Sixth-seeded Thomas Jefferson gave third-seeded Bronough everything they could handle but in the end, the Wildcats walked away with a 52-48 win over the Cavaliers in the opening round of the Class 1 District 5 tournament on Saturday.
Thomas Jefferson ends the season with a 7-16 record and graduates senior Alivia Beard.
The Cavaliers trailed by six heading into the second period when sophomore Gabbi Hiebert put her teammates on her back, scoring 13 of TJ’s 17 points in the quarter. She knocked down three 3-pointers, including a go-ahead catch-and-shoot 3-ball with five seconds left to send Thomas Jefferson into halftime with a 26-25 lead.
The Cavs held onto that slim lead in a third quarter that saw six lead changes in the final three minutes. Thomas Jefferson led 39-38 heading into the final quarter thanks to a nine-point effort in the period by Lannah Grigg.
Sarah Mueller scored out of the break and Alexis Stamps added a charity make to push TJ’s lead to 42-38 early in the fourth.
Bronaugh rallied with the next seven points to regain the lead, 45-42, with less than four minute to play.
Stamps knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner off an inbounds play to tie the game back up at 45s with 2:12 left in regulation, but Bronaugh’s Nicole Hagerman buried a 3-pointer with 1:28 left and added a score on the drive at the one-minute mark to give the Wildcats a 50-45 advantage.
Beard tried to keep the Cavs within striking distance, sinking a 3-pointer with 32 second left to cut the deficit to 50-48, but Hagerman sank two free throws with 18.7 seconds left to ice the win and send Bronaugh into the semifinals.
Hagerman finished with a game-high 29 points, while Gretchen Banes closed with 11.
Hiebert led Thomas Jefferson with 18 points, while Grigg finished with 11. Stamps finished with nine.
The Wildcats take on second-seeded McAuley Catholic at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the district semis.
