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Straughn outlasted McKenzie in overtime and collected a home sweep in a varsity basketball home doubleheader on Friday, Dec. 8.

Straughn Lady Tigers 47
McKenzie Lady Tigers 23

Straughn opened up a 20-point lead at halftime and cruised to a 47-23 win over McKenzie in the varsity girls’ game.

Blakeley Smith converted a pair of layups for a quick 4-0 lead. Hayden Bozeman then cut the margin in half with a basket. Maddie Williamson and Aubrey Pittman followed with buckets as Ora Hall chipped in two jumpers and built a 12-2 margin. Zaniyah Davidson trimmed the deficit to 12-4 with a field goal for the visiting Lady Tigers. Williamson and Hall closed the period with buckets and gave the home Lady Tigers a 16-4 lead after one.

Hall swished a pair of three-pointers early in the second, and Pittman converted two free throws for a 24-4 lead. After Bozeman made a basket with 3:27 remaining in the first half, Tori Canant knocked down a jumper for a 26-6 lead at halftime.

McKenzie came out of the break with back-to-back baskets and made the score 26-10. Nevaeh Marshall responded with drives to the hoop and pushed the lead to 30-10. Sarrenati Davidson went four-of-eight from the line, while Charisa Bullard added two field goals in the third. Hall scored a free throw and gave Straughn a 31-17 lead after three.

Both sides struggled to score in the fourth until Smith drained a three and widened the cushion to 34-17 with 6:14 left. Bullard followed with two baskets before Williamson went up and off the glass. Pittman then hit a jumper, and Kinsley Short buried a three. Smith gave the home Lady Tigers a 43-19 lead with 1:40 to go before Trenady Pierce converted two free throws for the visiting Lady Tigers. Pittman made a layup as Bullard rounded out the scoring with a basket.

Hall led Straughn (6-2) with 13 points in the win and was followed by Smith who had 11. Pittman collected eight as Williamson chipped in six.

Bullard paced McKenzie (0-5) with eight points in the loss. Bozeman added six, and Davidson finished with four points.

Straughn Tigers 52
McKenzie Tigers 43

Straughn scored nine points in overtime and held McKenzie scoreless in the extra frame for a 52-43 win in the varsity boys’ matchup.

Parker Black scored the opening basket of the game until Jaylen McMillian made three free throws for a 3-2 lead. Jahmarren Jackson then added a jumper, and McMillian gave the visiting Tigers a 7-2 lead. Kaden Wiggins hit a long three with 4:36 left in the first period before Taylor Sikes evened the score at 7-7 with a pair of free throws. Wiggins and Joseph Driver scored back-to-back threes and gave the home Tigers a 13-12 lead after one.

The action went back and forth in the second period as neither side led by more than one point halfway through the frame. Layne Grantham and Clark Jordan each made a nifty move to the hoop as Straughn took a 19-16 lead. Devin Covan and McMillian then knocked down three-pointers for a 22-21 lead. After Black made two from the line, McKenzie took a 25-23 lead into halftime.

Wiggins and Skylar Sanders traded threes in the early stages of the third. Jackson gave the visiting Tigers a 30-26 lead with a three. Sikes responded with a long-range shot, and Jordan went two-for-two at the line as the home Tigers took a 31-30 lead with 1:54 left in the frame. Jackson had a bucket in the final seconds for a 32-31 lead after three.

Straughn got a jumper from Grantham and a three by Wiggins to open up a 36-32 lead in the fourth. Covan closed the gap to 36-35 at the 4:54 mark. Grantham made another basket for a 41-38 lead until Jayden McMillian tied the score at 41-41 off another three. Jaylen McMillian gave McKenzie a 43-41 lead with 40 seconds left, but Wiggins forced overtime with two clutch free throws in the closing seconds.

The home Tigers roared to a 49-43 lead with three straight baskets from Jordan in the extra session. Wiggins then went three-of-four at the line, and the visiting Tigers were unable to find the hoop.

Wiggins was the top scorer for Straughn (3-4) with 20 points, while Jordan also had double figures at 12. Black and Grantham each contributed six points as Sikes notched five in the win.

Jaylen McMillian led McKenzie (3-2) with 13 points and was followed by Jackson who had 11. Covan and Jayden McMillian both garnered six points in the loss.

Straughn remains at home and welcomes Andalusia on Tuesday, Dec. 12.