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By BRANDON SUMRALL/For the Advertiser

A close contest between two county rivals on took place on Dec. 5, as the Jemison Panthers and Chilton County High School Tigers squared off in boys’ basketball.

The Tigers managed to hold off the Panthers in a nail-biter, 51-48.

A 50-percent shooting effort from the field led the Panthers to a 15-10 first period lead.

Both teams exchanged early baskets before a Cody Thompson two-point basket, three-pointer by Tremon Bryant, and Wesley McGehee two-pointer gave the Panthers a 9-2 lead.

A Tolliver Gilliliand basket, along with a three-pointer by Dante Davis, drew the Tigers to within two points of the lead, but Bryant answered with another three and with McGehee adding another basket for the Panthers, Jemison extended its lead back to seven points.

A free throw by ShunDerrius strong and a three-pointer by the Tigers brought the period to a close.

The Panthers turned to the free throw line for points in the second period.

Cody Thompson added two free throws to start the second period, but the Tigers answered with a Devin Austin three.

Austin struck again with a two-point basket to draw the Tigers to within two points of the lead with 4:56 to play, but the Panthers outscored the Tigers 9-2 down the stretch to take a 25-19 lead to the locker room for the half.

Gilliliand started the second half with a three-point basket and two free throws. Those points, along with a free throw by Shawn Poe for the Panthers, made the score 26-24 in favor of Jemison.

Bryant and Poe extended the Panthers’ lead to 30-24, but baskets by Austin and Cade Hatch brought the score to 30-29 with 4:28 to play in the third.

With 1:22 left in the third period, Hatch hit a three that knotted the game at 36-all, a score that remained through the end of the period.

The two teams battled back and forth through the early minutes of the final period, and with the Panthers clinging to a three-point lead with 5:08 to play, Hatch hit a three-pointer to bring the score to 42-42.

Thompson answered with a two to give the Panthers the lead back, but a Tigers’ three-pointer gave Chilton County a 45-44 lead.

Jaquares Martin made it 49-44 with back-to-back baskets for the Tigers, but the Panthers answered with baskets by Thompson and Shawn Poe to bring the score to 49-48 with just 56 seconds to play.

Davis added the final points of the game with 42 seconds to play, and the Tigers held on to pick up just their second win of the season, 51-49.

Hatch put up 12 points for the Tigers with five rebounds, seven steals and a block. Austin added 12 points, four rebounds and two steals for Chilton County.

Thompson had 12 points, three rebounds, four steals and three blocks. Bryant added 12 points and four rebounds for Jemison.