Tuesday 02/17/04   Division 5-5A 1st Round at Oak Grove

Lady Tide 55    Hattiesburg 40

The Lady Tide clinched a State Playoff bid with their win over the Lady Tigers.  Toi Jones got the

Tide off to a fast start scoring four points in the first minute of the game as the Lady Tide raced to a

18-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Picayune led 33-16 at half and 45-28 at the end of the third period. 

Dedrea Magee paced the balanced Tide attack with 18 points and Toi Jones finished with 14 points. 

Breonne Spikes added 8 points for the Lady Tide. Ashley Bell and Jamelle Clark each had 7 points

and Alisin Robinson scored 2 points.  The Tide will faced the top-seeded Hancock Lady Hawks for

the Division 5-5A championship on Friday at 6:00pm at Oak Grove.  The winner will host a first

round state playoff game next week at home.  The loser will have to travel for their first round game.

Maroon Tide  57   Hancock 30

The Tide struggled with the inspired Hawks during almost the entire first quarter before Manny

Jackson lofted a 3 pointer that found its mark and gave the Tide a 12-9 lead at the end of the quarter. 

Brandon Brown gave the Tide a spark in the second quarter scoring 6 points and grabbing 3 rebounds

as the Maroon Tide began to open up a comfortable lead of 30-13 at the half.  In the third stanza,

Donairies Hair had 7 points and 7 rebounds to ignite the Tide to a 46-21 going into the fourth quarter. 

Hair led the Tide with 21 points and 11 rebounds, his second double-double in as many games. 

Brown finished with 10 points and 7 rebounds and Jackson finished with 9 points on three 3 pointers. 

Cordell Myles had 6 points for the Tide.  Mark Dragon dished out 6 assists for the Tide.  Josh Malone l

ed Hancock with 11 points.

The Maroon Tide will now tangle with the Hattiesburg Tigers on Friday evening for the Division 5-5A

championship.  The two teams split their games earlier this year with the Tide winning 59-49 at Picayune

and Hattiesburg winning 63-61 in overtime at Hattiesburg.  The winner will host a first round state playoff

game next week at home.  The loser will have to travel for their first round game to play at either Harrison

Central or Gulfport.

Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 7:30pm at Oak Grove, following the Girls championship game pitting

the Lady Tide against the Hancock Lady Hawks.