HOUSTON - The latest installment of the HHS/OHS county grudge match, the Lady Toppers gained another win over the Lady Chiefs. Much like the first game on Dec. 12, a weak first quarter sank the Lady Chiefs as the Lady Toppers kept their pace consistent for all four.

Tynita Baker set the tone for the Houston girls with a trey on the first possession and a foul on senior Tiffany Pierce gave the Lady Toppers a quick lead. An Okolona turnover set up a trey from Kennyatah Wofford and another from Baker and the Lady Chiefs soon found themselves on the wrong end of a 10-2 score.

Okolona's Ravin Barr got a steal and a dish to Latifah Boone for a bucket, but the Lady Chiefs shooting stalled while Pierce knocked back two more with a FT and Chancedy Pulliam gained a bucket. Multiple turnovers from both teams brought the first quarter to a close with Houston up 15-4.

The second quarter saw the Lady Chiefs grabbing the boards but not being able to convert them into buckets until Antronette Walker got a putback to help the Okolona girls out. Houston's Jasmine Pierce got in the game and knocked back a two quick baskets and Wofford found Kat Payne on a down court bomb for a bucket and a 28-12 lead at the half.

Second half rally

The Lady Chiefs returned to the court more determined in the second half with Quinndella Ford finally getting her shots to fall with some consistency, but Baker dropped another trey and followed with two clean free throws to add some more to the Lady Toppers edge.

Ford gained three buckets including her own put back to help out the Lady Chiefs, but the Lady Toppers consistency in shooting from the court and from the line put them up 47-23 to end the quarter.

Jasmine Pierce continued to shine in the beginning of the fourth quarter with a steal and a bucket and a putback off Baker, but the Lady Chiefs weren't going down without one more fight.

Boone found the dish to Ford and Lamesha Gunn found her trey followed by Barr with another three-pointer. Boone and Ford kept moving to the bucket and gained some ground, but the Lady Toppers kept a comfortable lead. Ford hit for three as the closing shot and the buzzer sounded with the Lady Toppers getting the 57-44 win.

Stats

Leading for the Lady Toppers were Tiffany Pierce with 16, Tynita Baker with 15, Chancedy Pulliam with 10 and Jasmine Pierce with 10.

Quinndella Ford led the Lady Chiefs with 23, followed by Latifah Boone with 10 and Ravin Barr with 8.