Posted by Tim Drain - Sun, Mar 9, 2008 - [ Women's Basketball ]
KILGORE - The Jacksonville College Lady Jaguars survived an eight-minute drought without a field goal down the stretch to make history.
 
By JOE BUIE
Staff Writer
Tyler Morning Telegraph

Chelsea Foy found Shonta Dobbins under the basket for a crucial layup with 32 seconds left, and the Lady Jaguars held on to upset Tyler Junior College, 59-48, for their first-ever Region XIV playoff win Friday night at Masters Gymnasium.

The third-seeded Apache Ladies (22-9) ended their season prematurely, one season after advancing to the national tournament. Ironically, another Jacksonville school - Lon Morris - achieved its first playoff win against TJC in 2005.

Sixth-seeded Jacksonville (18-11), which will play No. 1 seed Trinity Valley in Sunday's semifinals, took a 22-point lead with 12:21 left in the game. After that, the Lady Jags began playing timid and the Apache Ladies caught fire.

TJC went on a 25-6 outburst over the next 10 minutes and pulled within 51-48 on Chasity Shavers' 25-foot bomb with 1:45 to play.

Following Jacksonville's seventh turnover in the final 10 minutes, TJC's Kelly Stewart missed on a drive and Dobbins hit both ends of a one-and-one to put Jacksonville up 53-48 with 1:09 left.

The Apache Ladies misfired on two trey attempts on the next possession before Dobbins scored the critical layup to calm Jacksonville's nerves.

Jacksonville outscored TJC, 14-2, in the final 6 1/2 minutes of the first half for a 33-21 lead at the break.

Five different players scored for the Lady Jags during their run, led by Sophia Piggie's seven.

Jacksonville struggled to make shots in the first half, but negated that drawback by converting 13 of 17 free throws.

April Murphy, who picked up her second foul with 10:46 left, did not attempt a shot in the first half. Monica Spearman paced TJC with five rebounds, but Jacksonville held a 20-19 edge.

Piggie led Jacksonville with 22 points and nine rebounds.