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Porter's Chapel Academy's Lexi Whittington (14) handles the basketball after grabbing a rebound against Tallulah Academy. Whittington finished with four points and eight rebounds to help PCA win 33-22. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Porter's Chapel Academy's Mia Abdo (10) passes the basketball against Tallulah Academy. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Tallulah Academy's Catherine Oliver handles the basketball in the first half of Thursday's game against Porter's Chapel Academy. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Porter's Chapel Academy's Marley Bufkin (5) passes the basketball against Tallulah Academy. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Tallulah Academy's Abigail Kennedy (40) tries to shoot as Porter's Chapel Academy's Lexi Whittington defends in the first half of Thursday's game. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Porter's Chapel Academy's Sophie Masterson passes the basketball against Tallulah Academy. Masterson finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds as PCA won 33-22. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

When added the head coaching job of Porter’s Chapel Academy’s girls’ basketball teams to the one he already had with the boys’ team, Bruce Robinson says he had one primary goal.

“My goal was to make sure that they had fun. And of course winning is fun, so I know they’re having fun,” Robinson said.

It is, indeed, fun times for the Lady Eagles right now.

Sophie Masterson had a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds, and Marley Bufkin scored 10 points as Porter’s Chapel beat Tallulah Academy 33-22 on Thursday. It was the third victory in four games in January for PCA (4-6).

“I’ve gotten used to coaching the girls and figuring out what they can do, and I think they’ve gotten used to me. And I think they’re confident. They’re believing that they can win. That’s what’s kind of clicked,” Robinson said. “We’re playing better defense, we’re rebounding a whole lot better, and it’s just basically us coming together and learning each other. That goes a long way.”

The Lady Eagles have found success this season by playing good defense, rebounding, and grinding out low-scoring victories — the exact formula they used to beat Tallulah.

Neither team scored more than 12 points in a quarter, but PCA went on a 9-0 run in the third to open a 27-17 lead. Bufkin made a 3-pointer and a fast-break layup to key the surge.

Tallulah, which struggled to score all night, wasn’t able to cut very far into its double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter.
Abigail Kennedy led Tallulah with eight points. Emily Fortenberry scored six, and Hallie Grace Malone had four.

“The last few ballgames, that’s what will happen about midway through the third quarter and we’re able to finish them strong,” Robinson said.

Besides the scoring from the seniors Masterson and Bufkin, PCA got contributions from other players. Kendall Smith finished with six points and 13 rebounds, while Lexi Whittington had four points and eight rebounds. Mia Abdo made two free throws to help the third-quarter surge along.

Bufkin also had four rebounds and four steals.

“Marley and Sophie are the catalysts. The rest of the girls are just so young. They’re role players, and they’re doing a great job playing their roles,” Robinson said.

About Ernest Bowker

Ernest Bowker is The Vicksburg Post's sports editor. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post's sports staff since 1998, making him one of the longest-tenured reporters in the paper's 140-year history. The New Jersey native is a graduate of LSU. In his career, he has won more than 50 awards from the Mississippi Press Association and Associated Press for his coverage of local sports in Vicksburg.

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