PEARL — In the course of a long losing streak, some defeats are easier to accept than others.

There are nights where one team is simply better than another, and no amount of hustle or luck can change it.

And then there are nights like Tuesday.

The Porters Chapel Lady Eagles flew to the basketball, overcame a big size advantage to outrebound Park Place and built a double-digit lead — then watched it all come undone with a second-half swoon that led to yet another loss.

Carlie Steele scored all 11 of her points in the second half, Savannah Harris grabbed 14 rebounds and scored five of her seven points in the last 3½ minutes, as Park Place rallied to beat PCA 27-21.

Claire Mims had 11 points, six rebounds and four steals for PCA, which remained winless this season and has not won since beating Park Place in December 2010.

“It’s kind of disappointing, because we had that game. It definitely could’ve been ours. God works through you, and I guess it wasn’t meant to be,” said PCA senior guard Marshedia Graise, who grabbed 10 rebounds. “We’re going to get one before it’s done.”

This one was there for the taking, but slipped away from the Lady Eagles. They led 14-3 late in the second quarter and kept the lead until Steele hit a baseline jumper to give Park Place a 17-16 edge with 47 seconds to go in the third.

The turning point came midway through the second quarter. During a break in the action, Park Place coach Wayne Graves asked the referees to check the basketball. It turned out the teams had been playing with a boys ball for nearly 12 minutes of game time.

Park Place was 1-for-17 shooting from the field at that point, but hit two 3-pointers before halftime and went into the locker room down 16-9.

“I think we played better with the boys ball,” PCA coach E.J. Creel said with a laugh. “We were killing it from the outside. I think momentum changed from that point. As soon as they flipped the ball, (Park Place) hit a three over here and then another one.”

PCA did not score at all in the third quarter, nor in the last four minutes of the game. It hit just 7 of 55 shots in the game, and was 2-for-27 in the second half.

After Mims hit a 3-pointer to tie it at 21 with 4:10 remaining, Harris hit three free throws and Steele made one to help Park Place (4-14, 2-7 District 5-A) pull away. Harris added a basket at the buzzer for the final margin.

“I’m so proud of them. That team beat us by 25 the first time we played them,” Creel said. “They had a few more shooters than we did, and we played them a good, solid, tough game. I wish we played them again. We just don’t know what it takes to win because all the teams are so much better than us. All in all, what more could you ask for? I’m almost as happy as if we would’ve won. That’s the best we’ve played all year.”

(B) Porters Chapel 55,

Park Place 35

P.J. Lassiter scored 17 points to lead four Porters Chapel players in double figures, and the Eagles (14-2, 12-0 District 5-A) remained perfect in district play with an easy win over Park Place (7-8, 4-5).

PCA crept out to a 15-point lead at halftime, then cruised in the second half. Park Place only got as close as 13 points, at 35-22, late in the third quarter. Ted Brisco hit a shot, and Peter Harris converted two steals into breakaway layups on consecutive possessions to push the lead to 19 points. Park Place never threatened again.

Harris finished with 16 points and six steals for PCA, and Brisco had 10 points and 11 rebounds. Talbot Buys added 10 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots.