Chilton County High School’s magical season came to an end following a 62-58 loss to Paul Bryant High School in the class 6A sub-regionals on Feb. 12.

The Tigers trailed by 10 points heading into the fourth quarter but were able to chip away at the lead and mount a furious comeback down the stretch.

The pace of the game was frantic throughout the night and tested the stamina of each player on the court.

Kiara Steele was one of several players that pushed through it and erupted for 13 fourth-quarter points, with each point being more important than the next during Chilton County’s comeback bid.

“I’ve told them from the beginning that I don’t want them to settle,” CCHS head coach Clint Pitchford said. “This whole team sold out tonight and fought to the very end. When we were down 10, I had no question that we were going to comeback.”

Seniors Lexis Blackman and Morgan Dennis combined for 17 points, all in the second half.

“These seniors and this team has set the bar for Chilton County girls basketball,” Pitchford said. “We put ourselves in a great position all year long by playing hard.”

According to Pitchford, it had been over 20 years since a CCHS girls basketball team had been in the state playoffs.

Paul Bryant missed some free throws down the stretch which kept the door cracked for CCHS to take the lead.

However, one point was the closest that the Tigers got to the lead in the waning seconds.

“At this point in the season, every team is a good team,” Pitchford said. “Some nights you just play a team that’s got it.”

Steele was relentless around the rim and racked up a team-high 24 points, while Adi Argent and Blackman each reached the double-figures mark with 12 and 11 points respectively.

The home-court advantage was in full swing for CCHS, as a large number of students came out and created a raucous playoff atmosphere.

“The community that came out in support of this team is something special,” Pitchford said.