FLOWOOD - Durwin Carpenter is known for having his teams at peak performance when the postseason rolls around. After an up-and-down regular season, it looks like that's the case again.
The Pillow Academy Lady Mustangs have struggled at times this season scoring, but they poured in a season-high in points in a 61-28 rout of Hillcrest Christian School here Wednesday in the first round of the State AAA Division I Tournament at Jackson Prep.
Pillow's lone senior, Mary Elizabeth Harper, led the scoring barrage with a career-high 28 points. She hit 13-of-14 shots from the field before fouling out midway through the third period.
"This game was important to us, because it gives our girls a boost of confidence in their shooting and their teammates. We did a good job of passing the ball, too," said Carpenter, who has won five state titles and three overall crowns in his first 11 years at Pillow.
The Lady Mustangs (19-12), the No. 2 seed from the North, advance to face Jackson Prep (31-3), the top seed from the South. The two archrivals play at 2:15 p.m. Friday, with the winner advancing to the championship game Saturday. The loser plays in the consolation contest.
Prep, ranked No. 1 in the statewide academy AAA poll, has beaten Pillow in all three meetings this season. Prep won 41-39 in the first meeting, 46-26 in the second and 47-30 the last time out.
"It doesn't matter if you're playing Prep or whoever, because from here on out, every team is good. We will have to play hard for all four quarters to keep advancing," Carpenter said.
The Lady Mustangs jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead on Hillcrest in the first period and never looked back. They led 16-5 at the end of the period.
"Our girls came out with a lot of defensive intensity. Offensively, the girls really took it to the goal and got some easy baskets early," Carpenter said.
To start the second period, sophomore guard Courtney Burgess found Harper on the low blocks, and the 5-foot-11 center delivered. Junior guard Lauren Coleman followed with a 3-pointer to extend the Lady Mustangs' lead to 21-5.
Junior guard Betsy Nelson made it a 25-point lead midway through the second with a driving layup. And after three straight inside baskets from Harper, Pillow held its biggest lead of the first half, 32-7.
The score was 36-11 at the half.
By the end of the third, the Lady Mustangs had built a 34-point advantage, 53-19.
Nelson and Coleman finished with eight points each, and sophomore Katie Farmer came off the bench to get six points and a team-high seven rebounds.
Parklane defeated Washington School 55-33 in the other first-round game on Wednesday.
With the win Wednesday, Pillow has already qualified for next week's State AAA Tournament at Jackson Academy, where the top four teams from Division I and Division II will compete.
