By Brandon Sumrall

With snow falling all over the state on Thursday, the weather was warm and toasty for the crowd inside the gymnasium of Chilton County High School as night three of the Chilton County Basketball Tournament got underway with B-Team action.

Fresh off a first-round win against Isabella on Tuesday night, the Thorsby Rebels faced off against No. 1 seed Jemison Panthers.

It would be the Panthers who got the better of the Rebels with a 45-27 win that advanced them to the finals Saturday, where they will face the winner of the Verbena-Chilton County game.

The Isabella Mustang varsity girls started the season with nine wins and only two losses but have since lost five straight games.

Facing a Tiger team fresh off a big win over rival Jemison in Round 1 would prove to be too much as the Tigers would give the Mustangs their sixth straight loss, 40-35.

The Tigers (6-8 overall, 0-4 area) jumped out quickly in the first period behind Keona DeJarnett and Chynna Davis building a 14-3 first-period lead.

Chasity Williams led an Isabella (10-7, 0-4) comeback during the second period, closing to within five points of the Tigers at the half, 20-15.

The Tigers were able to build on their lead through the third period and would go into the final period with a 29-20 lead. But the Mustangs would not quit, and Williams would give Isabella their first lead of the game with 3:43 to play.

DeJarnett made sure that the Mustang lead didn’t last. With a two-point lead and less than three minutes to play, the Tigers would go on to put the Mustangs away and advance with a 40-35 win.

DeJarnett led all scorers for the Tigers with 23 points, six rebounds and two steals. Davis added seven points, three steals and nine rebounds. Williams led for the Mustangs with 16 points, including 10 of 15 from the free-throw line, and nine rebounds.

Chilton County advanced to the finals Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and will play the winner of the Verbena and Maplesville game.