By By Adam Robinson – Sports Editor
Last year during the sub-regional round the T.R. Miller Lady Tigers were in the same situation as they were this year only at a different venue. Last year, the Lady Tigers of Brewton were matched up with the Lady Tigers of Thomasville as Thomasville ended the T.R. Miller's season last year with a 48-44 win as Thomasville advanced to the South Regional in Troy.
This year, T.R. Miller (19-4) returned the favor as they used a 7-0 run in the second quarter and hung on for an eight-point win as T.R. Miller defeated Thomasville 40-32 Thursday night at home to earn the right to travel to Troy next week for the South Regional.
T.R. Miller will face off against Ashford Thursday at 3 p.m. in the semi-finals of the regional. If the Lady Tigers win they will face the Handley-Jackson winner a 12:20 p.m. Saturday also in Troy.
Ashford defeated Dadeville 70-46 Thursday night as Miller's win was its 15th win in a row.
After falling behind early 3-0 at the 6:33 mark, four turnovers for Thomasville's offensive possessions lead to a 6-3 lead for the Lady Tigers of T.R. Miller when Nakiya Smith and Kesha Peterson combined for points for the Lady Tigers.
Peterson led the Tigers with 17 points as Smith added 11.
Thomasville cut the Lady Tiger lead to one point at 6-5 with 3:00 left in the first quarter, but the Tigers got a 3-pointer and two free throws from Peterson to take an 11-5 lead at the 2:13 mark and held an 11-7 lead at the end of the first quarter of play.
In the second quarter, a quick 3-pointer for Thomasville cut the Miller lead to 11-10 with 7:06 left before the half, but a Smith two-pointer gave the Tigers a 13-10 lead with 6:28 left.
At the 6:10 mark, Thomasville again cut the lead to one point at 13-12, but a 4-0 run by the Lady Tigers made the lead 17-12 with 2:49 left in the quarter.
Thomasville cut the lead to 17-14 with 2:36 left in the half, but a 7-0 run by T.R. Miller gave the Lady Tigers a 24-14 lead with 39.9 as Miller held a 26-16 lead at the half.
The third quarter has not been the quarter of choice for the Lady Tigers this year and Thursday's game proved no different as Thomasville cut the T.R. Miller lead to 32-28 in the quarter by outscoring the Lady Tigers 12-6 in the quarter.
To start the quarter, the Lady Tigers extended their lead to 28-16, their biggest of the night at 12, but a 6-0 run by Thomasville cut the lead to 28-22 with 4:05 left in the third quarter.
At the 1:49 mark in the game, Thomasville cut the T.R. Miller lead to 30-26 but MyNetra Boley gave the Lady Tigers a 32-26 lead with 1:02 left in the third.
The six-point lead did not last long as Thomasville cut the lead to 32-28 and both teams headed into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter of play, Miller took a 34-28 lead with 6:39 left in the game. Two and half minutes later, Thomasville cut the lead to 34-30 as Miller made it a six-point lead at 36-30 with 3:46 left in the game.
After Thomasville cut the lead to 36-32 with 2:43, Miller got four free throws from Catherine Green to give them a 40-32 lead as Miller took the win.