Porters Chapel Academy’s Chip Lofton looks to pass around Tallulah Academy’s Scott James during the Eagles’ 57-41 loss on Tuesday night. (Jon GiffinThe Vicksburg Post)

[12/10/03]Annie Beaugh wrapped up an early Christmas present and delivered it on Tuesday.

With 19 points in Porters Chapel’s 40-34 win over Tallulah Academy, Beaugh breached the 1,200-point mark in her sophomore season.

“It feels pretty good,” Beaugh said. “I never really thought I’d get to it.”

Needing just 17 points heading into the game, she almost postponed the celebration until Friday at Franklin. But with 3 minutes, 34 seconds left in the third quarter, she netted a basket to reach the plateau.

“I’m proud of her,” PCA coach Kevin Griffin said. “She’s worked hard and deserves to get where she’s at.”

PCA and Tallulah played evenly through the first half to a 19-19 tie.

Each team was led on by its star players. Beaugh finished the first half with 11 points. Tallulah’s Amanda Muse notched 10 points by halftime.

Muse, along with teammate Jacqueline Ainsworth, controlled the paint throughout the game. Muse finished with a game-high 21 points, and the pair combined for 19 rebounds.

Porters Chapel lost the rebound battle for the first time this season, 33-20.

“We’re going to struggle against anybody that’s got any kind of post game. We’re just not big,” Griffin said. “Our girls have done a good job for the most part of boxing out even though we’re undersized.”

The Lady Eagles seemed poised to take a big lead in the second quarter when they led 16-11, but turnovers and miscues allowed the Lady Trojans to bounce right back.

Porters Chapel finally pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring Tallulah 15-7.

With a 34-26 lead in the fourth quarter, the Lady Eagles still tried to run the ball upcourt on fast breaks. They nearly allowed the Lady Trojans back into the game before hanging on for the 6-point win.

(B) Tallulah 57, PCA 41

Leading 27-26 at halftime, the Eagles squandered the advantage by allowing the Trojans to explode for a 17-1 third quarter that was the difference in the game.

Tallulah shot 22-for-52 (.423), carefully choosing their shots after a shaky second quarter. The Eagles finished a disappointing 15-for-64 shooting.

“We’ve led at the half in all but three of our games this year,” Griffin said. “The same thing happens over and over every time. They get a lead and we forget what we did good to get us to that position.”

Tallulah entered the second quarter with a 20-15 lead on 8-for-15 shooting. The Eagles then cracked down on defense and did not allow a field goal in the second quarter as the Trojans shot 0-for-7.

But in the second half, Tallulah shot 14-for-30, led by Brad Gustafson’s game-high 15 points and Matt Roberson’s 14.

“We’re just standing around and we’re not active,” Griffin said. “We’re just not playing very hard right now.”

(B) St. Al 54, Cathedral 45

Anthony Rector poured in 18 points and Kyle Richards scored 16 as the Flashes (2-6, 1-0 Division 7-1A) won their division opener over archrival Natchez Cathedral.

The Flashes used a 14-4 advantage in the third quarter to take a 40-28 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Drew Mazzanti added nine points in the win.

(G) St. Al 42, Cathedral 32

A big third-quarter turned a tie game into a double-digit win for the Lady Flashes (4-4, 1-0).

Sarah Kerut scored a game-high 16 points and LaJuana Thomas netted nine as the Lady Flashes outscored Cathedral 16-6 in the third quarter. The teams played even ball the other three quarters.

“We came out and played excellent team basketball,” St. Al coach Paul Hayden said.

St. Al is scheduled to host Enterprise on Monday at 5 p.m. The game was moved up one hour because of exams.

(G) WC 48, Ridgeland 45

Warren Central used a 23-point outburst in the fourth quarter to survive a pesky Ridgeland team.

Cookie Johnson scored a game-high 17 points, while Tranyce Peoples and Carla Latham each scored 8 points in the win.

Warren Central, fresh off an upset of Provine in the championship game of the Warren Central Classic on Friday, trailed 22-16 at the half. Ridgeland took an 8-point lead in the fourth quarter, but was outscored 23-12 in the fourth quarter.

Warren Central will open Division play on Friday against Natchez at WC.