JHHS and Quitman bow out of LHSAA girls basketball playoffs

And then there were none! That was the number of teams left from Jackson Parish in the LHSAA state playoffs after Jonesboro-Hodge and Quitman were eliminated this past Monday evening. In the battle of #8 and #9 seeds in Class B, Quitman led Anacoco 26-21 before getting blown by in the second half to fall 52-45. Jonesboro-Hodge, who entered the playoffs as the #16 seed, simply got blown away. Facing Amite, the top ranked team in Class AA, the Lady Tigers saw a number of school records set, all which they just as soon never materialized, in the 101-32 loss.

The loss dropped the Lady Tigers record to 14-14 on the season and marked the third consecutive year that JHHS has lost in the regional round of the playoffs after winning the district 1-2A championship. The second-round futility is even worse for the Lady Wolverines, who after a third straight 1B title and fourth in five years failed to advance past the regionals for the fifth year in a row to finish the season with a 24-9 record.

Amite 101 JHHS 34: The number of records set almost equaled the total number of points the Lady Tigers scored in the second half in the mismatch. It really didn’t matter by then though as the outcome had long been determined with Amite taking a 46-point lead into the break.

School playoff records that were set were:

(1) Most points allowed in a quarter – 40
(2) Most points allowed in a half – 72
(3) Most points allowed in a game – 101
(4) Fewest points scored in a quarter – 2
(5) Fewest points scored in a half – 8
(6) Largest deficit in points – 69

“We ran into a buzz saw tonight,” said JHHS head coach Kris Cash following the game.

What they actually faced was the state’s most explosive offensive juggernaut whose 69.4 points per game (ppg) average was three points better than the next highest scoring team in the state. Since beginning district play the scoring average ballooned to 76.58 and in the playoffs, Amite is now averaging 97.5 ppg.

The loss closed out the career of one of the Lady Tigers all-time leading performers in Xabrianna Jackson who led the team with 19 points. Ke’Asiah Andrews added 8 while Zymea Hoggro scored three. LeRonda McGuire and Sydney Malone each scored a basket to close out the JHHS scoring. Hailey Broomfield scored 41 to lead five players in double figures for Amite.

#16 JHHS (14-14)	12	14	2	6	32
#1 Amite (29-2)	32	40	16	15	101

(JHHS scoring) Jackson 19, Andrews 8, Z. Hoggro 3, McGuire 2, Malone 2 (Amite scoring) Broomfield 41, Pierro 21, Weber 14, Jenkins 13, Jennings 10

Anacoco 52 Quitman 45: Last spring it was Anacoco that eliminated Quitman in the LHSAA state softball tournament. Now they have done it again in the girls basketball playoffs and again, Anacoco came from behind to win. To the delight of the home crowd, Quitman took an 11-8 lead after the first eight minutes of play. The lead was stretched to five by the half but after the break the tide turned.

Quitman managed only eight points in the pivotal third period and the combination of turnovers and cold shooting allowed Anacoco to erase the first half deficit and take a two-point lead heading into the final frame. The Lady Wolverines didn’t do much better in the fourth either as the 11 points they scored was five less than Anacoco, who now advances to play top ranked Hathaway in the quarterfinals.

Bethany Leach led Quitman in scoring with 16 points while Cali Deal, the “Newcomer of the Year” in Jackson Parish, finished with 15 points and 8 rebounds. Brayli Stewart scored 7 and Emma Carter 5 with Summer Grillette rounding out the scoring with two. Bella Henry led Anacoco with 17.