JACKSON - After a 65-43 defeat to Raymond Friday night in the MHSAA Grand Slam girls semifinals at the Mississippi Coliseum, Wayne County head basketball coach Gina Skelton tried to make the best out of a bad situation.
The Lady War Eagles, the State 5A champion, trailed 6-0 before 2:00 had elapsed in the game. But Wayne County (28-4) regrouped and went on a 19-8 run the remainder of the quarter for a 19-14 advantage.
The second quarter, however, was a nightmare for Wayne County in the form of 6-foot-3 Raymond center Janairraika Bland. A University of Southern Mississippi signee, and a Dandy Dozen player, Bland scored 10 of her season-high 29 points on short jumpers and put-backs. Bland was 13-of-19 shooting from the field, including one 3-pointer.
While Bland was hitting from inside during the second quarter, the Lady War Eagles were hitting nothing but air. The Lady War Eagles missed all seven of their shots in the quarter. The only points Wayne County managed in the second quarter were a pair of free throws from guard Kierro Frost.
Wayne County shot 30 percent (8-of-26) for the first half, while 4A champion Raymond (31-1) shot 55 percent (15-of-27), including 9-of-16 attempts from the field in the second quarter. Raymond guard Amissiyur Robinson's basket with 5:48 left in the first half put the Lady Rangers up for good at 20-19.
Raymond led 32-21 halftime and 51-31 after three quarters. The Lady Rangers’ biggest lead was a 26-point margin after one of Bland’s put-backs. She finished with 12 rebounds.
“We just couldn’t do anything with her,” Skelton said referring to Bland. “She just dominated."
Skelton said her club didn’t do the things that had carried them through the season and gad put them in the Grand Slam.
“We just got away from everything we’ve done all year, basically,” Skelton said. “We didn’t have any hustle plays, we weren't moving when the ball moved and we weren't running the ball. That's been one of our mainstays this season, the fast break.
"Our practices were flat all week long," Skelton said.
Lancaster led the Lady War Eagles with 10 points. Lauren Douglas scored 9 points, including 3-of-8 from beyond the arc. Vechatita Bonner and Kierro Frost both scored 8 points.
For Raymond, Ole Miss signee and 5-foot-3 Dandy Dozen guard Valencia McFarland scored 13 points. Guard Kinshasa Bradley scored 8 points and dished out 5 assists. Forward Kalah Thompson grabbed 11 boards and scored 6 points.
"It took us about a quarter to figure out how we wanted to play them," said Raymond coach Shay Jackson, who played for Skelton at Carthage. "They did a good job of slowing down McFarland, but our other guards did a good job of getting the ball inside to Bland. Our other guards did a good job of stepping up."
For the game, Raymond shot 58 percent (30-of-52), while Wayne County shot 31 percent (17-of-55). Raymond was 3-of-6 from 3-point range; Wayne County 5-of-14.
"Raymond was a lot more hungrier than we were," Skelton said.
Skelton is on record saying Wayne County did not vote to reinstate the Grand Slam Tournament, which started back in 2007 after a 25-year absence.
"(The Grand Slam) isn't something we talked about at the beginning of the year. We talked about the division south state and state tournaments," Skelton said. "Overall never came out of our mouth. This was just something we had to come to.
"We had a great year," Skelton added. "We won a state championship and accomplished a lot."
Local Sports
Related Photos
-
Photos/Gail Janotta
-
Successful season ends for Wayne County girls
Raymond wins 65-43 in Overall semifinal game
- Local Sports
-
-
No. 20 Mississippi State beats Mississippi 70-60
Mississippi's hope of sweeping the season series from rival Mississippi State for the first time since 1998 didn't last long.
-
Lady Bobcats rally past Miss. Gulf Coast, 72-70
The Jones County Junior College Lady Bobcats overcame a 16-point, first half deficit and then held on at the end to defeat Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, 72-70, here Thursday night at the Weathers-Wentzell Center.
-
Local prep soccer players to compete in All-Star game Saturday
Two soccer players from Northeast Jones High school and four from West Jones High School are on South State All-Star team, with games scheduled to be played Saturday.
-
South Jones stuns Stone County in OT
The South Jones Braves stunned Stone County 64-63 in overtime here Tuesday night in the Region 5-5A basketball tournament.
-
Lady Red Devils win
The Stringer girls advanced to the championship game of their division tournament with a 66-36 victory over Sacred Heart.
-
Young hunter bags a buffalo
A local boy had three unparalleled hunting experiences recently which left him with three unique stories to tell.
Nine-year-old Logan McLelland spent several days during the month of January testing his hunting and marksmanship skills. -
Stringer teams advance in tourney
The Stringer Red Devils had three players in double figures to advance to the championship game of their division tournament Tuesday night.
-
Lady Braves in title game
The South Jones Lady Braves will meet their old nemesis Wayne County here Friday night at 6 p.m. in the finals of the Region 5-5A basketball tournament. South Jones downed county rival West Jones while Wayne County came away with an impressive win over Stone County here Tuesday night.
- LCS girls advance in 4-AA tourney
-
STATE CHAMPIONS
The Laurel Knight Hawks captured the Mississippi Christian Home Educators (MCHE) state basketball championship Monday in Jackson. In the final game of the double elimination tournament, the Knight Hawks defeated the two year reigning state champions, Jackson Victors, with a final score of 67-64.
- More Local Sports Headlines
-
No. 20 Mississippi State beats Mississippi 70-60
Obama Scraps Birth Control Mandate
US Airmen's Killer Sentenced to Life in Germany
Raw Video: Deadly Blasts in Syria
Romney Slams President Obama at CPAC
Gingrich: Pres. Obama 'waging War on Religion'
Navy Names Ship for Gabrielle Giffords
5 Killed in Wrong-way Crash on I-10 in La.
Denver's Largest-Ever Drug Bust Nets Dozens
Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag
Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs
Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames
LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal
$25B Settlement Reached Over Foreclosure Abuses
Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
