Although school wasn’t in session last week, all four girls basketball teams were in action as holiday tournaments were rampant throughout the state.
CA hosted the Columbia Academy Holiday Classic, with West Marion visiting the private school as one of four participants.
West Marion (1-6) lost to East Rankin 44-27 to open the action Dec. 28 as J’Niaha Stampley was the only highlight for the Lady Trojans with five points, nine rebounds and seven blocks.
“We had 30 turnovers. Their full-court pressure just ate us alive, and we were really intimidated by them,” head coach Steven Fortenberry said.
Fortenberry said West Marion played a lot better against Hillcrest Christian the following afternoon and cut down on turnovers, but the Lady Trojans still fell 58-42. Shania Jefferson had 20 points and seven steals, and Stampley had five points and nine boards.
Fortenberry added the difference in play against MAIS competition exposed West Marion’s biggest flaw.
“They play a lot of up-tempo, pressure the ball from baseline to baseline and that’s our weakness. That’s been our weakness the past couple of years,” he said. “Hopefully our guards can take some stuff away from that and get better because that’s definitely our weakness, and they exposed it.”
The Lady Trojans have a tough stretch upon returning from the holiday break, taking on Columbia on the road Monday, Tylertown at home Tuesday and Jefferson Davis County at home Friday.
“That’s three of the four playoff teams from last season, so we’re going to see really quick where we stand in the district by next Friday,” Fortenberry said.
While West Marion struggled against the competition, Columbia Academy (12-5) dominated it on its home floor. The Lady Cougars easily took care of Hillcrest Dec. 28 in a 67-36 victory, with Macey Jones scoring 20 points, Lauren Rowley 19 and Gabby Sullivan 13.
The Lady Cougars faced more of a challenge with East Rankin on the final day of the exhibition slate but still came away with a 38-26 victory. Macey Jones and Rowley each had 14 points to lead CA, and Sullivan and Morgan Jones each had six.
CA played at Simpson Academy Thursday night, but results were unavailable at press time. The Lady Cougars will stay on the road Saturday for a matchup with Lamar Christian.
The Columbia Lady Wildcats (3-13) had a tough time in the Hattiesburg High Holiday Classic against a trio of bigger schools, but head coach Charlie James liked his squad’s effort.
“We continued to play hard in spurts, but at times we kind of fizzled out. Most importantly, I was pleased with how hard they played,” he said.
After they lost to South Jones Dec. 27, the Lady Wildcats struggled against a talented Brandon team in a 60-27 loss. Christina James and Jasmine Sheppard each had eight points and Aniyah Fortenberry had 10 rebounds, but Columbia coughed up the ball 30 times.
Against Natchez the Lady Wildcats dug themselves in an early 18-8 hole but played better the rest of the way in a 55-45 loss. Coach James said if they had played the way they did the final three quarters as opposed to the first, the result could have been different. After spotting them 10 in the first, James said they played even with them or even better.
Christina James had one of her better games this season with 16 points on 57 percent shooting, 12 rebounds, three steals and three blocks. Sheppard added 15 points and five steals and Fortenberry five points and eight boards.
Columbia begins district play Monday at home against West Marion and will play at Jeff Davis Tuesday and host Wesson Friday.
East Marion (7-9) also had a rough go of it playing against bigger schools, losing both of its matchups in the McComb Coca-Cola Holiday Classic. It began with a 48-26 loss to Tylertown Dec. 28 in which the Lady Eagles committed 32 turnovers. Tytianna Porter was the leading contributor with 11 points and six boards, while Lia Smith had eight points and no other Lady Eagle scored more than two.
It didn’t get any better the following day in a 66-33 loss to McComb when the Lady Eagles once again committed 32 turnovers.
“We just don’t pass well. We absolutely do not pass well. We work on it all the time, but it’s more seeing the game,” head coach Calvin Brown said. “The level of competition is going to help, and unfortunately we’re almost depending on that. That’s what we’re trying to avoid.”
All 16 games East Marion have played has come against schools in higher classifications, and Brown said the losses could make the district slate easier.
“It’s kind of like getting beat up by your older siblings all the time. We’re hoping when we face somebody our own age, we can handle them because of the beatings our older brothers gave us,” he said.
The Lady Eagles begin Region 8-1A competition when they return from the break, taking on Lumberton on the road Tuesday and hosting Resurrection Catholic Friday.
