NATCHEZ — In the beginning, the Natchez High girls couldn’t seem to get any baskets to fall.

By the fourth quarter, however, their opponent couldn’t seem to get the Lady Bulldogs’ shots to stop falling.

Natchez High rode a 19-2 run in the final five and a half minutes of its game against Wilkinson County Thursday to a 66-43 win. Lady Bulldogs head coach Sue Johnson said her team was able to settle down the longer the game went on.

“We started off playing tight, and none of our shots were falling,” Johnson said. “In our first two games, they had been falling much better in the first half than they did tonight.

“Our girls got kind of upset, and we had to calm them down. Once they got relaxed and loosened up, they got better.”

Wilkinson County entered the fourth quarter trailing 45-35, but cut the lead to 47-41 with 5:49 to play. The Lady Bulldogs got on a roll after that, scoring 15 unanswered points until the Lady Wildcats’ Amernekia Palmer hit a two-pointer with 1:48 to go.

The Lady Bulldogs added four more points before time expired.

“That run was huge for us,” Johnson said. “I have to give it to Wilkinson County. They have a scrappy defensive team, and we told our girls not to take them lightly.

“You have to respect every team you play, but fear no one.”

Natchez scored just nine points in the first quarter while giving up 13 to Wilkinson County. In the second quarter, some strong inside shooting by Ricarla Shotwell helped the Lady Bulldogs get up to a 32-24 lead at the half.

Shotwell tallied eight points in the second quarter, and led the Lady Bulldogs in scoring with 18 total points. Johnson said Shotwell is improving every game, but she still hasn’t reached her peak as an athlete yet.

“She needs to improve rebounding and being more aggressive,” Johnson said.

“She’s scared she’s going to hurt someone, and has to learn how to be physical. She needs to know, if you knock them down, you can help them back up.”

The Lady Bulldogs scored 13 in the third quarter, while the Lady Wildcats tallied 11.

Ashley Minor finished with 16 points for Natchez, and Keyana Miller scored 12. Wilkinson County’s Breshianna Day tallied 14 points, and Tyesha Harris added 12 points.

Johnson said her team would have to continue relying on defense to maintain the success it’s had early in the season.

“Our game is defense. We don’t have the greatest shooters, but as long as our defense shows up, we’ve got a chance,” Johnson said.

Natchez will play in the Brookhaven Tournament Nov. 15. Wilkinson County will play South Pike Nov. 19.