Pearl River holds off Hinds for MACJC victory

POPLARVILLE, Miss. — Pearl River women's coach Scotty Fletcher has said for weeks that Hinds was the most improved team in the league.

The Bulldogs reflected Fletcher's sentiment Thursday as the Wildcats had to overcome a rough start to knock off HCC 51-44 inside Marvin R. White Coliseum.

"I knew it wasn't going to be easy. I think our girls knew (Hinds) was searching right now and a little hungrier than we were. The best thing about to night is we were able to get stops in the fourth quarter. That was our best defensive quarter," Fletcher said. "If you would have told me we'd win this game with nobody in double digits, shooting a season low 4 of 19 from 3, I would have told you there's no way."

The Wildcats (8-4 overall, 2-2 MACJC South) trailed for much of the first half, only tying the game 17-17 with 5:08 to play in the second quarter when Jakia Harper (Jackson; Provine) pickpocketed a HCC guard and went the length of the court for an uncontested layup.