JACKSON — The Pillow Academy Mustangs certainly didn’t light up the scoreboard, but with the way they were playing defense, they didn’t have to.
Using a swarming defensive effort, the Mustangs held Presbyterian Christian to it second-lowest offensive output of the season as Pillow won 41-31 here Wednesday night in the first round of the State AAA Tournament at Jackson Academy.
“Everybody knows that we want to get out and run and score, but Presbyterian Christian did a good job in their transition defense, not allowing us to run,” PA coach Steven Makamson said. “But we did a good job of not forcing shots in a half-court game.
“Obviously, we did a good job of guarding them. We knew the more pressure we put on them outside that the harder it would be for them to get the ball inside.”
The Mustangs, 22-6 and ranked No. 3 in the statewide academy AAA poll, advance to face No. 2 Madison-Ridgeland Academy at 6 p.m. Friday in the semifinals. MRA defeated Pillow 81-68 in the regular-season finale for both teams on Feb. 8.
The winner advances to Saturday’s 7:15 p.m. championship game to face the winner of Friday’s Hillcrest Christian-JA contest. The consolation game is set for 6 p.m.
“MRA is one of the better teams in our league, but if we go out with great intensity and guard well, I think we can win,” Makamson said.
Since the top four teams from all three classifications advance to next week’s MPSA Overall Tournament, the Mustangs are assured of their second straight trip to the most prestigious private school tournament.
The Mustangs held PCS scoreless in the first period and led 6-0 heading into the second period. They were up 17-11 at the half.
PCS pulled within one, 21-20, in the third period, but the Mustangs responded with a 5-0 run.
Senior point guard Chase King hit a 3-pointer, followed by a basket from senior center Bo Craig.
Pillow led 26-23 at the end of the third and dominated play in the final period — holding PCS scoreless for the first four minutes and 58 seconds.
PCS’s offensive drought allowed the Mustangs to extend their lead to 33-23 after two free throws from Matt Taylor and two more from Pate Shackelford.
PCS never got closer than seven in the final three minutes.
Shackelford, a senior guard, tied a team-high in points with 11. Craig and King also had 11.
