TECUMSEH – Both Tecumseh basketball games against Ada came down to two important points Tuesday night. The Lady Savages only allowed two points in the entire second half to win 51-19 and the Savages allowed two points with less than a second remaining to lose 62-60.
The Lady Savages and Ada battled early as Janya Bruner scored the first six points for Tecumseh. The Lady Savages actually trailed 8-4 before tying the game at 10-10. Tecumseh took its first lead at 11-10 on Bruner free throws and Peyton Bays extended the lead with a couple of free throws after a foul on a shot in the lane.
Bays had struggled with her shot early and center Kaydee Lewis missed a lot of the first half with foul trouble. But in the second quarter, Bays found the range from outside and created turnovers for nine points in the period as Tecumseh began to pull away for a 27-15 lead at the half.
Bays nailed a 3-pointer to open the second half and Ada answered with a bucket. But that would be the last points the Lady Cougars would score.
Bruner scored 11 in the third quarter and Lewis picked up four after returning for the second half helping THS run away with a 51-19 win.
Bruner led all scorers with 22 points and Bays added 18, including two 3-pointers.
In the boys’ game, the Savages were without Jackson Martin who will miss at least a few games with an injury.
Even without a starter, the Savages went back and forth with the Cougars early. The two teams were tied at 6-6 when Sampson Martin hit a 3-pointer. Then Aveon Stokes caught fire from the 3-point line and proceeded to knock down three before the first quarter ended with Tecumseh on top 19-10.
The Savages cooled off and Ada heated up in the second. The Savages were held to only six points in the second frame and Ada was able to take a 27-25 lead into intermission.
The third quarter was an offensive barrage for both teams. Tecumseh got eight points inside from Sherman Mitchell and eight more from Stokes as they outscored Ada 21-18 in the quarter to take a one- point lead into the fourth quarter.
Stokes scored seven more in the final quarter, all from the free throw line and Mitchell and Jekhi Owens each hit tough shots to keep the Savages close. Martin’s third 3-pointer of the game tied everything up at 56-56 with four minutes left.
Owens gave THS a 58-56 lead before Ada answered to retie the game and then to retake the lead at 60-58. Stokes hit two free throws to tie the game at 60 with 46 seconds left.
Ada had the ball and missed a shot. Mitchell pulled down the rebound and took off down the court. He kicked the ball to Martin for an open look from well-behind the 3-point line. That shot rimmed out and Ada pulled down the long rebound with six seconds left.
As Cason Richardson went up for a layup, Martin tried to draw an offensive foul. There was no whistle and Tremain Gray went up high for the putback as time expired to give the Cougars a win.
Stokes led all scorers with 28 and Mitchell added a dozen for Tecumseh. Martin had nine points, all from the 3-point line and Owens added nine more. Point guard Creed Wright added two.
Miilan Riley had 20 points for Ada and Gray had 18, including the game-winner.
Tecumseh heads to the Bethel Tournament Thursday through Saturday.
