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The Straughn High School Lady Tigers were three points away from clinching the area championship Thursday night against the Geneva Lady Panthers, 41-38.

It was a close game until the Panthers had a huge streak going into halftime. The Lady Panthers held the Lady Tigers to zero points in the second period, going into half time with a 24-7 lead.

Geneva started the third period with a couple of points, going up 30-10.

Abbi Hataway had a lay up for the Lady Tigers to cut the lead 32-17.

With 1:18 left in the third period, Melonie Harris hit a three-pointer for the Lady Tigers to make it 35-21, but GHS answered to close the third period with the Lady Panthers still up 37-23.

The fourth period was all Lady Tigers as they fought hard to come back.

Kelsey Kelley opened up the fourth period for the Lady Tigers, followed by Ora Hall sinking a three-pointer to make it 37-28.

With 4:14 left in the game, Hall hit another three-pointer to make it a six-point game.

Hall hit another lay up to make it 37-33 with 3:43 left in the game.

With 1:07 left, K. Kelley hit a big three-pointer for the Lady Tigers to make it a two-point game.

Allie Kelley tied it up with 53.4 seconds left in the game by hitting two free throws, but with 13 seconds, Geneva hit a free throw to go up 39-38.

Geneva sealed the game with two free throws with 6 seconds left in the game.

“I am over the top proud of how the girls battled back in the second half,” SHS head coach Bradley Stephens said. “Don’t get me wrong, I hate losing, but the way we came back from a 15 point deficit and put ourselves in a situation to where we could win the game, that was huge. Time just ran out on us. The girls played their tails off and I’m so proud of them.”

Though the Lady Tigers lost, they will be competing in the sub-regional tournament next week.

“Right now, we have to come back and prepare for the next game,” Stephens said. “We’ll probably come in a little early on Monday and go over some things before practice and then just go from there.”