NATCHEZ — It only takes one play to shift the momentum in a game, and Kaitlan Melton’s key layup at the end of the third quarter did just that for Adams County Christian Monday.

After being down 29-14 midway through the third quarter, ACCS came storming back against Centreville Academy to cut the lead to 34-25 with 18 seconds left in the third.

Although it looked like Centreville’s Katie Berry would get the final shot of the quarter, Melton stole the ball and hustled down the court, connecting with the basket as time expired in the third quarter.

“That shot totally shifted the momentum in our favor,” ACCS girls head coach Melanie Hall said. “I saw fire in their eyes after that.”

The Lady Rebels would go on to complete the comeback in the fourth quarter, winning the game 42-38. ACCS (18-8, 5-3) finished No. 2 in its district, and will face Centreville, which finished No. 3 in the district, again in the district tournament.

ACCS entered the second half trailing 20-14 and failed to score a basket in the first four minutes of the third. Berry, meanwhile, hit three layups, scored another basket while drawing a foul and hit the free throw to put the Lady Tigers ahead 29-14.

The final four minutes of the third, however, the Lady Rebels’ offense finally awoke from its slumber. They went on a 13-5 run in the final four minutes of the third, capped off by Melton’s layup.

“We just started playing smarter,” Hall said. “We missed a lot of free throws and layups in the first half, and just didn’t execute on the offensive end. We just were not playing smart.”

The Lady Rebels kept the momentum going at the start of the fourth. With 7:42 left to play, ACCS’ Taylor Welch hit a big 3-pointer to cut the Centreville lead 34-30. ACCS would continue its scoring barrage, tallying eight more points, before Berry finally hit a 2-point basket for Centreville with 3:17 left in regulation.

“The girls just played good defense (down that stretch),” Hall said. “Again, it was about playing smart. In the past, in those kinds of situations, we’d do things like make stupid fouls. Tonight, we didn’t make stupid fouls.”

With the ACCS lead 38-36, Centreville tied it up on a field goal by Ashton Crum. However, it would be the last basket the Lady Tigers scored that evening, as 2-pointers by Welch and Marlee Wadsworth in the final two minutes of regulation sealed the deal for ACCS.

Wadsworth led the Lady Rebels in scoring with 19 points on the evening, and Hall said she was pleased with how her center graded out Monday.

“Mars Bars stepped up big,” Hall said. “She is so humble and sweet, but I always tell her, ‘You’re the best center in our district. When you’re doing what you can do, no one can stop you.’”

Welch added 12 points to ACCS’ total.

Berry finished with 28 points on the evening.

Centreville 48, ACCS boys 37

The Adams County Christian varsity boys finished 8-11 in the regular season, 2-6 in district play, as they lost to Centreville Monday.

Daniel Guedon scored 10 points for the Rebels. Lee Swinney added eight points.

Centreville’s Jamie Dezendorf finished with 18 points.

ACCS will play next Tuesday in the district tournament against Silliman.