Well-laid plans often go awry.

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Such was the case with Porters Chapel on Monday against visiting Tri-County, as another third-quarter breakdown led to a disappointing 42-35 loss.

“It’s really been our second-half play that’s really gotten us,” PCA coach E.J. Creel said. “We’re still out of shape. When you’re tired and they throw something else at you, wham.”

The plan going in, with guards Clayton Holmes (out of town) and Jeremy Roach (wisdom teeth) out, was to get plenty of touches to 6-foot-5 big man Jacob Rachal, who towered over the Rebel front line.

For most of the night, the plan succeeded, as Rachal was unguardable. A couple of perimeter passes would usually free him and he used his big body and long arms to maximum advantage. Rachal finished with 21 points, 18 rebounds, a steal, a block and two assists.  This came despite it being Rachal’s first game back from minor foot surgery, which put him on crutches for a few days.

“He’s looked better than he has,” Creel said. “We lost a lot of seniors from last year and you have all of these new people to try to get him the ball. I think it has thrown him off some. He played well, considering. He had a great game.”

In the first, the Eagles led throughout, with Rachal doing most of the heavy lifting on the boards and scoring in the paint.

But it was in the third quarter where the plan to get the ball to Rachal evaporated like ice on a sunny day thanks to a relentless Tri-County press. The ability of the Rebels to extend their defense ignited a 13-1 run that turned a five-point lead and a slow PCA pace into an eight-point deficit and a quicker pace going into the fourth quarter.

The Eagles, missing two of their key cogs in the backcourt, couldn’t keep up.

“It killed us, it really killed us,” Rachal said of the press. “We just couldn’t get the ball down the floor.”

It also didn’t help matters that PCA shot 3-of-13 from the free throw line. In contrast, Tri-County was  8-for-10.

Early in the fourth, the Eagles (2-8) whittled down the deficit in half after a layup by Colby Rushing and a putback by Rachal.

But four was close as they got as Tri-County hit its free throws down the stretch. Cole McDaniel paced Tri-County (8-3) with 18 points.

Tri-County girls beat PCA, 44-25

Paige Moore had 14 points to lead PCA (2-7). Jordan Fisher had 25 points and Jamie Plunkett added 17 to lead Tri-County.

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Contact Steve Wilson at swilson@vicksburgpost.com.

Girls

TRI-COUNTY 44, PCA 25

Tri-County             3   15  13  13 —44

Porter’s Chapel     8    2    7    8  —25

Tri-County (44)

 Jordan Fisher 25, Jamie Plunkett 17, Garrison 6, Crechale 4, Barwick 2.

PCA (25)

Paige Moore 14, Wells 6, Windham 3, Miller 2.

Boys

TRI-COUNTY 42, PCA 35

Tri-County             9   10  14    9—42

Porter’s Chapel    11    9    7    8—35

Tri-County (42)

Cole McDaniel 18, Walker 7, Randall 4, Campbell 4, Creel 2, Speckner 2.

PCA (35)

Jacob Rachal 21, Rushing 5, Wiley 3, Hill 3, Greer 2, Z. Rachal 1.