CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Goodpasture Christian School Cougars traveled to Procter Court for a Division II-A Middle District tournament quarterfinal matchup with Clarksville Academy on Tuesday. The two teams split the regular season series one game apiece, both with overtime wins, so the stage was set for a rivalry win-or-go-home matchup.

Clarksville Academy had other plans, leading by as much as 24 in a 64-50 win to extend their season and advance to the district quarterfinals, clinching a spot in the region tournament for the first time since 2023.

After the two teams traded opening buckets, CA went on a 9-0 run to take an early lead. Forward Trinity Bankston led the way early, with 11 first-half points, as the Cougars were up by 10 at the halftime break, 29-19. Following the break, the Academy poured it on, outscoring the Cougars 22-8 in the third quarter using physical defense, and putting a stranglehold on the contest. Bankston continued putting on a show with nine third-quarter points, finishing the night leading all scorers with 23.

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“Anytime these two teams get together, we know it’s going to be a high-energy, good matchup,” said Cougars head coach Charles Clark. “You know you have to show up in a win-or-go-home game like this, and that stemmed from having some of the best practices we’ve had the past few days. Bankston was just a tough matchup for them, and she got what she wanted offensively. They handled the pressure and stepped up to the moment, and I wasn’t expecting anything else.”

Goodpasture attempted a late comeback, led by guard Brooklyn Jones, who led her squad with 12 points, but it was too late. CA guard Sicily Robinson heated up late to finish the night with 20 points, and the Academy celebrated their first postseason win in three years.

While they will enjoy this one, they have to now turn around and play undefeated Ezell-Harding on Friday, one of the top teams in the state.

“Super proud of the girls for this,” said Clark. “You can’t really put it into words how much this win means to the program. They were resilient, brought a lot of energy, and you could just tell they wanted it. We’re going to celebrate this one, but we know the task we have at hand. It’s going to be a tough challenge, but I believe we’re up for it.”

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