Lady Arrow basketball team advances to second round of the playoffs
By Danny C. Davis
Keziah Kimple
Grace Eatmon
The Clinton Lady Arrow basketball team defeated Desoto Central 34-27 on the road in the opening round of the MHSAA North Class 7A girls playsoffs on February 21. With the win, CHS advances to the North 7A Quarterfinals, set for Thursday, February 26, where they will meet the #1-ranked Starkville Lady Yellowjackets on the campus of Mississippi Valley State University at Itta Bena, Mississippi. The winner advances to the semifinals at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson.
Clinton, now 17-13, finished the season strong, winning two out of the last three Region 2-7A games to earn the 3rd seed in the playoffs. In the final regular season game, CHS defeated Oxford on the road 49-44 to earn the 3rd seed.
Getting past Starkville may be a tough challenge for the Lady Arrows, who lost three times to the Lady Yellow Jackets during the regular season in Region2-7A play, 57-29, 65-31, and 24-52. The Lady Yellowjackets have a 28-3 overall record and were 10-0 in Region 1-7A play.
The Starkville girls are ranked the #1 team in most state polls. SHS rides an 11-game winning streak, including a 72-11 win over Hernando in the opening playoff round last week.
But, according to seventh-year Lady Arrow head basketball coach Pearlene Fairley, her team is looking forward to the challenge.
“We started the season so young, losing eight seniors from last year,” said Fairly. “But the girls have worked and fought so hard. They have improved so much during the season. You could see that during the season,” said Fairley, who came to Clinton from Pelahatchie High School in Rankin County.
“In our district, every game is very hard, and we have worked so hard to get where we are. Starkville is a very good team with a lot of talent, and they have three girls that are six feet tall or taller.”
CHS has been led this season by senior point guard Aria Jones, a Southwest Mississippi Community College signee, and senior Grace Eatmon, a Northwest Community College signee.
Aria Jones
“Both of those girls have carried us and given us so much senior leadership this season,” said Fairley. “We are glad to get a chance to advance to the next level of the playoffs. We tell the girls that anything is possible if we play our game. We want to play the game at ease. We have a great group of girls that really want to just play our game and see just what happens.”
