LITTLE RIVER ACADEMY — The Thrall Tigerettes varsity basketball team’s season came to an end after a 57-42 loss to the West Trojans on Thursday, Feb. 19 in the area round of the playoffs at Academy High School in Little River Academy.
The Tigerettes battled throughout the game, but turnovers and missed opportunities ultimately led to the double-digit loss.
“I thought my team gave it all they had,” Thrall head coach Corey Cunningham said. “They competed to the best of their ability but came up short. We had a couple of turnovers that hurt, and against a team like West, you can’t make mistakes like that or they will capitalize.”
Thrall closed the first quarter with a 14-13 lead after senior guard Kinley Hoffman scored six of those points. Hoffman finished with a team-high 14 points.
The second quarter proved to be the turning point. The Tigerettes committed multiple turnovers, which the Trojans converted into points. Thrall was outscored 11-4 in the period and trailed 24-18 at halftime.
The momentum continued in the third quarter as West went on a 12-8 run to build a double- digit lead at 36-26 midway through the period. Thrall entered the fourth quarter facing a 42-33 deficit.
A 3-pointer out of the break from senior Avery Ochoa cut the lead to six, but additional turnovers allowed the Trojans to close the game on a 15-6 run.
The Tigerettes will graduate six seniors from a veteran-laden roster. Cunningham reflected on the impact the senior class had on the program this season.
“They have been big for us. They have great chemistry among themselves, and they don’t care who gets the credit or who gets the points,” he said. “They have left a huge mark on Tigerette basketball.”
