Porter’s Chapel Academy’s excellent girls’ basketball season ended Thursday, derailed by a late-season slump and one brutally tough second half.

Porter’s Chapel led at halftime, but only scored nine points in the second half and lost 48-30 to Newton Academy in a second-round elimination game at the MAIS Class 3A North State tournament.

Hannah Henderson had 10 points and six rebounds for PCA, and Anjel Walton also scored 10 points. Leading scorer Tiara Sims only had six, and Sophie Masterson scored four.

Henderson had eight points in the first quarter to help the Lady Eagles take a 21-20 lead into halftime. Then Newton Academy got hot from 3-point range — Cayden Alexander made five 3-pointers in the third quarter — and seized control by outscoring PCA 19-5.

Alexander finished with a game-high 24 points. Lilly Hollingsworth added 16 as Newton advanced to the semifinals Friday against Marvell Academy.

PCA (14-8) won the District 3-3A regular-season championship, but hit a rough patch in the postseason. It won just one of its four games in the district and North State tournaments.

Porter’s Chapel’s boys’ team is still alive in the North State tournament, and will play in the semifinals Friday at 7:45 p.m. vs. either Greenville Christian or North Sunflower Academy. The North State tournament is being played at Kemper Academy.