By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

TYRONE – The Troup Tigers aren’t going to play for a region championship, but they’ve still got plenty left they can accomplish.

Troup’s hopes for a region title were dashed with Friday’s 53-43 loss to Cartersville, but there is still more basketball to be played.

Troup will play in the third-place game on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Sandy Creek, and it will be on the road for the opening round of the state tournament next week.

Troup will try to put together a strong performance on Saturday leading into the state tournament.

“That’s one positive thing,” Troup head coach Blake Craft said. “We can take some momentum into the state playoffs.”

In Friday’s game, the Tigers had a 39-37 lead after three quarters, but they were outscored 16-4 in the final quarter.

JaQuavo McFarland made a pair of 3-pointers and led Troup with 11 points, and Joko Willis scored 10 points.

Gabe Cofield chipped in with seven points, and Ja’Rell Smith knocked down two 3-pointers and scored six points.

Amari Orr led Cartersville with 18 points, and Perigon Dyer scored 10 points.

The Tigers trailed 13-8 after the first quarter, and they were down by nine when Smith made a 3-pointer to jump-start a 7-2 run and make it a four-point game.

Dyer hit a jump-shot at the buzzer to give Cartersville a 31-25 lead at the half.

The third quarter was dominated by the Tigers, who outscored the Purple Hurricanes 14-6 to seize a 39-37.

It looked like the Tigers were going to take a five-point lead when Smith hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

After a brief meeting by the officials, though, Smith’s shot was waved off, so it remained a two-point game.

The Tigers struggled to find any offense in the fourth quarter.

Troup didn’t score its first points of the quarter, in fact, until Willis scored with 2:30 to play to get his team within five.

The Tigers were trailing by 10 when they scored again with 33 seconds left on a McFarland basket.

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