PICAYUNE — For the first time since a six-point win over North Pike three weeks ago, the Franklin County Lady Dawgs were put to the test. And once again, the No. 2 team in Class 3A was ready for the challenge.

Vintrice Briggs scored 14 of her 18 points in the second half and the reserve players made some huge contributions in leading Franklin County to a 58-56 come-from-behind win over the Poplarville Lady Hornets Tuesday afternoon at the Picayune Tournament.

“It’s what we needed. We need to have more games where we handle the pressure when we make the playoffs,” Lady Dawgs head coach Charles Moore said.

And considering that most of Franklin County’s wins over the previous 10 games have been blowouts, having to rally back from as much as an eight-point deficit was exactly what it needed to prove that it can be a legitimate contender for the Class 3A state title.

And the Lady Dawgs did just that against a Class 4A team in Poplarville that Moore said was much bigger than them.

“They have one player that’s 6-2 and another that’s 6-1. We were able to hold one of them scoreless and the other (Daquiri Raine) only had 13. Even though we’re an outside-inside team, we outscored them and outrebounded them on the inside,” Moore said.

But the one person Franklin County had trouble defending was Lady Hornets guard Jeronda Beason, who led all scorers with 23 points before fouling out late in the ball game.

Franklin County led Poplarville 13-11 after one quarter of play before falling behind 29-21 late in the first half. Moore went to his bench and the reserves scored the final five points of the half to cut the Lady Dawgs’ deficit to just three points at halftime.

It looked like Poplarville was going to take a four-point lead into the fourth quarter, but Sabrina Brown banked in a 3-pointer from half court to make it a one-point game at the end of the third quarter.

After being held to just four points in the first half, Briggs was not going to be denied and she was a big factor in the Lady Dawgs’ win to keep them undefeated.

“Our second group did a good job of making baskets. In the fourth quarter, she (Brown) played some good defense. In the third quarter we were able to get to the free-throw line. We were 8-of-8. Vintrice refused to be stopped,” Moore said.

Jessica Jackson had a big game herself with 13 points and Leondra Shaw chipped in with eight points.

Franklin County (11-0), which is also ranked No. 9 in the Clarion-Ledger’s Girls Super 10 poll, plays at West Lincoln on Tuesday, Jan. 4.

Wilkinson County 63,

Hinds AHS 33

FAYETTE — For one of the few times this season, the Wilkinson County Lady Wildcats gave a full effort for four quarters. And it paid off as they defeated the Hinds Agricultural High School Lady Bulldogs Tuesday afternoon in the first game of the Jefferson County Holiday Tournament.

As to what the key was to Wilkinson County’s win, Lady Wildcats head coach Trimeka Gaines said, “Defense and playing hard and teamwork for four quarters.”

The Lady Wildcats used a 1-2-2 defense to frustrated Hinds AHS, especially in the first half. At the end of the first quarter, Wilkinson County jumped out to a 14-2 lead and by halftime led 30-11.

“Tyeshia Harris and Lineasia Palmer stepped up for us,” Gaines said.

Harris led all scorers with 25 points while Palmer finished with 14 points and Breshianna Day added 11 points for Wilkinson County (3-11). The Lady Wildcats take on host Jefferson County today at 6 p.m.

Jefferson County 43,

Amite County 39

FAYETTE — With Haley Turner and Jerlyn Johnson leading the way on the offensive end and some good defense in the first and third quarters, the Jefferson County Lady Tigers played well enough to hold off the Amite County Lady Trojans Tuesday night at the Jefferson County Holiday Tournament.

Turner led all scorers with 17 points while Johnson finished with 12 points for Jefferson County. The Lady Tigers held Amite County to just three points in the first quarter and seven in the third quarter.

The Lady Trojans tried to come back in the fourth quarter, but their defense couldn’t make enough stops when they needed it the most. T. Pool led them with 15 points.

Jefferson County takes on Wilkinson County today at 6 p.m.

ACCS 59, Copiah Academy 45

MENDENHALL — Brandis White and Taylor Welch combined to score 35 points as the Adams County Christian School Lady Rebels got past the Copiah Academy Lady Colonels Tuesday afternoon at the Simpson Academy Holiday Tournament.

White lead ACCS with a game-high 19 points and Welch had one of her best offensive games of the season as she scored 16 points.

With the win, the Lady Rebels improved to 12-2 and will take on host Simpson Academy today at 4 p.m. in the girls’ championship game.

Both teams had a poor shooting performance in the first quarter. And with ACCS having an 8-3 lead at the end of the quarter, it appeared at first that the first team to 30 would win this game. Yet somehow the second quarter was just the opposite as far as getting shots to fall was concerned.

The Lady Rebels outscored the Lady Colonels 18-13 to take a 26-16 halftime lead. However, Copiah Academy got back in the game in the third quarter thanks to a defense which held ACCS to just six points. The Lady Rebels’ lead at the end of the quarter was just five points.

But just like in the second quarter, ACCS could not be slowed down. Led by White and Welch, the Lady Rebels scored 27 points in the fourth quarter to finally put away the pesky Lady Colonels. Copiah Academy was led by Kelsey Aikens with 12 points.

Natchez High 56, Bailey 18

JACKSON — Jacquerra Williams scored a game-high 17 points and Ashley Minor added 13 points to lead the Natchez High Lady Bulldogs to an easy win over the Bailey Magnet Lady Knights Tuesday morning at the JPS/Pepsi Basketball Tournament at Jackson State University.

Bailey Magnet didn’t have much of a chance against the No. 4 team in Class 6A in this first-round game. In fact, the Lady Knights scored no more than six points in any quarter.

The Lady Bulldogs took a 13-4 lead at the end of the first quarter and by the time halftime had arrived, they had a commanding 33-10 lead. And they didn’t let up in the third quarter, outscoring the Lady Knights 19-6 to take a 55-16 lead.

Natchez High (12-1) will take on Lanier today at 1 p.m. in a quarterfinal game at Jackson State.