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Troup let another early lead slip away in the region tournament. This time the Tigers fell in the third-place game 56-53 to Starr’s Mill. 

The first quarter was an offensive struggle with neither team able to get in any kind of rhythm. Troup was able to do just enough and took an 8-3 lead after the opening quarter. Both offenses got a little bit going in the second quarter and the game was tied at 21 heading into halftime. 

The third quarter was much of the same with the Tigers able to capture a slender three-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. Both teams had their best offensive quarter in the fourth, but unfortunately the Tigers allowed 25 points in the quarter as they could do little to slow down the Panther attack. 

Troup could not slow down the Panther duo of Sunny McQuade and Brooke Godown, who scored 21 points apiece.

The Tigers were led by their own dynamic duo with Alexcia Murphy and Angie Dowdell carrying the load on offense. Murphy was sensational in the second half where she scored 17 of her game-high 23 points. Dowdell gave the Panthers a steady dose all night and finished with 21 points. Autumn Bulloch finished with six points while Sheniyah Philpot and Raygen Godfrey scored two and one point respectively to round out the scoring for the Tigers, who had to rely on their two players for nearly everything on offense. The two combined for 83% of the Tigers points on the night.

Troup (13-15) will enter the AAAA state playoffs as a fourth seed. The Tigers will be on the road in the opening round of the playoffs next Tuesday or Wednesday.