Athens High School Gymnasium on Friday, February 23, 2024 –
The Tenaha Lady Tigers varsity basketball team was eliminated from the Texas UIL Basketball Playoffs with a Region III semifinals loss to the Martin’s Mill Lady Mustangs. The game ended with the Lady Mustangs gaining a 43-40 point win, in overtime, after the two teams were tied at 38-38 at the end of regulation.
Early on the Lady Mustangs pulled out to a 7-0 point lead midway through the first period but the Lady Tigers were able to pull to within three points at 10-7 going into the second stanza. Tenaha senior guard Kennedi Holmes scored the first six points of the second quarter and THS led 13-10. Martin’s Mill fought back and took a narrow 17-15 point advantage into the locker room at the midway intermission.
MMHS led 35-34 midway through the fourth frame but the Lady Tigers were able to gain a 38-35 lead late in regulation. A 3-point bomb by Lady Mustangs freshman guard Kara Nixon with just seconds remaining ended up sending the game into a four minute overtime period to break the tie. Nixon scored five of her game-high 25 points in the overtime period.
Tenaha’s season ends with them holding a 33-6 overall record and a perfect 12-0 District 23-2A record. They went 3-1 in the playoffs. They were led by seniors Kennedi Holmes and Kayanna Cox with 13 points each. Coach Laura Walker-Holmes, her staff, and team have posted one of the best records for their school.
Martin’s Mill is 34-5 for the season they represent District 19 and they also defeated the Douglass Lady Indians (District 22) on Saturday in the Region III Finals by a 57-32 score. They will move on to the Texas UIL State Semifinals next week in San Antonio.
