In a memorable example of brutal basketball, the Loyd Star LadyHornets went toe-to-toe and head-to-head with Division 6-2A leaderHinds AHS Friday night. The hosts knocked out Hinds AHS in overtimeas guard Shannon Chester sparked Loyd Star to a thrilling 61-54victory, scoring 20 points.

Chester, a 5-foot-7 junior, scored 6 points in the 4-minuteovertime as the Lady Hornets avenged an earlier 2-point loss atHinds AHS in Utica. She also handled the Lady Bulldogs’ aggressive,full-court pressure.

“We knew our press offense could beat them,” said Chester,standing outside the happy Loyd Star dressing room. “It was roughout there but we just had to suck it up and play.”

Chester also had 14 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals in thevictory

Loyd Star, coached by Billy Vaughn, hiked its record to 19-5overall and 9-1 in the division race. Hinds fell to 12-10 and8-1.

“We could have played better and we missed a lot of freethrows,” said Chester. She was 11 of 22 at the free throw line. Asa team, the Hornets made just 16 of 40.

“I was proud of my girls because we bowed up and got physical,”said Vaughn. “Overall, I was pleased but we missed too many freethrows.”

In a game marked by sticky defense and physical personal foulsthat knocked players from both teams to the floor and out ofbounds, Loyd Star came out on top. Sophomore Shuntel Dillonfollowed Chester with 14 points and 5 assists. Senior forward LauraBritt added 12 points, 12 rebounds and 5 steals. Junior centerHaley Sones grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked 2 shots. Alysha Johnsonhad 4 steals.

Hinds, coached by Bruce Baker, erased an 11-point, 40-29 deficitat the start of the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs went up 49-48 with29 seconds left to play when Lafushia Wilson sank her thirdstraight field goal off a Hornet turnover.

Chester was fouled with 21 seconds left and made the second freethrow off a 2-shot foul to gain a deadlock and force overtime.Hinds had 2 starters foul out in OT. Dillon and Sones both scoredin the extra session.

Coach Baker said he was looking forward to the divisiontournament in two weeks at McLaurin. His team has won 3 straightdivision titles.

“It was a hard-fought game and we battled,” said Baker. “It gotphysical and we want to play aggressive. We don’t back down.”

Dillon was shaken up in the fourth quarter when she was shovedout of bounds and hit the base of the scorer’s table. That playdrew a loud howl of protest from the partisan Loyd Star crowd.

“I hope we meet them on a neutral floor and we will see who isthe best,” said Baker.

Baker got 13 points from point guard Jerica Noel. Adrian Davisand Wilson each had 10 points. Noel also had 5 rebounds. TeammateAudrika Webster sustained a lower back injury when she and a LoydStar player crashed out of bounds during the fourth quarter.

Junior Varsity Results

In a preliminary JV game, Hinds beat Loyd Star 20-9, led byDavis’ 11 points. Marcia Marshall had 6 points.

Loyd Star got 4 points from Victoria Jones.