JACKSON — Archie Carlyle has won seven state titles in his various stops through Yazoo County and he knows something about having a potent one-two-punch.

The one-two punch of Warren Central’s Karnina Bunch and Sha’Kayla Caples is pretty good.

“We had no answer for Caples, or Bunch, for that matter,” said Carlyle, who is one of the most successful coaches in Mississippi prep basketball. “Those two together are a pretty good combination.”

Bunch scored a season high 28 points, dropping in seven 3-pointers, while Caples had 27 to keep Warren Central unbeaten after Saturday afternoon’s 63-51 win over Yazoo City at L.T. Smith Gym at Lanier High School. The Lady Vikes (13-0) advance to play the Lanier-Meridian winner Monday night at 6.

WC coach Donny Fuller was glad to see Bunch come through with the 3-ball. She hit four in the opening quarter to stake the Lady Vikes to a 20-9 lead.

“We didn’t shoot it good in our first game here, but we shot it well today. Karnina lit it up,” Fuller said.

Up 18 at the half, 31-13, Yazoo City (7-7) changed things up by going to a half-court trap. While the defense did little to slow down WC, it did seem to awake Yazoo’s offense. The Indianettes made seven of their first eight shots in the quarter to get back into the game.

“The halfcourt trap was something we haven’t worked much on, but we made our adjustments,” Fuller said.

Yazoo City got to within 11 at 39-28 when WC center Bailey Anderton made two big blocks inside to stem the comeback. It also led to an easy fast-break basket by Bunch to make it 41-28.

Later in the fourth quarter, Bunch sealed it with a four-point play, following her seventh trey of the game following an assist by Anderton. The play made it 52-35 with 5:45 left.

Kenyatta Epps led Yazoo City with 21 points. Anderton tallied six rebounds, two blocks and two assists for WC.

*

Contact Jeff Byrd at jbyrd@vicksburgpost.com.