LIBERTY — In the North Pike girls’ bid for their first playoff spot in four years they never trailed and always held a lead, but the game wasn’t in hand until the fourth quarter.
“Tyeshia Harris got hot and kept them in it,” North Pike head coach Lance Golmon said. “But when we finally got up 10 you could see it in their eyes.”
The Lady Jaguars pushed a seven-point lead at the end of the third quarter to as high as 16 before beating Wilkinson County 58-47 Monday afternoon at Amite County High School.
While Harris was on her hot streak, the Jaguars hit 3-pointers of their own by Shaneka Turner and Olivia Kennedy to keep the lead.
Turner finished with 22 points, three 3-pointers and plenty of layups. Kennedy put in 18 for the Jaguars, including four 3-pointers and nine rebounds. Brittany Patterson scored eight and pulled down 11 boards.
The Jaguars entered the tournament as the No. 3 seed in the district and assured themselves a playoff game with the victory, a different story than last year.
“Last year we came in at 17-9 and were No. 2,” Golmon said. “We played a team we had beat twice, just like this year, and took it for granted. I’ve been preaching to them the last two days that we can’t just show up and beat them.”
The Jaguars won by 29 when they played Wilkinson County on Saturday in Summit but were tied at the half. Their lead hovered around five for the first three quarters, but they were able to put it away in spite of their 18 turnovers.
“That’s the most turnovers we’ve had in a while,” Golmon said. “We were up and trying to push it when we should have slowed it down.”
Now the Jaguars get two days off and will face Franklin County at 5 p.m. Thursday in Liberty for a spot in the district championship game and a home game in the first round of South State.
Franklin Co. 63, Tylertown 42
The Franklin County Lady Bulldogs got out to a 16-0 lead and ended up winning 63-42 on Monday in Liberty.
Monique Starks led the Bulldogs with 16 points, while Shapora Youngblood scored 14 for Tylertown.
No. 2 seed Franklin County will play No. 3 North Pike Thursday at 5 p.m. for a spot in the district championship game.
