CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Clarksville High Lady Wildcats hosted the Whitehaven Tigers in a sectional win-or-go-home matchup at William Workman Gymnasium on Saturday, March 8. A physical clash between the two teams made for fantastic basketball, however, the Wildcats ended up falling one point short, 33-32, which officially ends the 2024-25 high school girls’ basketball season for the Clarksville area.

The Wildcats were defensively dominant throughout the first half. Meanwhile, offensively, Shakia Vance hit 3 three-point field goals to help CHS build an 18-10 lead going into the half. The game was far from over, however, as Whitehaven outscored Clarksville 13-2 in the third quarter of action, including a half-court heave at the buzzer which flipped the game on its head.

Clarksville High fought hard to regain the upper hand, but they ultimately fell just a point short, 33-32.

Coaches corner

“The girls played extremely hard, they outsized us, but we matched their physicality,” said Clarksville High head coach Brain Rush. “Points were hard to come by tonight. We dug deep and put ourselves in a position to win. Just came out on the wrong end of it tonight.”

The Wildcats end their season with a 26-2 record, and the senior class of Malon Smith and Sierra Gregg now leave the program as four-time district champions, three-time region champions, with two state tournament appearances.

“My time here has meant everything to me,” said Smith. “I’ve built a lot of bonds, and these girls are my family. We’ve been playing together since middle school. Playing as a family made basketball so much more fun knowing everyone has my back.”

“Sierra has been a vital part of our program, and we were glad to have her here,” said Rush. “People forget, we didn’t start winning our championships till Malon got here. I couldn’t be prouder of these two seniors. The girls know the road, and the girls coming back will remember what this feels like. We made Clarksville High proud with the team we put on the floor every night.”

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