Tharptown girls close out 2025 with Berry Christmas Tournament title

The Tharptown High School varsity girls’ basketball team capped its Christmas with a jolly good trophy by winning the Berry High School Christmas Tournament championship on Monday, December 29.

The Tharptown Lady Wildcats, in pretty convincing fashion, proved to be the best of the glaring: THS first beat the Class 3A Oakman Lady Wildcats 50-33 to advance to take on the hosting Berry Lady Wildcats; against Berry Tharptown claimed the tourney title with a 63-48 victory.

In its first game of the day against Oakman, Tharptown opened up a 15-8 lead to start the first period and maintained that seven-point advantage at halftime, going into the locker room up 28-21.

Tharptown began the second half slower than the first, allowing OHS to cut the deficit by a point. But THS finished strong in the fourth. Holding Oakman to just four points, Tharptown dropped 12 points in the final eight minutes to secure a 17-point victory.

Cadence Kennedy and Carly Cason each scored in double figures, Kennedy leading with 15 points and Cason adding 12.

In the tournament title game, Tharptown used huge first and third periods to beat Berry by 15.

Tharptown, aided by three-pointers from senior Alyssa Fischer and freshman Raeleigh Harrell, jumped up 19-12 after the first quarter, but a surge from Berry in the second sliced into the visitors’ advantage. THS went into the break leading by just one point, 26-25.

Resuming play in the third quarter Tharptown was once again able to find its hot hand, especially from long range, improving on its first period performance by dropping a massive 27 points. THS hit six three-pointers in those eight minutes, three of which came from Harrell who would go on to lead the Lady Wildcats with 23 points. Fifteen of the freshman’s 23 points came from beyond the arch.

Leading by 16 going into the fourth, Tharptown kept the hosts at bay and cruised to a 15-point, 63-48 win, claiming the tournament crown.

“We have continued to improve throughout the season, and I’m very proud to be their coach,” Tharptown head coach Abby Ward said.

Tharptown’s Berry Christmas Tournament All-Tournament Team selections: (from left to right) Raeleigh Harrell, Carly Cason, Alyssa Fischer, and Cadence Kennedy. (Courtesy Tharptown High School/Facebook)

Along with Harrell’s 23 points, Kennedy and Cason once again scored in the double digits; Kennedy dropped 15 points and Cason scored 10. As a team the Lady Wildcats tallied 11 made three-pointers.

For their performances during the Christmas Tournament, Harrell, Cason, Fischer, and Kennedy were named to the All-Tournament team. Harrell and Kennedy totaled 30 points each in the two games, Cason scored 20, and Fischer had 13.

The two tournament victories improved Tharptown’s record to 5-8 overall. The Lady Wildcats’ next game is scheduled for January 6, 2026, when they host Class 1A Hackleburg.