The Ripley Lady Tigers opened the girls basketball season with a 60-54 win over Tippah County rival Falkner on Tuesday night, Nov. 3, at the RHS Event Center in Ripley. Ripley jumped out fast and then had to hold off a late Falkner charge.
The game was the season opener for both schools, according to Tippah County Sports, and the final score is confirmed by the MaxPreps schedule for both teams.
How the Ripley Lady Tigers Built an Early Lead
Ripley raced to a 17-2 lead in the first quarter and led by double digits for much of the night. Three Lady Tigers scored in double figures:
Jayda Perry: 14 points
Kristiana Nunley: 13 points
Lala Jackson: 11 points
That balanced scoring gave Ripley enough cushion to survive the fourth quarter. Perry, Nunley and Jackson combined for 38 of Ripley’s 60 points, and the rest of the roster chipped in the other 22, which helped the Lady Tigers stay ahead when Falkner’s defense keyed on their top scorers.
Ripley High School is part of the South Tippah School District, while Falkner High School is in the North Tippah School District, so the opener matched two of the county’s girls programs on the first night of the season.
Falkner Rallies Behind Ella Mauney
The Lady Eagles did not go away. Falkner chipped away at the deficit and briefly took the lead in the fourth quarter before Ripley regained control in the closing minutes.
Falkner guard Ella Mauney led all scorers with 25 points. Caylee Washington added 11 points and Emma Mauney scored 10 for the Lady Eagles. Those three accounted for 46 of Falkner’s 54 points, and Ella Mauney alone outscored every player on the floor by at least 11 points.
Final: Ripley 60, Falkner 54
Site: RHS Event Center, Ripley
Top scorer: Ella Mauney (Falkner), 25 points
Ripley leader: Jayda Perry, 14 points
What It Means Going Forward
Games between Ripley and Falkner always draw a crowd in Tippah County, and this one gave both teams something to build on. Ripley showed it can score from several spots and play with a lead, while Falkner showed it can come back against a bigger school with Mauney leading the way.
The win starts the Lady Tigers’ season 1-0, and Falkner will look to bounce back in its next game. Fans can follow both schools’ schedules and results on MaxPreps and on the Tippah County Sports Facebook page.
The Ripley boys also started their season with a win last month, and local basketball coverage will continue in Tippah News sports roundups through the winter.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
