Dawson County High School hosted East Hall High School for the last game of the regular season for both the boys’ and girls’ varsity teams on Feb. 1. 

In a pair of games that were much closer than the final score suggested, the Tigers went on to defeat the Vikings by a final score of 68-49 and the Lady Tigers held off a late game surge from the Lady Vikings to win by a score of 72-63.

Sticker leads Lady Tigers with season-high numbers

 The Lady Tigers leapt to an early first period lead behind 3-pointers from senior Kaylee Sticker, junior Sophia D’Oliveira and freshman Ella Siuta and, after fighting off a ferocious counter-attack from the Lady Vikings, extended their lead through the second period to take a 36-27 lead into the locker room.

Sophomore Maddie Anglin reinforced Sticker at the 3-point line when she added a pair of shots from beyond the arc to go along with three more from Sticker as the Lady Tigers broke free in the third period and opened up the game to enter the fourth period with a comfortable 16-point lead.

East Hall finally found a solution for the Lady Tigers offense in the fourth and they mounted a comeback attempt on the strength of a 13-2 run over the first four minutes of the period. 

Senior Anna Lowe broke the spell with a critical rebound and Siuta found an opening on the outside for her second 3-pointer of the night to hold off the charging Lady Vikings and secure the win by a final score of 72-63.

Sticker led Dawson County in scoring with a season high 34 points followed by D’Oliveira with 11 and Anglin with 8.

With the win the Lady Tigers finish out the regular season 18-7 overall and 9-3 in region 7-AAA,  securing the team the No. 2 seed in the upcoming regional tournament. 

As the No. 2 team, Dawson County will play host to the first round of the girls’ 7-AAA regional tournament on Feb. 5 with the tournament scheduled to tip off at 4:30 p.m. 

 The Lady Tigers are scheduled to play the East Hall Vikings (No. 7) at 7:30 p.m.

Chism blocks six shots to fend of Vikings

The game between the East Hall Vikings and the Dawson County Tigers opened slowly as each team tried to read the other and neither squad scored until senior Ahmad Kamara dropped a bucket at the halfway mark of the first period.

 Despite the slow start, the Tiger offense came to life in the second and Dawson County took an 11-point lead into the locker room.

East Hall played a smothering, aggressive, full-court defense that proved difficult for the Tigers to break through during the third period. The Vikings attacked the net at every opportunity in an effort to close the gap, but time and time again they were stymied by Dawson County senior Luke Chism as he dominated the lane and rejected six shots over the second half.

After the Tigers held off the Vikings in the third period they changed to a pass-oriented offense in the final quarter and five Tigers put points on the board as Dawson County went on to finish off East Hall and the 2018-19 regular season with a 68-49 victory.

Chism led the Tigers in scoring with 27 points on the night.

Dawson County finished the season with an overall record of 21-4 and placed second in region 7-AAA with a regional record of 10-2.  

The Tigers host the first round of the boys’ 7-AAA regional tournament on Feb. 6 with the tournament scheduled to tip off at 4:30 p.m. 

The Tigers are scheduled to play the Fannin County Rebels (No. 7) at 7:30 p.m.