The Columbia Lady Wildcats have been on an absolute tear since returning to the court after the holiday break. Friday's 50-30 win at home over Forrest County AHS lifted them to a perfect 6-0 in district play, with only four games remaining between themselves and a No. 1 seed in the MHSAA Class 4A playoffs.
Although a variety factors have played into the Lady Wildcats' (14-7, 6-0) success in district competition, head coach Charlie James said he believes intensity on defense has been the key ingredient, having only allowed two district opponents to reach 40 points in a game.
"Defensively, they've really just been getting after it," James said. "They've really worked hard, they're having fun and they're playing together. I think their chemistry has built over the course of the season, and they're just getting after it as a team each time they take the court."
The same was the case in Friday's win, as the Lady Wildcats held FCAHS to single digits in all four quarters of the contest. Payshunce Sims led the charge offensively, scoring 10 points in the first to help Columbia build a solid lead right out of the gate. Jakira Brown swished a pair of three-pointers in the second quarter to extend the lead even further, then Sims and Bailey Expose combined for 20 second-half points to keep the game well in hand until the final buzzer sounded.
Sims led all scorers in the contest with 22 points, followed by Brown with 14 and Expose with eight in the Lady Wildcats' sixth consecutive win since the beginning of January.
With the win, Columbia's girls maintained the lead in an extremely tight race for the No. 1 seed in Region 7-4A. The Lady Wildcats have a one-game lead on Lawrence County (5-1), whose one loss they were personally responsible for. Sims and Ziporia Fortenberry combined for 26 points in a 39-35 win Jan. 17 over the Lady Cougars, placing them firmly in the division lead with only four games remaining on the regular-season schedule.
"We're going to see Lawrence County again next week, so that'll be an important game for us," James said. "But if we can run the table and finish 10-0 in the district, that'll ensure us a No. 1 seed for the playoffs. Right now that's our goal as a team is to earn that No. 1 seed."
The Lady Wildcats traveled to Sumrall for district contests Tuesday evening, but results were unavailable at press time. After that, the remainder of their contests will be played on their home court, starting with another district showdown against Purvis on Friday.
