Payton Moore
LYNN, Ind. – The Tri girls basketball team advanced to the Class 1A sectional championship game at Randolph Southern with a 46-44 win over Union on Friday night.
“Our depth paid off,” Tri Head Coach Jeff Miller said. “We chased Rylee Davis and DeAnn Kauffman in the third to wear then down.”
The Rockets led 16-7 at the first stop and 25-20 at halftime before a third quarter rally allowed the Titans to tie it at 35-35 heading in to the final stanza.
Payton Moore led the Titans with 22 points and 11 rebounds against the Rockets (17-6) with Mackenzie Peggs adding 10 points.
Kylie Dishman added five assists and a pair of steals for Tri.
Kauffman led Union with 21 points, but she didn’t score in the fourth period.
The Titans (17-6) will now face Union City (19-5) on Saturday night in the championship contest as both teams look for their sixth overall title. During the regular season, the Indians beat Tri 54-48 in Union City on Dec. 22.
Tri last won a sectional in 2014, while Union City’s last crown was in 2003.
Box Score
UNION (17-6) – Kauffman 8 4-6 21, Davis 3 0-0 7, Ellis 2 0-0 5, Burke 4 1-3 9, Green 1 0-0 2, Price 0 0-0 0, Tutterow 0 0-0 0, Clark 0 0-0 0. Team – 18 5-11 44.
TRI (17-6) – Mackenzie Peggs 3 2-2 10, Payton Moore 8 6-6 22, Kylie Dishman 1 2-3 5, Karlee Winkhart 0 0-0 0, Addy Edwards 2 1-2 7, Cayla Johnson 1 0-0 2, Kensington Appleby 0 0-0 0. Team – 15 11-13 46.
Union 16 25 35 44
Tri 7 20 35 46
3-pointers – Union 3 (Kauffman 1, Davis 1, Ellis 1), Tri 5 (Peggs 2, Edwards 2, Dishman 1). Rebounds – Union 32 (Kauffman 10), Tri 33 (Moore 11). Turnovers – Union 8, Tri 11. Fouls – Union 17, Tri 9.
Sectional Championships by TEC Teams
Winchester (14): 1977, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1999, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.
Hagerstown (5): 1993, 1994, 1995, 2009, 2015.
Northeastern (5): 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2011.
Tri (5): 1998, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2014.
Union City (5): 1985, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003.
Lincoln (3): 1983, 2004, 2005.
Centerville (1): 2012.
Union County (1): 2006.