GIRLS BASKETBALL: T-SJ eliminates #204 in Regional

Trinity-St. John Lutheran School knocked Pinckneyville District #204 out of the Class S girls basketball playoffs on Thursday night, defeating the Lady Tigers 51-36 in the Regional semifinals in Nashville.

Pinckneyville was overwhelmed by TSJ 15-2 in the opening quarter, but fought their way back into the game with a 17-point second quarter and trailed 27-19 at the half.

A jumper by Olivia Buza and a free throw by Aubrey Bruns had the Lady Tigers as close as 7 points down in the third quarter, 29-22, but TSJ answered with an 8-0 run.

#204 didn't quit though, as Ashlee Hirsch scored on a jumper with 30 seconds to go in the period, and Bruns sank a deep three-pointer at the horn to make it 37-27 heading to the fourth.

A 7-0 run by the Titans midway through the final frame finally put the Lady Tigers away for good.

Trinity-St. John moves on to Friday's Regional championship at 1 p.m.

Bruns and Bella Pasquino led #204 with 9 points apiece. Hirsch finished with 8 points, Buza 6, and Kassidy Lee and Martina Skorch each scored 2.