Staff Photo by Allison Kwesell
Tyner’s head coach Gerald HarrisLIVINGSTON, Tenn. – The sight was all too familiar for Tyner basketball coach Gerald Harris, watching helplessly as his Rams were reduced to fouling Livingston Academy’s players with the desperate hope of a sectional comeback.
But, much as the case two seasons prior, the results remained the same.
The Wildcats hit 13 of 19 free throws in the fourth quarter and were able to pull away from the scrappy visitors, advancing to the Class AA state tournament with a 71-60 victory Monday.
Five players scored in double figures for Livingston Academy (23-11), which created some distance in the third quarter by sharing the ball – much as the Rams did in the first half, when they had 10 assists on 12 made field goals.
“We knew they were athletic and had some good shooters,” Livingston coach Jimmy Miller said. “What we were afraid of in the first half happened: They had some easy buckets and used their athleticism against us.”