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Vincent’s historic run to their first Sweet 16 since 1996 came to an end, but the Jackets fought hard until the end under the bright lights of downtown Birmingham. (For the Reporter/Jason Homan)

By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

BIRMINGHAM ­– The Vincent Yellow Jackets fought hard to get to the Bill Harris Arena and reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1996, overcoming close games and battling on the road to make it to the bright lights of Birmingham.

However, the Jackets’ historic run ended on Thursday, Feb. 15 with a 66-26 loss to the Cold Springs Eagles in the Central Regional Semifinals.

Cold Springs came out of the gate strong and didn’t look back. The Eagles scored five points in the first minute-and-a-half of the game as part of a 13-0 run to open the game.

The final three minutes of the first quarter were much quieter, which allowed Vincent to get on the scoreboard with a Makayla Perkins basket after holding Cold Springs scoreless for a stretch.

The Eagles led 15-2 after the first quarter and quickly built on that lead with back-to-back baskets in the opening minute of the second.

Kaziyah Moon hit the Jackets’ first 3-pointer of the game to trim the gap, but Cold Springs got back to its blistering pace and went on a 19-0 run to take a commanding lead.

However, Vincent had the last word in the first half as Perkins scored the final basket of the quarter to make the halftime score 38-7.

The Eagles started up the scoring in the third quarter with the first 12 points of the half, but the Jackets got on the scoreboard multiple times during the quarter as they broke through the Cold Springs defense.

TK Smoot and Perkins both found the bottom of the net in the third quarter to get their team into double digits on the scoreboard.

While the Eagles were content to let the clock run with a 60-11 lead, Vincent refused to go down quietly and had its best quarter of the game to finish out the season.

The Jackets had outscored their entire total from the first three quarters in the fourth with 15 points.

Perkins dominated the first two minutes of the quarter with six points capped off by an emphatic and-1 to get Vincent to 17 points.

Then, the Jackets got going from deep and hit a trio of 3-pointers. Brynlee White kicked off the run with a long range shot and Jayden Jones responded to a Cold Springs three with back-to-back threes of her own in just 27 seconds.

That proved to be the final basket of the game from either team, giving Vincent a strong finish to the game despite the lopsided score-line.

Perkins led the Jackets with 11 points, six rebounds and three assists. Jones had six points and Moon, White, Smoot and Kinsley Perkins all scored at least one point in the final game of the season.

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