The Straughn Tigers varsity boys’ basketball team picked up a big area victory over the Geneva Panthers on Tuesday night in Straughn, but the Lady Tigers were unable to overcome the Lady Panthers in the opening game.

GIRLS

GENEVA 54, STRAUGHN 37

The Straughn Lady Tigers put forth a strong effort on Tuesday night at home, but fell 54-37 to the Geneva Lady Panthers.

Straughn got things off to a good start with big buckets from Sydney Kinsaul and Caroline Wood to help put the Lady Tigers on top 10-9 at the end of one period.

Geneva surged in the third period and were able to hold off the Lady Tigers.

“That might of been the best three periods we have played all year, but we turned the ball over way too much in the fourth,” Lady Tigers’ head coach Scott Kinsaul said. “Geneva is a good team and they live on causing turnovers with their full-court pressure.

BOYS

STRAUGHN 49,  GENEVA 45

In the final game of the evening, the Tigers picked up a big 49-45 overtime win over the Panthers.

Straughn came out firing on all cylinders behind a slew of 3-pointers from Justin and Hank Peeples.

The 3-pointers from the Peeples brothers had the Tigers out front 15-8 at the end of the first period.

Opening up the second period, J. Peeples remained dialed in from behind the line as he buried another 3-pointer to put the Tigers up 18-8.

Brantley Kelley and H. Peeples also picked up buckets in the second period to give Straughn a 24-14 lead at halftime.

The Tigers got a couple of buckets to start the third period, but the Panthers came charging back and tied the game 28-28 halfway through the period.

Geneva grabbed the lead a few minutes later when Kade Grant knocked down a 3-pointer.

The Tigers continued to claw at the Panthers and a 3-pointer from H. Peeples put Straughn on top 37-33 at the end of the third period.

Keaun Samuel got a dunk to start the final period, but the Panthers came surging back and tied the game 45-45 at the end of regulation.

Geneva got the ball to start the overtime period and straight into a stall offense.

The Tigers stood back and let the Panthers hold onto the ball for nearly three minutes before applying any pressure.

Straughn’s pressure paid off, as the Tiger defense trapped Green along the sideline and forced a errant pass that sailed out of bounds.

The Tigers inbounded the ball and H. Peeples attacked the lane for layup to put Straughn on top 47-45 with just over a minute left in the game.

Straughn’s defense kept the Panthers off the board in the overtime frame to pick up a 49-45 victory.

“We played really well as a team tonight,” Straughn head coach Bradley Stephens said. “We got into a little bit of a lull in the third period, but I was proud of the way that we executed late and found a way to win. We got a lot of really big plays from a lot of people. There really isn’t one person to point out. It was really a complete team win.”

H. Peeples led the Tigers with 16 points in the victory.

Samuel finished the night with 14 points and J. Peeples came in with 11 points.