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ACCS's Shelby Mason comes down from a rebound Friday during the girls basketball game against Cathedral. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)

Cathedral's Allie Feltus guards while ACCS's Shelby Mason looks to shoot Friday during the girls basketball game at Cathedral. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)

Cathedral High School's Baylee Graning shoots the ball Friday during the girls basketball game against ACCS at Cathedral. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)

Cathedral High School's Markayla Fleming tries to reclaim the ball from a rebound Friday during the girls basketball game against ACCS at Cathedral. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)

ACC's Drue Boyd looks to pass the ball Friday during the girls basketball game against Cathedral. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)

ACCS's Shelby Mason runs after the ball down the court during the girls basketball game at Cathedral. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)

NATCHEZ — The Adams County Christian School Lady Rebels team came into the MAIS District 5-AAA Tournament as the No. 1 seed in the girls’ bracket – and without one of their top players as well as their floor general.

Point guard Danyel Weir scored 22 points in the Lady Rebels’ top-seeded-clinching win at Silliman Institute last Monday night, but she also turned her ankle so bad that head coach Melanie Hall said she was unable to play in their semifinal-round game against tournament host, cross-town rival, and No. 4 seed Cathedral High School Friday afternoon.

Yet the Lady Rebels overcame that adversity to defeat the Lady Green Wave 45-16 for their seventh win in their last eight games and, more importantly, to send them to today’s girls’ championship game. After the game, Hall said that she was never more proud of her players than she was during the game for the way they persevered.

“I was just very proud of my girls. My kids stepped up and took care of themselves,” Hall said. “The way they played offensively and defensively. For your point guard to go out…that just shows how much heart and determination these girls have. To God be the glory.”

Shelby Mason led ACCS with a game-high 19 points. Marlee Magee had seven points while Drue Boyd and Katherine Freeman added six points apiece. And the Lady Rebels’ defense held Cathedral to single-digit scoring in all four quarters.

ACCS had a 10-2 lead after one quarter of play before outscoring Cathedral 14-3 in the second quarter and 15-5 in the third quarter for a 39-13 lead.

Even though the Lady Green Wave was the No. 4 seed, it was the ‘home’ team by virtue of Cathedral being the host school for this district tournament. But it didn’t seem to bother the Lady Rebels at all.

Baylee Graning led Cathedral with nine points and Ryleigh Probst chipped in with three points.

ACCS (7-14) will play in the girls’ championship game today at 6 p.m. against Silliman Institute. Cathedral (5-21) will go up against Central Private School today at 3 p.m. in the girls’ consolation game.

No. 2 seed Silliman Institute defeated No. 3 seed Central Private School 32-22 Friday night in the other girls’ semifinal-round game.

With District 5-AAA being a four-team district, they will all be playing in next week’s Class AAA South State Tournament.

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