Bay High girls seek spot in 4A title game vs. Florence

With a win Monday, the Bay High girls basketball team will advance to the state title game for the third time in the last four years.

The Lady Tigers put together a dominant second half to top Corinth 60-38 in the Class 4A quarterfinals on Thursday to set up Monday's noon semifinal match with Florence at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson.

The winner of Monday's game will play the winner of McComb-Quitman at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday for the Class 4A state title at the coliseum.

Bay High coach Debbie Triplett always seems to have her team ready to play in Jackson and this year is no different.

Even though her team was dominant on Thursday, Triplett believes they can do much better.

"I don't think that was one of our better games," Triplett said. "Their team was pretty athletic. Every time we'd make a run, then they'd make a little run. We couldn't get a comfortable lead until right at the end."

Bay High (24-6) has won three state championships under Triplett's direction and four seems a possibility if the Lady Tigers can build on Thursday's performance.

Triplett was named the Sun Herald Coach of the Year in 2015 when she led the Lady Tigers to the Class 4A title contest, where it lost 55-35 to Raymond.

Last year's Bay High team relied on a strong defense and Galloway's ability to come through in the clutch late in games.

With senior forward Simone Jackson and Galloway, now a junior, leading the way, this year's Bay High team seems a much more well rounded squad.

"It's better than last year," Jackson said. "We're playing as a team and moving the ball."

Galloway can score in a variety of ways out of the backcourt and the 6-foot-1 Jackson, a Delta State signee, is coming into her own as a senior in the post.

Galloway and Jackson both scored 14 points against Corinth and they were joined in double digits by junior Amari Pittman with 10 points.

Several other players made key contributions to the game, including a pair freshmen - guard Breanna Fountain and Dasha Barnes.

Florence is coached by Southern Miss men's basketball star Darrin Chancellor, who also served on the USM coaching staff under former coach James Green.

Florence is 23-4 after beating Lafayette 65-63 in overtime in the quarterfinals.

Two of Florence's losses have come to South Pike, which Bay High beat 62-49 to advance to the 4A quarterfinals.

Senior guard Danyelle Lewis leads Florence with averages of 19.0 points and 3.4 assists a game. Senior forward Mikayla Patton, who stands 5-foot-11, is averaging 13.6 points and 9.8 rebounds. Junior guard Tiyunna Dixon is averaging 13.4 points and 3.0 assists.

This story was originally published March 6, 2016 at 12:07 PM with the headline "Bay High girls seek spot in 4A title game vs. Florence ."