CLINTON — The Starkville Academy girls basketball team outscored Bowling Green (La.) Academy 18-2 in the fourth quarter Wednesday to rally for a 45-35 victory in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools overall state tournament at A.E. Wood Coliseum on the campus of Mississippi College.
With the win, Starkville Academy (36-5), the Class AAA champion, will play the winner of the Mt. Salus Christian Academy-Jackson Prep game at 1 p.m. Friday in the semifinals.
Julianne Jackson (game-high 15 points) and Tiffany Huddleston (13) came off the bench to provide a spark for the Lady Volunteers, who trailed 33-21 with 1 minute, 39 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
The comeback was the third in a row for Starkville Academy, which rallied from double-digit deficits against Jackson Academy and Madison-Ridgeland Academy to win its first Class AAA title.
Anna Lea Little had eight points, and Sallie Kate Richardson had 12 rebounds for Starkville Academy.
Ashley Foret led Bowling Green (La.), which closed its season at 34-4, with nine points. The Lady Bucs shot 3 of 19 from the field (15.8 percent) in the second half.
For more on this game, see Thursday’s edition of The Dispatch.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
