The Thomas County Yellow Jackets faced a narrow defeat against the Pelham Hornets in the opening day of the 2025 BSN Hoopfest on December 26, 2025. The match, held in Thomasville, Georgia, showcased intense competition, with both teams exchanging leads throughout the game before Pelham secured a 45-43 victory in the final moments.
First Half Highlights
The game began slowly, with a three-pointer from Jaden Crews being the only score in the first four minutes. The Lady Jackets finally broke the scoring drought when Valeria Guinazu converted a pair of free throws with 3:42 remaining in the first quarter. Pelham responded with a layup, but Central quickly added another basket through Tyra Daniels.
As the first quarter neared its end, Pelham managed to take the lead with a mid-range jumper. However, the Lady Jackets regained the advantage just before the buzzer as Crews assisted A’riyah Hall for a layup, closing the quarter at 10-9 in favor of Central.
In the second quarter, Pelham tied the game early with a free throw. Central regained control with another layup from Daniels after a precise pass from Crews. The game continued to shift as Pelham hit a three-pointer, taking a 15-11 lead. A timely three from Nia Hayes narrowed the gap, and after a series of free throws, Central held a slim lead of 21-17 at halftime.
Second Half Showdown
Pelham emerged strong in the second half, quickly taking the lead with three consecutive scores. The teams battled closely, and with 3:19 left in the third quarter, Pelham held a three-point lead. However, Daniels responded with a layup, bringing the score to 25-24. Central regained the lead as Crews capitalized at the free-throw line, putting the Lady Jackets ahead.
As the game progressed into the final quarter, Central maintained a slight edge. With less than a minute left, a potential layup from Jaida Rice was disallowed due to a travel violation. In a tense final stretch, Pelham had the opportunity to tie the game at the free-throw line, which they successfully converted, evening the score at 43-43 with just 41 seconds remaining.
Disappointment struck for the Lady Jackets moments later when Pelham intercepted an inbound pass, allowing them to score an open layup and take a 45-43 lead. With only ten seconds left, Crews attempted a runner, but the shot missed. Hall managed to grab the rebound and attempted one last shot, but it too fell short as time expired, sealing the fate of the Lady Jackets.
Following this hard-fought battle, the Lady Jackets are set to compete against Bainbridge on December 27 at 10:00 a.m. in the consolation bracket of the tournament.
