Callaway’s plan to slow down Warren Central’s Sha’Kayla Caples worked to perfection.

The Lady Chargers frustrated the two-time reigning Vicksburg Post Player of the Year with constant double teams and if Caples did get to the basket, 6-foot-1 senior center Kiana James was there to meet her.

James made a big impression on the WC crowd and the Mississippi State assistant coaches in attendance with a game-best 29 points and nine rebounds to lead Callaway to the Warren Central Classic girls title with the 59-45 win. Caples, one of the state’s best juniors, was held to just 15 points and six rebounds — a season low.

“When she went to the corner, we doubled down. We wanted to frustrate her,” James said. “And we also wanted to frustrate the guard (Karnina Bunch). And there was nobody else who wanted to help them.”

James said the win helps erase last year’s bitter memory of WC’s last-second win off a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

“We remember last year. This was a lot more fun,” James said.

“Yeah, they had that buzzer shot last year, that’s why we knew we had to play two halves,” Callaway coach Maxine Johnson said.

“The key thing with Caples was if she didn’t go low, we wanted to take the baseline away from her. Then we wanted to double and frustrate her when she had the ball,” Johnson said.

The Lady Chargers’ trapping 2-3 zone forced Caples to the turn the ball over five straight times at a key point in the second quarter.

Callaway (6-4) used the miscues to key a pair of 9-0 runs to turn a 16-13 deficit into a 34-18 advantage.

“They didn’t do anything we didn’t expect,” WC coach Donny Fuller said. “They just did a better job of matching up against us.”

The Lady Vikes (6-4) did a better job in the third quarter and got the deficit down to nine at 42-33 when Bunch dropped in her second 3-pointer of the game. James responded, however, with three straight breakaway layups against the WC press. Callaway built the lead to 52-33, but WC mounted one last charge.

Caples helped cut the Callaway lead to nine at 52-43 with 3:43 left. The Lady Chargers ended a five-minute drought with Tiara Darby’s basket with 2:52 left.

James then swiped away Caples’ drive on the next possession to end WC’s hopes.

“I’ve always liked Kiana James all along,” Fuller said.

“Kiana is just so strong up top,” Johnson added. “People compare her to (LaSondra) Barrett, but Barrett is more of a 3-player (small forward). Kiana likes to be inside where she can rebound and score. She also has good hands. State was here tonight, and Louisiana Tech, Alcorn and Jackson State all like her.”

James finished with three blocked shots, including a pair on Caples. Heard had 12 points and six assists.

Bunch and Ricille Davis had 11 each for WC, which made just 17 of 52 shots from the field.

(G) S. Pike 62, Vicksburg 57

Vicksburg (5-5) held a 44-42 lead going into the fourth quarter, but could not hold it as the defending Class 3A champions from South Pike came back to win the girls consolation game at the Warren Central Classic Friday afternoon.

KamPatrice Slocum had 16 points for South Pike while Ivelle Stewart scored five of her 11 points in the fourth quarter to key the Lady Eagles.

The Missy Gators placed four in double figures led by Donyeah Mayfield with 14, Alexus Stirgus had 13, followed by Taylor Ammons with 11 and Jazmine Walker had 10.

(B) WC 65, Piney Woods 46

Dino Harris poured in 25 points to pace the Vikings (3-7) to a win in the consolation round of the WC Classic Friday.

Harris had 11 of his total in the fourth quarter as WC turned a nine-point lead into a 19-point win. The Vikings had 28 in the fourth quarter helped by an 11-of-12 effort from the free throw line.

Jeremy Smith chipped in 10 points and Vitarrius Goldsberg had seven.

Piney Woods, which got hammered in both of its Classic games by wide margins, was paced by William Howell and Sieve Oliver with 10 points each.