The Taylorville Tornadoes girls basketball team opened their season with a full slate of games in the Thanksgiving Tournament, starting the season 2–1 after a tough opener followed by two strong bounce-back performances.
Taylorville dropped their first game of the season last Friday, falling 51–36 to Hillsboro. The Tornadoes struggled out of the gate as the Hilltoppers built an early 8–0 lead before Baileigh Jackson got Taylorville on the board with a three. Taylorville cut the deficit to three, but foul trouble for veteran starter Grace Rogers forced lineup adjustments and slowed their momentum. Hillsboro led 14–10 after one and pushed that to 27–15 by halftime. Taylorville made a strong push in the third to get within one possession, but Hillsboro’s Amaya Greenwood helped the Hilltoppers rebuild a double-digit lead. The Tornadoes’ late comeback effort came up short as Hillsboro controlled the pace down the stretch, handing Taylorville a 51–36 loss. Baileigh Jackson was named The Chill Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the game.
But the Tornadoes responded in a big way in their second game—a rematch of last year’s regional semifinal—taking down Rochester in a dramatic 37–32 overtime win. Taylorville trailed 18–7 at halftime and fell behind by as many as 18 points in the third before Baileigh Jackson sparked a furious comeback with back-to-back threes. Freshman Reagan Funderburk helped chip the margin to 10 heading into the fourth. Jackson added another three midway through the quarter, and with 92 seconds left, Taylorville grabbed its first lead at 30–29. Rochester forced overtime after sinking three free throws with 21 seconds left, but in the extra period Taylorville’s defense took over. Thea Suslee hit a key free throw, giving Taylorville the only point they needed as the Tornadoes shut out Rochester in OT to earn a gritty 37–32 victory. Grace Rogers was named The Chill Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the game.
Taylorville carried that momentum into Saturday’s matchup with Jacksonville, dominating start to finish in a 61–24 rout. A smothering defense and fast-paced offense pushed the Tornadoes to a 19–8 lead after one and a 38–13 advantage at halftime. Another 19-point quarter in the third gave Taylorville a 57–19 lead heading into a running-clock fourth quarter, where they cruised to the 61–24 win. Thea Suslee was named The Chill Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the game.
The Tornadoes now sit at 2–1 in the Thanksgiving Tournament and will close out the week with matchups against Mt. Zion on Friday and Civic Memorial on Saturday.
