By MAURICE SINGLETON/Sports Writer

PERKINSTON — Biloxi sophomore standout center Zaniyah Johnson’s scoring around the basket was too much for the Brandon Lady Bulldogs to handle in the Class 7A South State Quarterfinal game on Saturday. Johnson was unstoppable as the Lady Indians advanced to the 7A Final Four with a dominating 48-29 win over Brandon.

After a slow start in the first quarter, the Lady Indians went to Johnson in the paint, where she pivoted left and right, scoring at will to lead Biloxi with 10 points in the period as they pulled away from the Lady Bulldogs to take a 22-11 lead at halftime.

The Lady Indians led 7-2 after one quarter of play, but they kept looking for Johnson in the paint, even as she was double-teamed. And Johnson didn’t disappoint.

The third quarter featured more of the same. Johnson got the Lady Indians going with the first four points on the second half, first beating a single defender with a pivot move, then converting a Brandon turnover with a fake and pivot for a score.

She would score two more times in the period, totaling 8 points in the quarter.

The Lady Indians outside game would put some icing on the cake as freshman Jayla Carriere would sink 3-pointers on consecutive Lady Indians’ possession. Her second 3-pointer would come with just under two minutes remaining in the period, following a Brandon turnover.

The Lady Indians led 34-18 at that point. Johnson would score on a putback on their next possession to give Biloxi a 36-18 lead with 30 seconds left on the third quarter clock.

Johnson was double-teamed on the Lady Indians’ first possession of the fourth quarter, so she dished the ball to Aubrey Hill for the assist to open third quarter scoring.

Johnson would score on a putback with just under six minutes left on the game clock, and she would score on a layup later in the period, and she closed the game’s scoring with another putback with 10 seconds remaining.

Carriere was another bright spot for the Lady Indians’ scoring as she sank four 3-pointers on the night, one in the first period, two in the second quarter, and one in the third.

Johnson led the Lady Indians with 26 points and she posted a double-double as well with 12 rebounds. Carriere finished with the night with 14 points.

Alayah Golden led the Lady Bulldogs with 10 points, and Kelsie Mangum finished with 5 points.

The loss dropped Brandon’s record to 19-11 on the season.

Biloxi’s win improved their record to 28-1 on the season and earned them a 7A Final Four game against Starkville on Monday morning at 10:30.