An early second-half run was crucial in Bogalusa’s 57-39 victory over Pearl River at home Wednesday evening.
The Lady Jacks took a 21-19 lead into the break after a competitive half of basketball. The biggest lead for either team in the first half was six points, which Bogalusa held at 21-15 before Pearl River closed the second quarter with the final four points.
Bogalusa came out strong in the second half and began with a 12-3 run over the first half of the third quarter.
“We came back with a better effort,” Bogalusa coach Jarvious Grayson said. “The effort was lackluster in the first half, but the second half, we came back. We came with a lot of spunk, a lot of aggression. That’s pretty much our mentality, our new mentality now.
“That’s what we’re trying to create. We’re trying to create an aggressive, hard working, blue-collar team. It was a good job for the ladies in the second half.”
The run began when Chloe Foster nailed a 3-pointer just 25 seconds into the third quarter to make it a 24-19 lead. Foster recorded a game-high 20 points and she hit a pair of 3-pointers.
Quantasis Lewis passed to Shaunte Chatmon for two to make it a seven-point margin.
Pearl River made a steal in the backcourt that led to Jordan Ingram hitting a layup and the lead was down to five, but Samyra White pushed the lead back to seven when she pulled down an offensive rebound and hit the putback. Lewis hit 1-of-2 from the free-throw line. Pearl River’s Akeila Bolden did the same and it was 29-22 with five minutes on the clock.
The players that scored the first five points of the run were involved with the final four points of the run as well. Foster hit for two with 4:29 left and then Lewis found Chatmon for two more and Bogalusa was up 33-22 with 4:01 to go in the third quarter.
Bolden ended the run with a jumper.
The Lady Jacks added one more to their lead and took a 39-27 advantage to the fourth quarter.
The game’s outcome was never in doubt in the final period, as Bogalusa maintained at least a nine-point lead throughout the period, but they were up by double digits for most of the fourth in the 57-39 victory.
Chatmon posted 12 points for Bogalusa.
Bianca Pittman recorded eight while Lewis posted seven, Dinasia Harris tallied six and White had four for Bogalusa in the victory.
Camryn Lyons recorded 16 points to lead Pearl River.
Ingram had 10.
Bolden posted five while Annebell Campbell, Bailey Furlow and Sarah Davis all added two for Pearl River.