The Silliman Lady Wildcat Basketball team captured two important District 5-AA victories last week over Adams County Christian School and Wilkinson County Christian Academy to remain in a first place tie for the league standings in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS).

With two weeks remaining in regular season, both Silliman and ACCS are tied for first place with 5-1 records.Centreville is in second place with a 3-2 mark while, WCCA is 1-4, and Central Private School is winless at 0-5.

Against ACCS, the Lady Wildcats came away with a narrow 46-44 win.

The Lady Rebels led 10-3 at the end of the first period, but Silliman answered by outscoring ACCS 16-8 in the second quarter to take a narrow 19-18 advantage at the half.

Both teams poured in nine points apiece in the third quarter with Silliman holding onto a one-point edge heading into the fourth period.

The Lady Rebels rallied in the fourth quarter, moving ahead 42-38 with under three minutes left t play.  But the Lady Wildcats answered again when Kylee Dempsey closed the gap with a pair of freethrows to make it 42-40 with 1:30 left to play and would later tie with another pair of freethrows by Dempsey to make it 42-42.  ACCS scored a basket to give the Lady Rebels a 44-42 lead, but the Lady Wildcats answered moments later with a Bradleigh Brignac 10-foot basket in the lane to tie it again at 44-44 with 20 seconds left to play. Silliman’s Ashley Hurst stole the basketball from ACCS on defense and was fouled with two seconds left. Hurst made one freethrow, and Dempsey rebounded the miss and was fouled on a putback attempt.  Demspey made one freethrow to seal the 46-44 win.

Kayla Davidson led Silliman in scoring with 11 points, followed by Brignac with 10 points and 12 rebounds.  Sydney Sones and Dempsey each added eight points, and Hurst netted seven points for the Lady Wildcats.

ACCS won the JV contest with a 50-20 win over Silliman.

The Lady Wildcats defeated Wilkinson County Christian Academy 64-29.

Silliman led 13-10 at the end of the first quarter and then outscored WCCA 23-5 in the second period to take a 36-15 advantage at the half.

Silliman maintained their lead throughout the second half, outgunning WCCA 11-3 in the third quarter and 15-11 in the final period to secure the win.

Brignac led Silliman with 16 points and 12 rebounds.  Sones followed with 13 points, five assists, four steals and one block.  Hurst added nine points and Dempsey finished with eight.  Addie Roberts contributed five points, and Kaitlyn Weaver finished with two points for the Lady Wildcats.

Silliman, now 5-1 in District play and 11-9 overall, will play at Centreville Academy on Friday and then host WCCA Tuesday, Jan 18.