuller added 11 points.
Red Bay will play Florence today at 9 a.m.