One winning streak ended and another continued when the Starkville and Columbus high school girls basketball teams met Friday night in The Friendly City.

Senior Makayla Rieves scored 12 points, and junior Kiara Rieves netted 11 as the Falcons (7-3) held off the Yellow Jackets 49-45 for their fifth consecutive win. Starkville had its six-game winning streak snapped.

The Falcons got off to a strong start, taking a 12-4 lead after the first quarter and expanding it early in the second before settling for a 25-19 edge at the break.

But the Jackets put a run together early in the third quarter. After MaShanti Saddler pushed the lead to eight with an inside basket, Starkville went on a 12-2 run highlighted by 3-point shots from JeNiecia Hill, Ashlyn Johnson-McGee and Jamaica Young to take a 31-29 lead.

“I was really pleased with Ashlyn Johnson,” Starkville coach Kristie Williams said. “She stepped it up big time for us tonight. It’s like something clicked in her mind.”

Williams said the sophomore played her best game of the year.

“She played good defense, and she wasn’t scared to attack on the offensive end,” the coach said.

But that was the last lead the Yellow Jackets would have. Makayla Rieves nailed a 3-pointer that started an 8-0 run to end the third quarter, which closed with Columbus ahead 37-31.

But the Jackets wouldn’t go away, and Johnson-McGee’s 12-footer clipped the Falcons’ lead to 41-38. But Makayla Rieves found Saddler down low for a bucket, and the lead was six after Rieves hit the second of two free throws.

Starkville would cut it to three with 22.4 seconds left on another Makayla Rieves free throw, but Shania Givens hit the front end of a one-and-one with 12.1 seconds left to seal the Falcons’ victory.

“I thought our effort was better in the second half than it was when we started,” Williams said. The line score reflected that, and it also reflected remarkable consistency by the Falcons, whose score by quarters read 12-13-12-12. 

Givens and Charity Yeates each scored 8 points for the Yellow Jackets, while Johnson-McGee, Zariyah Edwards and JeNiecia Hill scored 8 apiece for the Falcons.

Said Williams: “When you come over here, it’s always a good game.”

Pickens Academy 49, Heritage Christian Academy 19: Kate Williams posted a double-double as the Pirates routed the Eagles on Friday night. 

Williams tallied 18 points and 11 rebounds as Pickens improved to 5-3. Lizzie Noland added 15 points for Pickens, which will travel to Russell Christian Academy on Thursday.

Heritage Christian Academy fell to 1-5.

Saturday

Brandon 69, Starkville 36: Zariyah Edwards led the Yellow Jackets (6-4) with 12 points.