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- Coach: Jason Thompson
- Record: 27-8
- Road to Jackson: Beat Coffeeville 63-29, Shaw 55-33, Coldwater 55-40 in North tournament.
- 1A Semifinals: H.W. Byers vs. Bogue Chitto, 6:30 p.m. today; Coldwater vs. Ethel, 9 a.m. Saturday
- Championship: 7 p.m. March 3
- Leaders: F Kourtney Coleman 18.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg; P Kyra Gulledge 14.4 ppg, 9.7 rpg; G Alexis Hardaway 9.3 ppg
- Scouting Report: Hardaway, who was sidelined with a knee injury for part of the season, has played the last 15 games. ... Coleman and Gulledge give Byers a formidable force in the paint. ... The Lady Lions won the 2A state championship in 2009.
New Site Lady Royals
- Coach: Byron Sparks
- Record: 26-4
- Road to Jackson: Beat West Bolivar 48-46, Bruce 66-39, J.Z. George 44-40 in North.
- 2A Semifinals: New Site vs. Lake, 1 p.m. Saturday; J.Z. George vs. Scott Central, 6:30 p.m. Saturday
- Championship: 1 p.m. March 4
- Leaders: F Morgan Pearson 19.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg; G Christy Clark 13.0 ppg
n Scouting Report: Pearson, a 5-11 junior transfer from Belmont, gives team a scoring presence inside and outside. ... Clark, a sophomore, has shouldered some of the scoring load since preseason all-state guard Krystal Jackson was sidelined in December.
Belmont Lady Cardinals
- Coach: Chris Higginbottom
- Record: 26-6
- Road to Jackson: Beat Leflore County 75-64, Kossuth 43-37, lost to Ripley 63-56 in North.
- 3A Semifinals: Belmont vs. Choctaw Central, 1 p.m. today; Ripley vs. SE Lauderdale, 9 a.m. today
- Championship: 1 p.m. March 3
- Leaders: G/F Angelia Allen 20.2 ppg, 3.0 spg; F Kelsie Montgomery 11.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg; PG Leslie Robinson 15.4 ppg
n Scouting Report: Robinson stepped up early in the season when PG Natasha Jones went down with a knee injury. ... Montgomery overcame knee injuries (ACL) the last two seasons to play this year. ... Belmont is the defending state champion.
Ripley Lady Tigers
- Coach: Katie Bates
- Record: 26-4
- Road to Jackson: Beat Charleston 67-27, Cleveland East Side 46-37, Belmont 63-56 in North.
- 3A Semifinals: Ripley vs. SE Lauderdale, 9 a.m. today; Belmont vs. Choctaw Central, 1 p.m. today
- Championship: 1 p.m. March 3
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- Leaders: P Becca Ruckes 12.1 ppg, 8.4 rpg; G Jayla Chills 11.4 ppg; F Shunquest Howell 10.5 ppg, 4.0 apg
- Scouting Report: The Lady Tigers lost to Belmont in last season state championship game. ... Ruckes, the team's inside muscle, needs to stay out of foul trouble. ... Chills, a sophomore, and Howell, a senior, have combined for 59 3-pointers.
New Albany Lady Bulldogs
- Coach: John Stroud
- Record: 27-4
- Road to Jackson: Beat Noxubee County 71-30, Lafayette 49-35, Pontotoc 50-42 in North.
n 4A Semifinals: New Albany vs. South Jones, 1 p.m. Feb. 28; Pontotoc vs. Lawrence County, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 28
- Championship: 7 p.m. March 4
- Leaders: F Jazmine Spears 17.5 ppg, 11.7 rpg; P Micha Washington 13.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg; G Kebrina Lucas 10.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg
- Scouting Report: The Lady Bulldogs have not lost to a Mississippi team this season. ... Spears and Washington are tough for teams to match up with inside. ... PG Porche White can shoot from the perimeter and defend. ... Lucas is a strong penetrator when she's on.
Pontotoc Lady Warriors
- Coach: Bill Russell
- Record: 24-6
- Road to Jackson: Beat Humphreys County 89-45, Byhalia 59-51, lost to New Albany 46-42 OT in North.
- 4A Semifinals: Pontotoc vs. Lawrence County, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 28; New Albany vs. South Jones, 1 p.m. Feb. 28
- Championship: 7 p.m. March 4
- Leaders: F Eboni Brinker 15.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg; F Rhandi Ball 14.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg; G Kayla Russell 9.3 ppg
- Scouting Report: Russell and G Katherine Downing have combined for more than 100 3-pointers this season. ... Warriors are tough to beat when Brinker and Ball are on inside and the outside game is clicking. ... Pontotoc takes pride in its full-court defensive pressure.