MENDENHALL — The Adams County Christian School girls basketball team secured a berth in the MAIS Class AA State Tournament for the first time in six years Thursday night.

The Lady Rebels pulled out a back-and-forth battle with Lamar School in a contest that featured several lead changes. But in the end ACCS was able to pull ahead and won the game 42-41.

“(The difference tonight) was us scoring one more point than the other team,” ACCS head coach Melanie Hall said. “It was two teams battling and both teams left everything on the floor there.”

The win advanced the Lady Rebels into the semi-finals of the Class AA South State Tournament, which qualifies them for state.

“I’m thankful (that we get to move on),” Hall said. “I had said from the beginning that each player that I have had something to bring to the team. We are very unselfish, and when we play for God’s glory, good things happened for them.”

Hall said her team did not have its best game in the win over Lamar, but she knew that in the end the Lady Rebels had what it took to come out on top.

“We just thank God for (the win),” she said. “It wasn’t a pretty win, but I saw the intensity and desire and determination in my players’ eyes at the end, and they went and took it.”

Lamar pulled out to a 23-16 lead by halftime, before ACCS came out and controlled the third quarter to take the lead 32-29 going into the final period.

“We were down seven at halftime, and we came back, and it was back-and-forth,” Hall said. “We went up six, and they came back.”

ACCS’ Brandis White finished the game with a double-double. The Lady Rebel guard had 10 points and 10 assists in the game. Tory Laird led ACCS in scoring with 13 points.

Lamar’s Olivia Mabry led all scorers with 25 points.

Hall said the fact that her team has made it this far is no surprise to her.

“They’ve worked hard, and they should be going (to the state tournament) in my opinion. It’s no surprise to me that they are going, and I think they believe that too,” Hall said.

ACCS (28-5) will face Bowling Green Academy at 2:15 p.m. today for a spot in the finals of the MAIS South AA Tournament.