After a short season last year due to COVID, the girls basketball team started this season with a win over a Chicago-area rival.

The Lady Tigers won their season opener 47-45 against Chicago’s Whitney Young High School Nov. 20. 

Seniors Sydney Harris, Elle Evans, Emma Garner and Macy Silvey led the Tigers to victory. Harris led the team with 21 points, Evans followed with 15, Garner six and Silvey five. 

The Tigers made five 3-point shots, with 12 attempts. Garner was the top rebounder. 

In the first and second quarters, the Tigers held a steady lead. At the end of the third, the Tigers had 8 turnovers, resulting in a 12-2 run for Whitney Young. In the last few minutes of the fourth, Whitney Young tied the game 45-45. 

With 2.8 seconds remaining on the clock, Silvey ended the game with two, one-point free throws, causing an uproar in the stands. 

Whitney Young took a final 3-point attempt with 1.7 seconds remaining, resulting in a miss and the end game buzzer.

The Tigers have a record of 5-1 as of press time. Senior Emma Garner gave insight on how she expects the season to play out. 

“In basketball you’re always taught that when you’re on the court you need to rely on your four other teammates 100 percent of the time, and we do a great job of that,” Garner said. “This group has played for years together, and we have extensive experience at the varsity level.”

Garner said that despite last year’s elimination by O’Fallon, she expects her team to go to the finals.

“I may not be as skilled as some of my teammates, but I’m going to do all I can to win each game,” Garner said. “We host regionals this year, so we are doing everything we can as a team to prepare.”

The Tigers’ next game is 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4 against Rochester, in Rochester, Illinois.