MURFREESBORO – The Community Viqueens took the lead for good in the third quarter and hit their free throws down the stretch as the Viqueens defeated the Central Magnet Lady Tigers 51-44 in a District 12-AA basketball contest Tuesday night.

It was a game of runs in the opening half as the teams jockeyed to gain control.

Community (10-13, 2-3 D12AA) led the entire opening quarter and used a 6-0 run to take an 8-2 lead. M. J. Simmons scored the final six points as the Viqueens took a 10-5 advantage to the second quarter.

The Viqueens led 12-7 in the quarter before the Lady Tigers scored eight straight points to take a 15-12 lead with 5:04 left. Community responded with a 7-0 run to take a 19-15 lead before Central Magnet scored the final five points and led 20-19 at halftime.

Simmons completed a three-point play with 6:07 remaining in the third quarter to give the Viqueens the lead for good at 25-24. Brianna Beech added five points as Community scored the final six points and took a 36-29 lead to the final quarter.

The Viqueens started the quarter in grand style as Breanna Whitaker completed a four-point play with a three-pointer and a free throw to give Community a 40-29 lead with 5:44 left.

With the Viqueens holding a 42-33 lead and 1:53 remaining, the rest of the game became a free throw shooting contest. Community scored its final nine points from the line and finished 10-of-14 from the foul line in the quarter to preserve the win.

Simmons scored 21 to lead the Viqueens while Jesa Moore added 11. Moore finished a perfect 8-of-8 from the stripe.

Addison Melton led Central Magnet with 15 points.

The Viqueens finished 15-of-19 for the game from the free throw line while the Lady Tigers were 9-of-14.

“With two minutes to go, we had held them to 13 points in the second half,” Coach Cody Pierce of the Viqueens said.

“We jumped back and forth changing defenses on them to get some stops and played better offense than we have in recent games,” Pierce added.

“We had a bunch of players making plays late in the game,” Pierce said.

Community starts the second half of the district slate by celebrating homecoming Friday night against Marshall County. Game time is 6 p.m.

“I told them we’re one round through and there’s no easy wins out there,” Pierce said. “We’ve got to keep getting better and we’ve got to keep fighting every night.”

Community 10 9 17 15 - 51

Central Magnet 5 15 9 15 - 44

Community: M. J. Simmons 21, Jesa Moore 11, Breanna Whitaker 9, Brianna Beech 8, Shelby Cawthon 2, Addison Brothers, Haley Mitchell, Zoey Dixon, Payton Davis, Aleah Wilson.

Central Magnet: Addison Melton 15, Kaitlin Polly 14, Kathryn Hays 6, Anaiyah Smith 5, Olivia Hart 4, Reece Carlisle, Noella Obi.

3-Point goals: Community (4): Whitaker 2, Moore, Beech; Central Magnet (5): Hays 2, Melton, Polly, Smith.

Halftime score: Central Magnet 20, Community 19.