By Staff
ROUGH GAME Meridian's Valencia Hairston gets fouled by Quitman's MaShana Bonner. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
By Jeff Byrd/The Meridian Star
Dec. 14, 2001
With Quitman being one of the taller squads in the area, Meridian had to go to the outside game here Thursday night in the opening night of the Frazier-Yarbrough Tournament.
The Lady Wildcats took advantage of seven-made three-pointers to separate from Quitman for a 53-36 win.
Meridian moves to 8-4 on the season. They will face Heidelberg who fell to Noxubee County 55-52 on a three-point play by Erlexis Cooper with six seconds left. Noxubee County will face Quitman at 4 p.m.
Lady Wildcat Coach Donald Shirley was glad to see Meridian make its three-point shots.
All nine of Mendiola's points came off three, three-pointers. Post player Valencia Hairston made two as did Mosley.
Quitman took a 10-7 lead in the early going but Mosley's first trey tied it at 10-all. She then made a driving score and drew the foul with three seconds left in the quarter. The free throw completed the three-point play handing Meridian a 13-10 lead. They would never trail again.
Mendiola hit her first trey in the second quarter as Meridian eased out to a 25-16 halftime lead.
In the third quarter, Hairston took over scoring 10 of her game high 20 points. Two of her four baskets were three-pointer. Her 20-footer from the top of the key put Meridian up 39-21 with 3:29 left in the quarter.
The lead would reach its high at 46-25 following Mosley's second trey of the game late in the third quarter.
Quitman closed back to within 14 early in the fourth quarter. Mendiola's final trey at the 2:51 mark stopped the rally.
Mosley fired in 12 points and Mendiola had nine.
Quitman was led by 6-2 post Shalanda Carter with 12 points. Six-foot forward Shaquille Mack had nine points.
Noxubee County 55
Heidelberg 52
Heidelberg nearly pulled off the upset in Thursday's opening game of the Frazier-Yarbrough Tournament.
The Lady Oilers held a 49-44 lead over Noxubee County with three minutes to play. The Lady Tigers brought in 13 wins to the Meridian event.
A putback by Jessica Mason put Noxubee up 52-51 with 19 seconds left. Heidelberg drew a foul and made one of two shots to tie the game at 52-all.
Noxubee worked the ball to Cooper who drove into the lane and scored while also drawing the foul. She made the free throw to put the Lady Tigers up 55-52 with six seconds left.
Mason led Noxubee, now 14-1, with 14 points and Cooper had 10.
Jessica Yates had 20 to pace the Lady Oilers who fall to 5-6. Princess Bender tossed in 15 and Shawana Stevens had 12. Heidelberg will play Meridian at 7 p.m.