CLINTON - Even in defeat, Pillow Academy coach Durwin Carpenter cracked a big smile when asked about how far his young team had come.
The Lady Mustangs lost 62-44 to East Rankin here Saturday in the finals of the MAIS Overall Tournament at Mississippi College’s A.E. Wood Coliseum. But there were a lot of folks back in December who never imagined the Lady Mustangs would end up in this position.
Pillow, a fixture in the Overall Tournament since Carpenter took over 16 years ago, struggled early this season and was 5-5 at one point after five straight losses. Nobody was thinking the Lady Mustangs had what it took to make it to their sixth Overall championship game in Carpenter’s tenure.
But the turning point came on Dec. 18 when the Lady Mustangs trailed for three quarters at Jackson Prep before rallying late for a 51-48 victory that pushed PA to 9-6 on the season. More importantly, the victory gave Pillow the confidence that it could be one of the best academy teams in the state.
“Prep had led most of the game, but our girls took it to the next level in the fourth quarter and found a way to beat a tough team on the road. Things really seemed to turn for the better after that,” said Carpenter, who is 3-3 in Overall championship games at PA.
With the road win, the Lady Mustangs managed to finish the regular season 15-6 en route to a 23-12 record. Three of those losses came to mighty East Rankin, the top-ranked AAA team in the state academy ranks, which finished 35-2.
“East Rankin has a great team, and they deserve a lot of credit for what they have accomplished,” Carpenter said. “But I have never been more proud of a group of girls as I have been of these girls. They proved a lot of people wrong, a lot of people who counted them out a long time ago. They worked extremely hard and never quit even when things weren’t going their way.
“I have to give our two seniors (Mary Langdon Gallagher and August Malouf) for helping us turn things around. They really stepped up their leadership and made our girls beleive in tehmselves.”
Gallagher finished her career at Pillow with four points, six rebounds, one assist and one steal.
“Mary Langdon is a fierce defender, She never quits,” Carpenter said.” Nobody puts more into it whether in the game or in practice. She has been a joy to coach.”
Malouf capped off her basketball career with 12 points, five rebounds, one assist and one steal.
“August is a very determined, smart player. She was one of our best outside shooters and was fun to coach,” Carpenter said.
Both Malouf and Gallagher were selected to the all-tournament team.
Both seniors will be missed, but Carpenter believes the Lady Mustangs have the makings to again be one of the best private school teams in the state next year.
“We’ve got four great juniors in Holly Ann Pannell, Kaitlin McDaniel, Devin Mitchell and Holland Falls. I think those girls are ready to step up as leaders and get us back to the finals next season,” the PA coach said. “Then we’ve got seven strong sophomores, led by Dasha Tsema and Kristen Stephens who really played big roles for this team this year.”
Pannell, also an all-tournament selection, led the Lady Mustangs in scoring against East Rankin with 13 points.
