by Keith Ledbetter for the FCT

Red Bay’s Lady Tigers knocked off Belgreen 49-36 in the final game of their regular season on Friday night.

“We’re playing for keeps now,” said Lady Tiger head coach Donnie Roberts.

Roberts was referring to start of the 2A AHSAA Area 15 tournaments.

Hosted by Red Bay, the tournaments started this past Monday night with a match against Phil Campbell and Sulligent. The winner will play Red Bay on Thursday.

“It’s always an advantage to host the area,” added Roberts.

“We are looking to move out of the area games and host the sub-region, but we’re taking one game at a time and we have to win against Phil Campbell or Sulligent on Thursday to do that.”

The class 1A Area 15 girls games are hosted by Belgreen and started this past Monday with Vina and Covenant Christian.

The Lady Bulldogs will play the winner of that game on Wednesday and will face the winner of the Hackleburg and Phillips game on Feb. 4. The championship game is on Feb. 6.

Red Bay senior Hannah McKinney led off for Red Bay with a three pointer Friday night, but Belgreen’s Laken Bragwell added the Lady Bulldogs’ first four points to take a 4-3 lead over Red Bay.

Darby Madden, Hope Cook and Allie Kennedy connected on two pointers and free throws to put Red Bay up 12-8 with just under two minutes remaining in the first.

Katie Burks added foul shots and Kennedy hit a three pointer for Red Bay, Hannah Taylor tossed in a two point basket for Belgreen to end the first with Red Bay going up 17-10.

Red Bay led at halftime 33-15, and had a 37-25 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Darby Madden led Red Bay with 11, Allie Kennedy scored 10, Morgan Pierce added eight, Katie Burks scored six, Hannah McKinney had five, Danielle Hastings scored four, and Brooklyn Bolton and Hope Cook added two each.

Belgreen’s Laken Bragwell led the Lady Bulldogs with 12. Allyson Bragwell scored nine, Brianna Wood added six, Kimberly Borden scored three, Hannah Taylor, Brooke Williams, and Shellie Barber scored two each for Belgreen.