Jackson girls basketball team takes care of Poplar Bluff in overtime

ARNOLD, Mo. -- Cassidi Tomsu saved Jackson's season.

The senior sank a game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime and hit the go-ahead basket with 23 seconds left, lifting the Indians to a 53-49 win over Poplar Bluff in the MSHSAA Class 5 District 1 semifinal Monday night.

"That's the most amazing game I've ever been apart of, so far," Jackson's fourth-year coach Tyler Abernathy said. "What a shot."

Tomsu scored a game-high 27 points including 18 in the fourth quarter and overtime.

The Indians (17-9) denied Poplar Bluff coach Kirk Chronister of breaking the state record for wins by a girls basketball coach. His 39th season ended the way last year did, with a loss in the semifinals to Jackson, which will face third-seeded Northwestern for the title Thursday night.

"Even though that wasn't the game, that was an awful big play there at that moment," said Chronister, who tied Herb Webster's mark of 742 wins Saturday in the quarterfinal.

Needing to go the length of the court with 4.2 seconds left, Tomsu caught the inbound pass near the free-throw line, raced up the right volleyball line and got off a shot over Megan Knuckles' hand to tie it at 43-43.

"It was in front of me, and when she let it go I was like, 'That's on line. If it gets there that's probably going in,'" Abernathy said. "When it went in, wow."

Autumn Reid tipped a pass for a steal to Tomsu who added to Jackson's lead with a drive at the 2:21 mark of overtime.

Poplar Bluff answered with free throws by Kaitlyn Slaughter, who scored 18 points. The junior then got a steal, but an offensive foul turned it back over to Jackson with 1:22 to play and the Indians leading 49-47.

Poplar Bluff senior Jabreuna Brimlett, however, tied it with a steal and bucket 20 seconds later.

Tomsu missed on a drive, but Slaughter missed at the other end with 35 seconds left. Given a second chance, Tomsu knocked down a pull-up jumper off a drive for the lead.

She later sank two free throws with 8.8 seconds on the clock to seal it after the Mules missed a chance to pull even from the paint.

"When it was 49-49 and [Slaughter] shot that 6 footer, she hadn't missed in four quarters so I was already thinking how we tie this up or go ahead," said Abernathy about Poplar Bluff's late miss. "That's basketball."

Jackson scored the first five points of the game and led the entire half, including 20-18 at the break. The Mules (7-18) tied it at 23-23 midway through the third quarter.

Poplar Bluff led 26-25 heading into the fourth, but the teams traded the lead four times before a steal by Lexi Hafford helped the Mules gain an advantage.

Hafford's steal and layin at the 2:52 mark put the Mules up 37-34. The sophomore then got another steal but Poplar Bluff couldn't extend its lead, and Tomsu got a putback off her own miss with 68 seconds to play.

After a one-and-one miss by the Mules, Tomsu came away with the rebound and raced upcourt for a layin for the lead.

Both teams quickly traded baskets before Hafford put the Mules up 41-40 with 30 seconds left.

Rachel Crites got a steal after a miss by Tomsu, but Poplar Bluff senior Halle Huffman stole it back, grabbing a loose ball. Jackson sent Soley Webb to the line where the senior sank both free throws with 4.2 seconds to play.

The Mules won at Jackson 57-52 on Feb. 5.

"I don't know how their record is what it is because they play us so well," Abernathy said. "We cannot score against them."

Poplar Bluff 10 8 8 17 6 -- 49

Jackson 14 6 5 18 10 -- 53

POPLAR BLUFF (49) -- Megan Knuckles 4, Lexi Hafford 10, Soley Webb 4, Kaitlyn Slaughter 18, Halle Huffman 8, Jabreuna Brimlett 5. FG 19, FT 11-19, F 13. (3-pointers: None. Fouled out: Knuckles, Hafford.)

JACKSON (53) -- Cassidi Tomsu 27, Rachel Crites 6, Autumn Reid 2, Rylee Stafford 15, Abby Hermann 3. FG 24, FT 9-12, F 15. (3-pointers: Tomsu 2, Stafford 1, Hermann 1. Fouled out: Maintz.)