Bowling Green takes road win at Presbyterian

Southern Sports & Travel

While the MAIS Overall basketball tournament is still over nine weeks away last night in Hattiesburg two girl’s teams that could be in the thick of capturing the Gold Ball were on full display at Rees Gymnasium on the campus of Presbyterian Christian School. Home-standing Presbyterian was handed their first loss of the season as Class AA second ranked Bowling Green earned a hard fought 51-43 win.

Bowling Green sophomore Kristina Jerrell scored 14 points and Ashley Foret proved why she is becoming one of the premier defensive stoppers in the MAIS as the freshman held Presbyterian’s Trista Magee to 10 points on the night.

(Above) Bowling Green's Kristina Jerrell (#3) drives for 2 of her 14 points

Presbyterian grabbed a 1-0 lead less than one minute into the contest on a Monica Breland free throw but the Lady Bobcats would lead no more.

Reagan Moody drained a 3-pointer from the wing and Ashley Foret threw in a 16 foot jumper to give Bowling Green a 5-1 lead. Two Kristina Jerrell free throws finished of a 7-1 Bowling Green run with 4:06 remaining in the opening quarter of play.

Presbyterian closed the deficit to within a bucket at 7-5 as Reagan Dykes and Trista Magee each sank two free throws.

Bowling Green would close the first quarter as Kristina Jerrell hit one of two free throws to give the Lady Bucs an 8-5 advantage after eight minutes of play.

(Above) Bowling Green freshman Ashley Foret (#11) goes up strong following an offensive rebound

Bowling Green stretched their lead to eight points at 13-5 to start the second quarter as Melissa Crowe served up an assist to a cutting Caroline Haik in the paint and senior point guard Mackayla Dykes canned a 3-pointer from the top of the key.

Presbyterian drew to within one point at the 4:26 mark on two Trista Magee free throws but the Lady Bobcats could get no closer for the remainder of the quarter as Bowling Green answered each time.

Bowling Green took a 19-16 advantage into intermission.

Both teams came out of the half on fire.

Reagan Dykes quickly nailed a 15 foot jumper to start the third quarter and pull Presbyterian to within a point at 19-18 but Mackayla Dykes of Bowling Green would answer with a 3-pointer to push the lead back to four points at 22-18.

Presbyterian would pull to within one point just once more at 27-26 with 5:44 left in the quarter when Reagan Dykes canned a 3-pointer from the corner but Bowling Green prevented very few second chance shots from the Lady Bobcats.

Bowling Green extended their lead to six points in the closing seconds of the third quarter as Reagan Moody converted a Lady Bobcat turnover into a fast break lay-in, plus one, with less than 10 seconds remaining to close out the period with Bowling Green holding a 39-33 lead.

Monica Breland’s free throw to start the final quarter got Presbyterian to within five points at 39-34 but the Lady Bucs answered yet again as a Mackayla Dykes 3-pointer from the wing provided a glimpse at how the remainder of the contest would unfold.

Presbyterian got no closer than five points throughout the quarter and would score their final basket, a 3-pointer from Reagan Dykes, with 1:32 remaining in the contest.

With the win Bowling Green improves to 14-1, their only loss was a 51-46 decision to defending Overall Champion Starkville back on October 30^th.

Bowling Green was led by Kristina Jerrell with 14 points, Mackayla Dykes added 10, Reagan Moody had 9 points and 7 rebounds, Caroline Haik had 7 points and 10 rebounds, Ashley Foret 6, Melissa Crowe (Photo right) 3 and Breanna McNeese 2.
Reagan Dykes led Presbyterian (15-1) with 15 points, Monica Breland added 11, Trista Magee 10, Lilly Waites 4 and Hannah McCarter 3.
Next up for Bowling Green will be the Brookhaven Christmas Tournament on December 27-29 while Presbyterian will next be in action on January 4th as they host East Rankin.
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Post Game with Bowling Green Head Coach Pat King

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**Photos courtesy of Lance Bowe