By WILLIAM WEST/Special to the Advertiser

The Chilton County High School girls basketball team won against a tough Billingsley team at home on Jan. 20, 42-34, in a thrilling showdown.

The game started with Chilton County’s Kedesha Lee scoring a three-point basket within the first 10 seconds of the first quarter.

The Bears went on a 12-3 run before Chilton County could answer. Billingsley closed out the first quarter, 19-10, with 12 points coming from three-point baskets.

It seemed as if nothing could slow the Billingsley girls down, but the Chilton County girls made their response.

Chilton County closed on the Bears, outscoring them 11-6 in the second quarter and finishing the half with a score of 25-21 in favor of the Bears.

By the third quarter, both teams had slowed the pace of the game. Neither team wanted to waste a possession by taking forced shots.

Though the Chilton County girls’ team again outscored their opponent 6-4, Billingsley held the lead, 29-27, at the end of the quarter.

The Billingsley girls extended the their lead five points in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter making the score 32-27.

Billingsley appeared ready to hold out to win against the Tigers, but the Chilton County girls’ slow offensive performance was brought to life by a Lexis Blackman three-point basket.

This was followed by a 12-2 run by the Chilton County girls to end the game, 42-34.

Chilton County, with the help of three, three-point baskets by Lee, made for a very exciting finish to a slow-building comeback.

Lee (21 points) was Chilton County’s leading scorer.

Blackman (10), a freshman, was Chilton County’s second leading scorer. Kaley Lucas (five), Kristina Caton (four), Morgan Dennis (one) and Salena Stoneback (one) also contributed to the Tigers’ victory.

Abby Tindol (12) and Alexis Cook (10) were Billingsley’s leading scorers in the match.