UNIONVILLE - The Community Viqueens erased a 5-point fourth quarter deficit to take the lead and held on for a 54-49 victory over the Marshall County Tigerettes in the District 12-AA basketball opener Tuesday night.

"That was our goal. We want to be 1-0 in the district," Coach Cody Pierce of the Viqueens said.

With Haley Mitchell scoring eight first-quarter points, Community (6-6, 1-0) got off to a quick 7-0 lead before the Tigerettes scored their first points at the 3:26 mark.

Marshall County proceeded to connect on four three-pointers and took their first lead at 16-13 heading to the second quarter.

The Tigerettes poured in three more treys and took their biggest lead at 25-17 with 3:50 remaining before the Viqueens went on a 6-0 run to trim the Marshall County advantage to 25-23 at halftime.

M.J. Simmons scored six points as Community took a 31-30 lead with 4:58 left in the third quarter. Both teams traded runs as the Tigerettes took a 39-36 lead to the final quarter.

The Tigerettes went up 41-36 before the Viqueens tied the game at 41-41. Mitchell scored six fourth-quarter points and Breanna Whitaker added a three-pointer with 2:48 left as Community took a 50-45 lead.

Marshall County bounced back to cut the Viqueen lead to 50-49 with 1:35 left, but the Tigerettes would not score the rest of the way as field goals by Simmons and Mitchell increased the Community lead down the stretch.

"It was a tight ballgame all the way," Pierce said.

"We came up with some big shots that last three minutes."

Mitchell scored 19 points while Simmons had 15 to lead the Viqueens.

Dionna Crutcher netted 23 points to lead the Tigerettes.

Marshall County finished with 11 treys for the game while the Viqueens had five.

"It was ugly giving up 11 threes. We still need to get better defensively," Pierce said.

"That's just too many threes. We've got to get up and defend better."

"But a good effort at the end," Pierce added. "We adjusted and were able to pull it out and get the win."

Community travels to Forrest for a 6 p.m. district contest Friday night.

Marshall Co. 16 9 14 10 - 49

Community 13 10 13 18 - 54

Marshall Co.: Dionna Crutcher 23, Karlye Wiser 12, Sydney Tidwell 8, Israel Hurt 6, Kayla Keiler, Demiyah Blackman, Caraline Hollingsworth.

Community: Haley Mitchell 19, M. J. Simmons 15, Breanna Whitaker 8, Brianna Beech 6, Zoey Dixon 4, Addison Brothers 2, Aleah Wilson.

3-Point goals: Marshall Co. (11): Crutcher 5, Wiser 4, Tidwell 2; Community (5): Whitaker 2, Beech 2, Mitchell.

Halftime score: Marshall Co. 25, Community 23.