Quest for repeat ends with Lady Trojan loss to Northview Academy


 


Jason Peevyhouse

Editor, JP Productions Sports


A tough two quarters in the middle of the TSSAA Class 3A Semifinals proved costly for Dyersburg as the Lady Trojans were unable to come all the way back before falling 52-51 to Northview Academy on Friday in the Murphy Center on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro.

“A lot of teams would be glad to be in this position today,” Dyersburg Head Coach Tim Strayhorn said. “We came up short but we left it all on the court.

“There were some things I wish we could have done better and worked on. But, we gave it all we had.”

Strayhorn gave credit to Northview Academy Head Coach Brooke Shelley.

“She did a good job coaching tonight,” Strayhorn said. “They played hard tonight and came up with the victory,.

With the Lady Trojans trailing by three heading into the fourth quarter, Northview got off to a strong start in the final frame, building its lead to 38-32 with 5:27 left in the game. But, Dyersburg and Class 3A Miss Basketball Finalist Joya Crawford stormed back as the Lady Trojan senior got a three-point play to start a scoring run which ended with a Crawford trey to tie the game at 40-40 with 4:25 left.

Dyersburg answered a Lady Cougar bucket with a jumper from Kalli Maclin but a three-pointer from Camyrn Brown returned the lead to Northview. Dyersburg battled back as a jumper from Crawford and a bucket by Chelby Jordan gave the Lady Trojans a 46-45 lead with 2:57 left in the game. After a bucket from Northview put them back on top, a free throw by Crawford tied the game. Northview answered with a pair of Jordan White free throws to retake the lead as Crawford answered with another free throw to cut it to one. But, with Dyersburg forced to foul, White missed a pair of free throws but Northview got the rebound. Jordan White then missed one of two free throws to put the Lady Cougars up by two.

Dyersburg committed a turnover on the ensuing possession and Brown hit both free throws to push the Lady Cougar lead to four points with eight seconds left. With time winding down, Crawford sank a three-pointer with seconds left to cut it to one before the horn sounded and brought the Lady Trojan season to an end.


“We’ve been battle tested,” Strayhorn explained. “We’ve been behind before so it’s not like we’ve never been behind.

“We’re always going to have that pride to keep battling back. We missed some key shots and missed a key box out at the end to cost us that possession.”

Dyersburg got on the board early with a three-pointer from Chelby Jordan. Northview was quick to answer with a couple buckets to take a 4-3 lead with 5:13 left in the opening frame. The Lady Trojans didn’t let the Lady Cougars hold the lead long, getting a three-point play and a three-pointer from Joya Crawford to take a 9-4 lead with 4:25 left in the frame. Northview cut it to two again moments later before a three-pointer before a three-pointer by Jordan and a Crawford bucket put the Lady Trojans on top 14-7 after one quarter.

After an early Northview bucket cut the Dyersburg lead to five, the Lady Trojans answered with a three-pointer from Crawford and a jumper from Jordan to take an 18-9 lead with 5:33 left in the half. But, after a three-point play by Lady Cougar Jordan White, Northview went on a 7-2 run. A Jordan bucket for Dyersburg finally snapped the scoring spree before a late Kaylee Smith jumper cut the Lady Trojan lead to 22-18 at the half.

Northview Academy rallied at the start of the third quarter, getting a bucket from Smith and a free throw by White to cut the Dyersburg lead to 22-21 with 6:25 left in the third frame. Crawford answered with a jumper to stop the bleeding briefly before a bucket by Natavia Alber and two more by White put Northview on top by three points. Dyersburg answers to cut it to one with a pair of Kalli Maclin free throws then tie it with a Crawford jumper with 1:37 left in the frame. But, a three-pointer from Camryn Brown and a jumper by White answered a Jordan jumper to give the Lady Cougars a 33-30 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Crawford led the way for the Lady Trojans with 31 points in her final game for Dyersburg High School. Jordan added 16 in the loss.

Dyersburg outshot Northview Academy from the field, shooting 46.5 percent to the Lady Cougars' 42.1. The Lady Trojans also won the battle behind the arch, shooting 38.5 percent to Northview's 22.2. At the free throw line is where the Lady Cougars made up the difference, hitting 18 of 27 while Dyersburg only hit 6 of 8.

“I was hoping we could bring that gold ball back for Joya since this is her last year with us,” Strayhorn said. “She means so much to this program.

“These two battled (Crawford and Jordan). They’re just warriors. They’re two of the best ball players in the state. But, the other team won tonight. We’ve got to tip our hat to them. We will be back next year to try to do it again.”

The loss ends the Lady Trojans’ pursuit of a second straight TSSAA Class 3A State Championship with a record of 27-4

“We’ve just got to go back, get in the gym, improve and get back up here next year,” Strayhorn added.

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