ECRU – Aberdeen guard Jameika Hoskins has the ability to take over a game.

She knows it.

Her coach, Latorrence Bivens, knows it.

So when Hoskins didn’t score in the first half of Saturday’s North Pontotoc Girls Shootout against Myrtle, the coach and player had a halftime chat.

Hoskins responded in a big way, scoring 21 second-half points to lead the Lady Bulldogs to a hard-fought 55-50 victory.

“I didn’t get my head right, in the game, in the first half,” Hoskins said, then smiled. “I guess I was frustrated because my shot wasn’t falling.”

The talented Hoskins scored 10 points in the third quarter – mostly on slashing drives to the goal – to help Aberdeen break a 24-24 halftime tie and move to a 40-34 lead.

Down the stretch, when Myrtle got close, Hoskins answered with three field crucial goals. With Aberdeen leading 47-46, she scored on a layup. Up 49-48, she hit a short floater in the lane. Leading 51-49, with 1:10 left, she battled for a rebound and scored on a putback.

“The team feeds off her and I told her that at halftime,” Bivens said. “She picked it up in the second half and the team got behind her. She’s a great player.”

Myrtle coach Chris Greer thought his team, which lost by nine points to division rival H.W. Byers Friday night, played sluggish.

Also, it didn’t help the Hawks’ cause that post player Asprionna Gilbert suffered an ankle sprain and fouled out with 2:25 left in the game.

Despite the injury and foul trouble, Gilbert scored 15 points.

“We had a chance late, we just missed three or four layups,” Greer said. “Aberdeen’s a good team. We’re starting two freshmen and two sophomores, so we’re young.”

Hoskins was the only player in double figures for Class 3A Aberdeen (17-2) while Keanna Cox paced 1A Myrtle (11-13) with 18 points.

Other games

Baldwyn freshman Ayana Ragin scored a game-high 29 points, but it wasn’t enough to keep the young Lady Bearcats from falling, 60-50, to the hosts from North Pontotoc.

The Lady Vikings (13-7) were led in scoring by Shanda Melton with 18 and Hana Tate with 17.

“We shot the ball better,” North Pontotoc coach Shane Montgomery said. “We’ve been inconsistent on offense.”

Baldwyn (6-14) started four freshmen.

In Saturday’s other games, it was Walnut 76, Tremont 59; Houlka 61, Water Valley 49; Bruce 60, Saltillo 42; Ripley 75, Southeast Lauderdale 35; Houston 77, Cleveland 44 and South Pontotoc 68, Mantachie 42.