By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

PONTOTOC — In what was billed as a battle of post players, it was a guard that made all the difference for unbeaten Biloxi Friday night.

The Lady Indians moved to a perfect 17-0 on the season with a big 56-28 thumping of Oak Grove (La.) here at the prestigious “Tangle on the Trail” taking place at Pontotoc High School.

The contest featured two of the top sophomore center college prospects in the nation, in Biloxi’s 6-foot-4 Dandy Dozen Standout Zaniya Johnson and Oak Grove’s 6-foot-5 stalwart Caroline Bradley.

But Lady Indian sophomore Jayla Carriere, an impressive swing guard/forward in her first year with the BHS program after transferring in from Harrison Central, stole the show as she tallied a team-high 17 points to lead the Lady Indians to the win in their first outing of the new year.

Carriere drained a pair of 3-pointers in the first frame to help Biloxi jump out to a quick advantage up 12-7 heading into the second stanza.

The Lady Indians turned the defensive heat up another notch going into halftime, holding the Lady Tigers to just four points in the second period while Biloxi’s Aaliyah Davidson matched that output on her own as the Lady Indians headed into halftime up by double digits at 23-11.

Carriere quickly thwarted any hopes Oak Grove had of a big second half comeback as she tallied eight points in the third frame, including yet another pair of treys, as she and Johnson tallied eight points apiece and the Lady Indians continued to extend their ever-growing lead to a commanding 45-23 entering the final period.

Johnson added 14 points to Carriere’s team-high total of 17 to pave the way for Biloxi. Johnson also had six rebounds, and Davidson picked off five steals.

The loss overshadowed an impressive effort by Donald, as she registered a game-high 19 points in the losing effort and pulled down 12 rebounds. She is rated as the number five college prospect in the nation by most recruiting services.

Oak Grove, which is located in Northeast Louisiana in West Carroll Parrish, dropped to 8-3 overall on the season.

Both teams swing right back into action in day two of the event Saturday afternoon, as Biloxi takes on Jackson Callaway and OGHS meets Booneville.