Prep Basketball: Lady Indians are on a roll as they head back to the Big House

Biloxi’s Zaniya Johnson puts up a shot vs. Brandon Friday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director
POPLARVILLE — The Biloxi girls basketball team has never won a state championship.
In fact, the Lady Indians have never even made it to the overall title game.
But, for the second season in a row, head coach Devin Hill’s squad has a chance to erase that past and set a new standard in program history.
Biloxi bounced Brandon 55-39 Friday night in the Class 7A South State Quarterfinal round here at Marvin White Coliseum on the campus of Pearl River Community College. The win not only achieved a new school season record for success for the Lady Indians, who are now a sparkling 30-1 overall, but also allows BHS a return trip to the Class 7A overall Final Four at The Mississippi Coliseum for the second straight season.

Biloxi’s Na’Kenya Terry makes a pass vs. Brandon Friday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Biloxi’s Nia Shannon reaches for control of the ball vs. Brandon Friday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Biloxi’s Jayla Carriere makes a move with the ball vs. Brandon Friday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Biloxi’s Aubrey Madden looks for some working room vs. Brandon Friday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Biloxi’s Nia Shannon puts up a shot vs. Brandon Friday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

The Lady Bulldogs see their season end at 23-8.
Biloxi earned its 29th straight win, also a new program record, in typical Lady Indian fashion. Hill’s crew pounded the ball inside to 6-foot-5 junior standout Dand Dozen center Zaniya Johnson much of the night, and when she wasn’t controlling the lane shooting guard Jayla Carriere was bombing from long-range on the premieter and point guard Na’Kenya Terry was doing damage when her openings came as well.
Biloxi led 15-4 after the first frame, as all three of those players quickly got into the scoring column.
But, Brandon fought back a bit with a 14-4 run at one point in the second stanza, to trail just 21-16 at halftime.

Biloxi’s Na’Kenya Terry surveys the situation vs. Brandon Friday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Biloxi’s Zaniya Johnson ponders her options vs. Brandon Friday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Biloxi’s Jada Washington looks for some working room vs. Brandon Friday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Biloxi’s Na’Kenya Terry walks the ball up the court vs. Brandon Friday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

However, back-to-back Carriere 3-pointers with just less than three minutes to play in third period returned the BHS advantage to double digits at 33-20, and Terry then went twice off the glass to make it 37-24 entering the final quarter.
Johnson then opened that fourth period with an old fashioned three-point play, to make it 40-24, and the deal was done.
Johnson posted a double-double for Biloxi, with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Carriere chipped in 14 points to the game-winning balanced scoring attack and Terry added 13 points, six boards and four assists.
Biloxi meets Starkville at 4:30 Tuesday afternoon in Jackson.