CLINTON – The Brookhaven Academy Lady Cougars met the TrinityEpiscopal School Lady Saints Saturday afternoon in the cavernousA.E. Wood Coliseum at Mississippi College. The defending MPSAoverall state champions started slow, but finished with a 56-28 winover the Lady Saints.

In the varsity boys game, Brookhaven Academy beat Trinity 63-49,powered by guard Cole Hodges with 25 points. Alan Gray chipped in11 points. Seth Davis and T-Boy Lynch both had 10 points.

BA travels to Jackson Friday, to meet Jackson Prep for twovarsity games, beginning at 6 p.m. The Lady Cougars suffered theironly loss of the season to Jackson Prep in overtime, on Nov. 30, atBrookhaven.

The Lady Cougars (26-1, 12-0) came out a littleflat in the early moments of the first quarters. It took severalminutes, before BA could find their offensive torch. Head CoachBarry Gray’s squad entered the second quarter, with a 15-3 lead.Kelli Byrd and Lauren Smith tallied 6 points each in theperiod.

“Trinity was focused early, and we were not,” said Gray. “Ourdefense took Trinity out of their offense.”

The Lady Saints (15-10, 6-6) could not adjust to the defensivepressure by BA. Trinity committed 15 of its 26 turnovers in thefirst half, and trailed 26-10 at the intermission.

“I thought we played well, despite the turnovers,” said Trinityhead coach Melanie Hall. “I am proud of my kids. They gave goodeffort today.”

Byrd, a 5-foot-5 senior guard, pumped in 9 of her team-high 17points in the third. She also had 5 rebounds and 6 steals.

The Lady Cougars authored a 15-0 run in the period, claiming a48-15 advantage entering the final stanza.

Gray played his entire bench doing the second half, as 10 of his15 players scored. Lending support for BA were Lauren Smith with 11points, 3 steals and 3 assists. Mallory Logan had 4 steals and 7assists.

Trinity outrebounded the Lady Cougars 28-20.

“It was an honor and a privilege to play the No. 1 team in thestate,” said Hall.

The Cougars (24-1, 12-0) had a balancedoffense. Hodges also had 7 assists and 7 rebounds. Seth Davis had 5rebounds and 5 steals. Lynch had 4 assists and 4 steals.

“We had a lack of concentration when things didn’t go well,”said BA boys coach Dale Watts. “We have a lot of things to workon.”

Trinity got 15 points from Steven Ridley. The Saints trailed25-20 at halftime.