By DREW GRANTHUM/Staff Writer

It was not the showing the Chilton Christian Academy boys and girls’ basketball teams hoped for on Tuesday, as both squads played host to Tuscaloosa Christian School. The result was the same for both teams, as the Patriots fell to the Warriors in both games.

In the girls contest, the Patriots kept the game close through the first half of play, taking to intermission trailing 26-21.

In the second half, though, the Warriors took over.

After Sarina Gutierrez sank a basket to cut the TCS lead to 31-25 early in the third quarter, the Warriors’ offense went on a tear. By the time Gutierrez scored the next Patriot basket, the Warriors had gone on a 12-0 run to extend the lead to 43-25 before Gutierrez’s score.

The Warriors then embarked on a 8-0 run to close out the third quarter, up 51-27.

The Patriots continued to battle, opening up with the first six points, courtesy of Summer Voyles and Emily Davis. The Warriors countered with a 6-0 run of their own, with Kim Hagler stopping the run with a Chilton Christian basket to bring the score to 57-35.

It proved to be too little, too late, as the Warriors hung on for the 64-36 win.

Emily Davis had 11 rebounds and five points, while Voyles had nine points and Gutierrez posted 16 points.

In the boys contest, the Patriots struggled to find footing early, falling to a sharp-shooting Warriors team, 65-25.

The Warriors opened up with a 6-0 run before Bradley Smith got the Patriots on the board with a two-point basket. The Warriors went on a 7-0 run, with Smith answering the run with a three-pointer to bring the score to 13-5 in favor of the Warriors, who closed out the first quarter with a 6-0 run.

In the second quarter, Tuscaloosa Christian’s offense caught a second wind, opening the quarter by scoring 14 unanswered points, shutting out the Patriots in the quarter and taking a 37-5 score into half.

Despite the deficit, the Patriots refused to quit. After two-straight Warrior baskets, Smith again netted a pair of two-pointers, with Liam Higgins and Nevin Todd also chipping in to bring the score to 51-16 at the end of the third quarter.

The Patriots continued to chip away, with Zach Davis nailing a three-pointer to the delight of the crowd. J.U. Bice and Keaton Jones added three baskets combined, to close out scoring for the Patriots.

Smith and Jones combined for seven points each, leading the Patriots.

THORSBY SWEEPS HOLTVILLE
Thorsby Rebel basketball teams swept Holtville on Dec. 2. The B-team won 31 to 27. Leading scores were Cain Niece and Tyler Jackson with eight points. The varsity girls won 50 to 20. Leading scores were Keri Robinson with 17 points, Sabrina Ellison with 10 points and Adi Argent with 10 points. Varsity boys won 46 to 41. Leading scorers were Brock Higgins with 19 points and eight rebounds and Christian Fortner with 10 points, seven rebounds, and four blocked shots.