By DREW GRANTHUM/Staff Writer

The Chilton County High School boys and girls basketball squads played host to county rival Maplesville on Thursday, with the Tigers coming out on top in both of the closely-contested matches.

In the opener, the Tiger girls (1-8, 0-1) got out early and hung on to take the 39-37 win.

The Tigers jumped out early, opening a 5-1 lead with 3:56 left in the first quarter on a basket by Kristina Caton. The two teams battled back and forth in a defensive struggle, with the only other basket of the quarter coming when Maplesville’s Amber Uptain pulled up and shot a buzzer-beating three to cut the lead to one point at the end of the first.

The Red Devils (0-2, 0-0) opened the second period on a 5-0 run, extending the lead to 9-5 after two free throws from Kendrauna Griffen.

Chilton County’s Kaley Lucas stopped the run with a basket, starting a 6-2 run for the Tigers that saw Lucas add another bucket and Sommer Richardson add one as well. Uptain provided the lone Maplesville basket during the run.

As the period wound down, trips to the free throw line began to assist the Devils. Tied at 11-all, Maplesville took the lead on the back of two Uptain free throws. After the Tigers took the lead courtesy of a Kadesha Lee bucket with 2:05 to go, another pair of Uptain free throws tied the contest at 15-15.

With 1:09 left in the period, Lee sank another basket to put the Tigers up by two. A free throw by Richardson gave the Tigers an 18-15 lead, and Uptain cut the lead to two with a free throw.

As time expired, Stephanie Collins added a Tiger basket, and Chilton County took a 20-16 lead into halftime.

Maplesville opened the second half strong on offense, opening with a 6-2 run. Uptain got the scoring started with a two-pointer, with Griffen and Tayuna Watson adding a basket and eventually capping off with Uptain tying the contest with a free throw with 4:12 left to go in the period.

Chilton County countered with a run of its own, using a 4-0 streak to extend the lead to 28-24 with 1:25 left in the third.

A two-point basket and free throw by Uptain pulled the Red Devils to within one point with 18.4 seconds left, with the score remaining 28-27 in favor of the Tigers headed into the fourth.

A basket by Watson opened scoring for the period and gave Maplesville the lead at 29-28.

Uptain added another basket moments later to give the Devils a three-point lead, but the Tigers countered with a 4-0 run and took the lead on a Lexis Blackman basket and subsequent free throw.

The Tigers extended their lead to 39-32 on a Lucas basket with 3:32 left to go in the game, but the Red Devils climbed back into the game as an Uptain basket and free throw cut the lead to four points with 1:18 left to play.

Uptain hit another free throw with 40 seconds left to cut the lead to three, and another with 10 seconds to go to bring the Devils to within two points of the Tigers, but Chilton County held on to take the win.

Lee paced the way for the Tigers with 11 points, while Uptain had 22 for the Devils.

In the boys’ contest, the Tigers came out on top once again, this time 63-62.

After a Cade Hatch three-pointer gave the Tigers (4-6, 0-2) an opening 3-2 lead, the Devils (2-1, 1-0) went on an offensive tear, using a basket by Terence Dunlap and three free throws and three-pointer by Anthony Moore to open up a 12-5 lead.

A pair of Hatch baskets at the end of the period brought the score to 12-9 at the end of the first.

The Tigers were able to rally in the second, taking a 34-24 lead into the half. Maplesville cut the deficit to four points on a buzzer beating three-pointer by Jeremy Williams at the end of the third, 44-40.

The Red Devils opened the fourth with a 7-0 run after a pair of Moore free throws, a Kendarius Bradley basket and a Moore three-pointer to take a 47-44 lead.

Chilton County countered with an 8-3 run, taking the lead on a basket by JeQuaries Martin at 52-50.

The Tigers extended the lead to 59-54 on a three pointer by Devin Austin.

Maplesville outscored the Tigers down the stretch, 8-4, cutting the lead to 61-59 with 13 seconds left, but it wasn’t enough as a pair of Hatch free throws with 5.8 seconds left proved to be the difference in the contest, with the Tigers escaping with a 63-62 win.

Hatch led the Tigers with 27 points, while Moore had 24 for Maplesville.

Verbena boys move to 10-0 with win over Loachapoka

The Verbena boys basketball team improved to 10-0 on the season with a win over Loachapoka High School on Dec. 16.

Juwan Tyus led the team in scoring with 25 points, while Jacob Cleckler posted 16 and Christian Agee had 12.

The Red Devils’ undefeated mark also carried over to area play, where the squad moved to 2-0 with the win.