Tyler Junior College's Trelynn Tyler goes up for a shot against Kilgore Friday in Shreveport, Louisiana. (Chuck Smith/TJC)

SHREVEPORT, La. — The Apache Ladies wore their gold uniforms inside the Gold Dome on Friday.

It proved be a golden moment as Tyler Junior College, thanks to a sizzling second quarter, scored an 84-60 win over rival Kilgore College in the Region XIV Women’s Basketball Tournament semifinals on the Centenary College campus.

TJC (28-4) advances to the regional championship to meet Angelina, scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday. The regional champion advances to the NJCAA Division I Tournament on March 18-23 in Lubbock.

TJC wants to add the regional title to its regular-season championship. More than likely, TJC and Trinity Valley, along with Angelina, will receive bids to the national tournament no matter the regional final result.

Kilgore saw its nine-game winning streak snapped and ends its season at 22-9

The big key against Kilgore was a 27-point offensive outburst in the second quarter and a smothering defensive effort that allowed the Lady Rangers only eight points in the quarter.

After leading 14-10 after the first quarter, TJC went into halftime on top 41-18.

The victory was especially satisfying for the Apache Ladies as they have now won 16 of 17 games and that one loss was at Kilgore on Feb. 23.

“It all begins with defense,” TJC coach Trenia Tillis Hoard said. “I thought we played well defensively and on the boards (in the second quarter).

“We knew Kilgore was the hottest team and we had to play much better than we did at their place. In that game, they controlled the offensive boards and we knew that couldn’t happen again.”

TJC out-rebounded the Lady Rangers 54-48 and was ahead on the offensive boards 20-16.

Te’Aire Hambrick, the standout freshman from LaPoynor, had a game-high 23 points, hitting 5 of 8 from 3-point land. Two Apache Ladies had double-doubles — Kenya freshman Felmas Koranga (15 points, 14 rebounds) and Mansfield sophomore Kennedy Burks (10 points, 12 rebounds). A third TJC player — Grand Prairie sophomore Trelynn Tyler — was near the magic mark as well with 11 points and nine assists.

De’Jah Williford-Kelley, a sophomore from Columbia, South Carolina, led the Lady Rangers with a double-double (11 points, 11 rebounds). Others in double figures scoring were Alexis Popham (12) and Patience Idoko (10).

In the pivotal second quarter, TJC held KC scoreless from the 6:30 mark until 36.2 seconds left before intermission.

During the drought, TJC built a 41-15 lead. KC shot 3 of 17 in the quarter (17 percent). They hit their first two shots of the period and then missed their next 15 attempts.

The Apache Ladies’ biggest lead was 28 with 1:16 left in the third.

SMOKE SIGNALS: Former TJC assistant and current Houston Baptist University assistant Precious Ivy was in attendance. … Photos of Centenary alums are hanging around the Gold Dome, including NBA champion Robert “Chief” Parish and PGA Championship winner Hal Sutton.

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Region XIV Women’s Basketball Semifinal

No. 1 Tyler Junior College 84, No. 4 Kilgore College 60

Gold Dome, Centenary College, Shreveport, La.

Kilgore 10 8 20 22 — 60

Tyler 14 27 21 22 — 84

KILGORE — Emely Rosario, 8; Alex Strawhorn, 6; Patience Idoko, 10; Alexis Popham, 12; Sarah Mgbeike, 2; Da’Jah Williford-Kelley, 11; TaShawna Riggs, 4; Armani Harris, 0; Ireneshia Johnson, 7; Alba Garcia Camarena, 0.

TYLER — Trelynn Tyler, 11; Felmas Koranga, 15; Diamond Atchison, 3; Kennedy Burks, 10; Kierra Brimzy, 9; Te’Aire Hambrick, 23; Charisma Brown, 7; Frankazia Boyd, 6; Erica Powell, 0.

THREE-POINT GOALS — KC (3 of 16): Strawnhorn, Popham, Johnson. TJC (6 of 18): Atchinson, Hambrick (5).

FREE THROWS — Kilgore 9 of 14, Tyler 10 of 19.

REBOUNDS — Kilgore 48 (Williford-Kelley, 11; Idoko, 7). Tyler 54 (Koranga, 14; Burks, 12).

TURNOVERS — Kilgore 16, Tyler 12

RECORDS — Kilgore 22-9, Tyler 28-4.

NEXT UP — Kilgore season complete; Tyler vs. Angelina, 4 p.m. Saturday in the Region XIV Final.