JACKSON — Playing the first game of the Jackson Public Schools’ annual Pepsi Tournament allowed the Warren Central Lady Vikes to work out their Christmas largesse.

If you go

3 p.m. – Warren Central vs. Yazoo City, at Lanier H.S.

The unbeaten Lady Vikes (12-0) overcame a poor shooting second quarter to roll past Crystal Springs 56-35 Friday afternoon at Lanier’s J.T. Smith Gym.

Warren Central entered the 15-team girls tournament as the highest state ranked team in the field at No. 2. Top-ranked Murrah, a two-time defending champion of the event, is playing in an invitational tournament in Washington D.C. WC has not won the JPS Tournament since 1984.

WC coach Donny Fuller doesn’t expect any more easy games at the JPS, even though Lanier (No. 9) and Forest Hill (No. 4 in 4A) are the only other teams ranked in the tournament field. They will play Yazoo City today at 3.

“We didn’t bring our ‘A’ game. We were so sluggish,” Fuller said. “We looked liked we just had Christmas and eaten a whole turkey and were ready for some sleep.”

The Lady Vikes had beaten Crystal Springs by 24 in an earlier season meeting, and never trailed in this one. WC made 9-of-15 shots to open the quarter with a 20-4 lead. They made just 3-of-14 shots in the second quarter, which allowed Crystal Springs to hang around, down just 27-13 at the half.

Louisiana Tech signee, Sha’Kayla Caples, could not knock down a perimeter shot, but standout point guard Karnina Bunch hit a pair of treys in the first quarter and Ricille Davis had eight of her 11 points in the first half.

Caples came alive in the third quarter with 12 points, including a three-basket spurt that knocked the lead out to 20 points at 39-19.

A Bailey Anderton putback with 6:40 to go put WC up 44-24. Crystal Springs responded with its last run of the game as Marshanti Walker blew by her Lady Vike defender three straight times to make it 44-30 with 5:39 left.

After Fuller called time, Caples took one of 12 assists from Bunch to hit a runner and then followed it up by hitting a 17-footer for an 18-point lead.

A long shot from Tomi Fuller gave WC its largest lead of the game at 53-30 with 2:45 left.

“We had just one day of practice after a long break, so that’s why we played like we did,” said Bunch, who ended with nine points, 12 assists and three steals.

Bunch had a light-hearted moment in the waning minutes when she fired a pass to Caples, who was not looking.

“I didn’t mean to throw it so hard, and she, wasn’t looking back,” Bunch said of the pass, that missed Caples’ head, and caromed into the lobby.

Caples finished with 26 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks. D.D. Eatmon had just three points, but did grab five rebounds, four steals and passed out six assists.

Walker led the Lady Tigers with 20 points.

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Contact Jeff Byrd at jbyrd@vicksburgpost.com