POPLARVILLE, Miss. — The No. 11 Pearl River women’s basketball celebrated Sophomore Night by notching the first 25-win season in the Scotty Fletcher era on Monday night, beating Mississippi Delta by a score of 67-36.
“We told our girls pre-game how physical, tough and athletic Mississippi Delta is,” head coach Scotty Fletcher said. “When they hit shots, they play a lot harder. They made a lot of shots and were extremely disruptive in the first half. We settled in and were much better in the second half. I thought we showed a lot of toughness.”
FIRST HALF
Pearl River (25-3 overall; 12-1 MACCC) opened incredibly fast, sending Mississippi Delta (16-9; 6-7) scrambling. The impressive start allowed Kamren Edwards (Jackson; Murrah) some space to launch the game’s first shot. It was a 3-pointer from the right corner. Taylor Johnson-Matthews (Cleveland, Ohio; Charles F. Brush) then picked up a rebound and putback off the glass, 5-2 Wildcats.
Samya Brooks (Pontotoc) went 2-for-2 at the free throw line, 9-3 PRCC. Alexis Arrington (Terry) dropped in a heavily contested layup on a hard drive inside. Brooks added two more inside to set the score at 13-4.
Avery Young (Iota, La.) closed the first period with a neat underhand shot that floated off the glass and in, 15-7.
Shortly into the second period, Johnson-Matthews went 2-for-2 at the line after a hard foul at the basket. The Wildcats led 19-11, but the Trojans fought back, getting within one of Pearl River, 20-19.
After a few Wildcat attempts at the basket failed, Marley Freeman (Brandon) held the ball and awaited the play call from Fletcher. As the game slowed and attention to Freeman withdrew, she split the inside lane for an open layup. Leah Wilcher (Brookhaven) was key in helping Freeman to the basket. The score was 22-19.
Arrington sat at the top of the key, observing the court as Young crept up from behind. Young received the ball and took a few steps forward before launching an uncontested 3-pointer, 27-19.
Young closed out the half going 1-for-2 at the free-throw line as the Wildcats led 28-25.
SECOND HALF
Shortly into the second half, Brooks euro-stepped to the left of the basket and around defenders, throwing one up off the glass and in, 32-29. Arrington gathered an offensive rebound and completed the putback shortly after.
Johnson-Matthews came away with a hard-fought defensive rebound and took it coast-to-coast as her nearby defender hit the court. She raced past a few Trojans and completed the layup, 37-31. Pearl River began to generate space in its lead.
Brooks went on a roll, first adding two inside as she spun around defenders. The Wildcat lead extended to 10 as she put back two offensive rebounds. She found Young on the left wing for her second 3-pointer to cap it off.
Stapling the third quarter, Arrington met Tiir Nyok (High Point, N.C.; Southwest Guilford) at the basket with a pass. Nyok completed the fast break as the buzzer sounded. The Wildcat lead had been padded to 20 points, 51-31.
Nyok picked right back up in the fourth, nailing an uncontested 3-pointer from the left corner. She made a perfect leading touch-pass to Johnson-Matthews for a layup, 56-31, on the next opportunity.
Nyok then executed a sharp pass in one direction as she ran towards another. Johnson-Matthews was on the receiving end as she converted the inside basket.
To give the Wildcats 60 points, Johnson-Matthews went 2-for-2 on free throws. Pearl River capped off sophomore night with a strand of free throws. Leah Wilcher (Brookhaven) put in the final from the line, with the Wildcats winning 67-36.
BY THE NUMBERS
Four sophomores led the Wildcats in scoring, all with double digits.
Johnson-Matthews was first with 19 total points. She shot 6-for-19 overall and went 7-for-8 on free throw attempts. She added nine rebounds.
Arrington totaled 13 points, going 5-for-9 overall and 3-for-5 from the free-throw line. She led the team with five assists and pulled down nine boards.
Brooks followed close behind with 12 points as she went 5-for-6 from the field and 2-for-2 from the line. She added eight rebounds.
Young added 10 points, going 3-for-9 total and 2-for-4 from deep.
NEXT UP
Pearl River wraps up the regular season on Thursday with a 5:30 p.m. game at Northeast. The game will be livestreamed at NEMCCTV.com. The Wildcats will return to Marvin R. White Coliseum on Monday to host the Region 23 Quarterfinals. The opponent is still to be determined.
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PRESS RELEASE WRITTEN BY PRCC ATHLETICS INTERN, JAXON DUNAWAY.
