In the semifinals of the MAIS 5A state playoffs, Parklane’s girls basketball team picked up a hard-fought 61-57 win over second-seeded Leake Academy on Friday in Greenwood.
Playing in yet another tightly contested game, the top-seeded Lady Pioneers played their five starters throughout the entirety of this one.
Freshman Carlyle Carruth and junior Zoe Alford combined for 33 points to fill their roles as offensive leaders for Parklane, but senior Sydney Brewer provided a major spark as well. She tied Carruth with a team-high 17 points and shot a sizzling 5-of-7 from behind the arc.
Carruth led the Lady Pioneers with five assists while freshman Lay Jackson tacked on four. Carruth also tied junior Anna Sawyer for the team-lead with six rebounds.
Alford racked up four steals and a trio of assists as well.
"Defense won the game for us. We decided that we needed to try something different defensively that was not on film and no one had scouted us running," assistant coach Tammy Gillihan explained. "Alex Ainsworth [Parklane's boys coach] was the best at running the defense we wanted to implement, and so he taught it to us. Not every team has the IQ to pick up a defense in one day, but the girls bought in and now they’re playing for a state championship."
Up next, the Lady Pioneers take on fellow No. 1 seed East Rankin at 2:15 p.m. on Saturday in the championship game of the 5A state playoffs.
