BROOKHAVEN — Trinity Epsicopal Day School and Central Private came into the playoffs as two of the top teams in MAIS Class AA basketball. And for much of the first half, the two teams battled back and forth in a game that looked like it would go down to the final shot.

Not long after the third quarter got under way, however, Central Private took over the game thanks to a combination of stout defense and pinpoint shooting, especially from the outside. Those factors enabled the Rebels to outscore Trinity Episcopal 22-10 in that quarter as they went on to take a 72-45 win and end the Saints’ season.

“Basically, that’s a well-organized team. They blocked shots. They shot extremely well from the outside. They moved the ball well,” Trinity head coach Edwin White said.

Central Private, the District 6 No. 1 seed, could just as easily have turned this game into a blowout after jumping out to a 21-12 lead over Trinity at the end of the first quarter. But the Saints made sure that didn’t happen that quickly, as they outscored the Rebels 14-12 in the second quarter to go into the half trailing 33-26. That would be the closest the Saints would get the rest of the ball game.

Tanner Cage led Trinity with 12 points while Garrett Vinson and Brandon Brooks had 10 points each.

Jefferson County girls 46, Prentiss 43

PRENTISS — Keionne January led Jefferson County with a game-high 23 points and the Lady Tigers needed every one of them to overcome a rough second quarter and defeat the Prentiss Lady Bulldogs Tuesday night in the first round of the MHSAA Region 7-3A Tournament — on Prentiss’ own court, nonetheless.

Jefferson County, the No. 5 seed, looked like it was on its way to an easy win after taking a 19-9 lead after one quarter of play. Yet No. 4 seed Prentiss not only got back in the game in the second quarter, but it took the lead late in the quarter and went into halftime with a 27-24 lead.

The third quarter was more of an offensive struggle for both teams as the Lady Tigers ended up outscoring the Lady Bulldogs 10-7 to tie the game at 34-34. The fourth quarter was also a tight one, but in the end Jefferson County outscored Prentiss by three.

Dionna Jackson scored seven points and Diamond Gaines added five points for the Lady Tigers. Jefferson County takes on No. 1 seed Wilkinson County today at 7 p.m. in a girls’ semifinal-round game. The Lady Tigers also clinched a spot in the MHSAA Class 3A South State Playoffs with the win.

Riverfield Academy girls 50, Tensas Academy 22

RAYVILLE, La. — Laughlyn Emfinger had a game-high 20 points and Ashley Cooper added 15 points as the Riverfield Academy Lady Raiders defeated the Tensas Academy Lady Chiefs Wednesday night in the first round of the MAIS Class A South State Tournament at Riverfield Academy.

Riverfield, the No. 2 seed out of District 7-A, led Tensas Academy 14-6 at the end of the first quarter, 26-12 at halftime, and 42-14 at the end of three quarters. The Lady Chiefs, the No. 3 seed from District 6-A, were led by Madison Keyes and Taylor Olds with eight points each.