By Keith Ledbetter

For the FCT

The Red Bay Lady Tigers opened their 2013-2014 basketball season with a 51-45 win after defeating cross state rival Belmont Friday night.

“I’m just tickled to death right now,” Lady Tiger head coach Donnie Roberts said following the win.

“When you win your first game, especially against a quality opponent like Belmont, it’s going to give you confidence for next week.”

The Tigers took control early and led 8-0 before the Lady Cardinals tossed in their first points of the game.

Red Bay’s unanswered points came on a two pointer from Kasey Sparks, and three pointers from Carlee Berry and Darby Madden.

Red Bay led 15-9 at the end of the first quarter after each team added another six points.

Morgan Pierce topped the beginning of the second with a three pointer to move the Lady Tigers up 18-11.

Red Bay added 10 points in the second while Belmont went on a 14-point scoring streak. The Lady Cardinals went up 21-20 near the three-minute mark to take their only lead of the game.

Just minutes later, Red Bay’s Allie Kennedy gave the Lady Tigers back control on two free throws.

Sparks and Cook for Red Bay also added three from the line to end the first half with only a two point, 25-23 lead for Red Bay.

Red Bay added only four points in the first six minutes of the third, allowing Belmont to tie the game at 29-29 with only two minutes remaining.

A Sparks’ foul shot, and an at-the-buzzer three pointer by Red Bay’s Elizabeth Wooten gave the Lady Tigers a three point, 33-29 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Two minutes into the fourth, Red Bay’s Kennedy sunk a three pointer from the side, followed by two from Berry and a foul shot from Sparks.

The short scoring run by Red Bay put the Lady Tigers up by nine with a score of 42-33, for their biggest lead of the night.

Red Bay added nine points in the final minutes to pick-up the win.

Sparks led Red Bay with 12, Berry added 11, Wooten tossed in eight, Kennedy scored seven, Cook netted six, Madden scored four and Pierce added three for Red Bay. Alicia Jones led Belmont with 14 and Caitlyn Nunley had 12.