The Lady Raiders started the season 1-0 with a dominating win while the Red Raiders dropped a close one to Cane Ridge on Tuesday night at Joe Frank Patch Memorial Gymnasium
High school basketball is officially back in Coffee County and the Lady Raiders began their season with a win over the Cane Ridge Lady Ravens.
The Lady Raiders raced out of the gates quickly with a 13-0 run before leading the game 28-6 after the first quarter.
Momentum carried into the second where the Lady Raiders outscored the Lady Ravens 26-14 to lead 54-20 at the half.
The Lady Ravens could only manage another four points in the third quarter and Coffee led 75-24 before cruising to a 79-31 win.
"I thought the girls shared the basketball very well tonight," said Coach Joe Pat Cope. "but we have to do a better job of knowing our specific roles. We have to be almost perfect."
Scoring for the Lady Raiders were Nakayjah Holman with 21 points, Natalie Barnes with 15 points, Olivia Vinson with 12 points, Jules Ferrell with nine, Channah Gannon with eight, Ella Arnold with five, Morgan Spears with four, Audri Patton with three and Reece Finch with two.
While the Lady Raiders won easily, the Red Raiders had a tougher game on their hands.
The Red Raiders started out well, outscoring the Ravens 19-8 in the first quarter.
However, the Ravens started to chip away, and Coffee's lead was 22-18 at the half.
The game continued to be a dog fight, and Cane Ridge would take the lead in the third quarter, 39-36.
The Ravens opened the lead up in the fourth quarter, but the Red Raiders remained in striking distance, and with 2:59 left to play, the game was knotted at 46-46.
With a minute and a half remaining, a Courtland Ferrar free throw would give the Red Raiders the lead back again, 47-46, but the Ravens would hit a three pointer with around 30 seconds left to lead 49-47.
The Red Raiders were forced to foul, which sent the Ravens to the free throw line to add another point and lead 50-47.
Coffee couldn't get a tying three point shot off and the game ended with the visitors from Nashville taking the win.
"We did a really good job of going to the glass and out-rebounding them," said Coach Andrew Taylor. "However our free throw shooting has to be better. We executed our offense, the refs called the fouls well and we went to the free throw line, but couldn't make them."
Coffee went 8 for 22 at the free throw line.
Scoring for the Red Raiders were Cooper Reed with 23 points, Jackson Shemwell with 11 points, Courtland Ferrar with six, Jayden Carter with four and Brady Wright with three.
Next up for Coffee Central will be the Hall of Fame Playday on Saturday, Nov. 18.