The Greenville High School Tiger boys and girls each, a night apart, saw their playoff hopes disappear in the last moments of the first round of playoffs.

The girls, facing Jackson High School, faced a back-and-forth game that remained tied for long stretches throughout.

Lady Tiger coach Lavarus Peagler said “we played well, especially defensively… but shots were just not falling.”

Pealger said his team was 3 for 15 on three-pointers, and went 0 for 6 on the free throw line in the final 2 minutes of the game.

Jackson managed to close the game out with a last second lay-up, dashing the Lady Tigers’ hopes of further playoff contention with a 35-33 final score.

Looking back on his first season as head coach, Peagler had nothing but praise for a team that “accepted me…especially the seniors.

I was their fourth coach in four years.” Peagler said the team “bought into my system, and set a great foundation for the next group of girls that come through.”

The boys’ Tigers squad faced Wilcox Central on the road after clutching 2nd seed at the Area tournament in Troy.

Head coach Marcus Mickles said his team played “one of our most complete games… they played hard and did what they’re supposed to.”

Neither team gained a substantial lead at any point due to mirrored, consistent shooting. Wilcox sealed the game in the final moments by grabbing a Greenville 50/50 ball and going up by 2 points, final score 54-52.

The game was the final in a series of matches that the Tigers lost by 1 to 2 points, several to last-second shots.

“It was an emotional roller coaster for us this year,” Mickles said. “Some of the guys took [the loss] hard.

Still, Mickles ended his first season as head coach with the trip to the playoffs, and will now helm a program under his control rather than taking over for a departing coach.

“I learned a lot this year, about dealing with situations, and how to develop the kids in different ways,” Mickles said.

He emphasized that “looking forward, the future [of GHS basketball] is promising.”

Regarding departing senior players on both teams, Mickles said “they are a very talented and resilient bunch… It will be a bittersweet moment to see them graduate and move on with their future endeavors.”