The Collierville High School Lady Dragons’ remarkable 2024-25 basketball season came to a gut-wrenching end on Friday night as they lost a heartbreaker to Memphis East, 50-49, in the Regional Quarterfinals. This marks the fifth one-point game the Lady Dragons have been a part of this season, with the team splitting those previous four contests. Unfortunately, the fifth one-point battle didn’t end in their favor, dashing their hopes of advancing to Monday's semifinals.

The game was an intense back-and-forth from start to finish. Collierville came out strong, taking a slim 13-12 lead after the first quarter. The teams continued to trade blows in the second quarter, and it was 25-22 Memphis East at the break. The Lady Dragons came out of the break with renewed energy, pushing back ahead and taking a 35-34 lead into the final frame.

With just seconds left in the game, it appeared as though the Lady Dragons had seized victory. Sophomore Bailey Thornton, showing composure beyond her years, drained a clutch three-pointer with 7.8 seconds remaining to give Collierville a 49-48 lead. The MyTownMovers Fieldhouse erupted as the Lady Dragons seemed poised to pull off the win.

However, the drama wasn’t over. After a timeout, Memphis East stormed down the court and, in a controversial call, was awarded two free throws after a foul under the basket with just 0.5 seconds left. The Memphis East player sank both shots, handing the Lady Dragons a heartbreaking defeat.

Junior point guard Jekhyra Rodgers once again led her team with an exceptional performance, scoring 20 points to finish as the game's top scorer. Colliervile was without their District Player of the Year, senior standout Hilary Shikuku, due to injury.

Collierville’s season ends with a 26-7 record, a testament to the team’s resilience and toughness throughout the year. The Lady Dragons will surely look back on their historic season with pride, despite the heartache of Friday night’s defeat.