When facing a team that struggles to score points, a fast start can be very beneficial.

Morristown was in that situation Thursday against Southwestern in the opening game of the Shelby County Girls Basketball Tournament. It took nearly four minutes to get the first points on the scoreboard but after Southwestern opened the scoring with a three-pointer, the Yellow Jackets scored the next 19 points and never surrendered a double-digit lead in a 51-29 victory.

Morristown (6-10) advanced to Saturday’s championship game at Southwestern High School at 6 p.m. to face Class 2A, No. 12 Triton Central (13-3).

Southwestern's Ellie Gosser (5) shoots over Morristown's Nevaeh Cox in Thursday's Shelby County Basketball Tournament semifinal game.

Southwestern, averaging just 25.9 ppg, took a 3-0 lead Thursday on its home floor with a Tanna Tatlock 3-pointer. The Spartans did not score again until there was 2:22 left in the first half.

Meanwhile, six different Yellow Jackets scored in a 19-0 run that ended with Danika Rutledge (photo) scoring off an offensive rebound.

A 5-1 run by the Spartans cut the lead to 12 before Alexia Rogers sank a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer to make it 23-8.

Near the mid-point of the third quarter, Tatlock drove to the rim and scored to cut Morristown’s lead to 27-16 and a defensive stop gave the ball back to the Spartans (0-16), who did not continue to cut into the lead.

Rogers hit another 3 that sparked a 13-3 run and the Yellow Jackets were not challenged again.

Jayla Keithley (photo) led Morristown with 13 points, three rebounds, four assists and four steals in her first county tournament game. Rogers hit a trio of 3s and finished with 11 points.

Katie Theobald scored eight points off the Morristown bench and Rutledge finished with six points and 10 rebounds.

Eight different Yellow Jackets scored in the win.

Riley Engel hit a pair of 3s and led Southwestern with nine points and seven rebounds. Tatlock had eight points and 13 rebounds.

Steve Bush photos

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