TIGER SHOOTOUT; JACKSON GIRLS TOP ROSARY

In an 18-point win over Oakville Friday night, the state-ranked Jackson Lady Indians didn't have to play their best game and didn't.

Facing undefeated and Class 3A No. 1 Rosary of St. Louis Saturday afternoon in the opening game of the Tiger Classic, the Lady Indians -- ranked eighth in 4A -- knew they needed a better effort.

Well ...

Jackson shot 54 percent, held Rosary to just 33 percent shooting and rolled past the previously undefeated Lady Rebels 59-45 at the Tiger Fieldhouse.

"It was like night and day from last night," said Jackson coach Ron Cook, referring to the 53-35 Oakville win Friday. "We couldn't buy a bucket and got frustrated the other night."

Christa Millham and Cherish Tillman led the way for Jackson, which improved to 11-1. Millham scored 11 points in the fourth quarter to total a game-high 16. Tillman worked the inside for 15 points.

Rosary, returning four starters from last year's 3A runner-up team, fell to 13-1. Katie Pizzardi led the Lady Rebels with 14 points.

"We didn't play with the intensity we needed at the start of the game," said Rosary coach Rod Sanford. "I told the girls on the bus this would be the best team we played so far, but Jackson clearly had the intensity in their favor."

After taking a 7-5 lead on two free throws by Melissa Palmer with 3:19 left in the first quarter, Jackson never trailed. The Lady Indians built a 14-8 lead by the end of the opening quarter and added to the lead in the second with the help of some hot shooting by guard Dana Eakins.

The 5-foot-5 senior drained two 3-pointers during a 10-0 run midway through the second quarter that staked the Lady Indians to a 27-11 lead with 3:19 left until halftime. Eakins finished with nine points -- all coming on 3-pointers.

"When I'm open I shoot the ball," said Eakins matter-of-factly. "I feel that's part of my job on the floor because even if (the shots) don't go in, the rebounders are there to put them back in."

Jackson took a 29-18 lead into halftime when Millham drove inside and dished to Tillman for a short jumper at the buzzer.

Rosary used its best shooting quarter after halftime to rally within three points late in the third period. Pizzardi scored 10 points in the frame, including two 3-pointers, to get the Lady Rebels to within 41-38 entering the final quarter.

But a 7-0 run to start a rough-and-tumble fourth quarter put Jackson comfortably back ahead 48-38 with less than six minutes left.

"We handled the adversity a lot better, than against Oakville," Cook said. "I told the girls after the game I was proud of them because they played a smart game. We didn't panic when it got close and we were patient."

Apparently it was a lesson learned in the sluggish win at Oakville the previous night.

"Oakville talked dirty to us and we didn't handle it too well," Eakins said. "Coach (Cook) talked to us about that after (the Oakville game) and told us not to let (Rosary) take us out of our game.

"We didn't concentrate on (Rosary's) physical play and what they said to us. What we came here to do is concentrate on our game and do what we needed to do right to come out on top. And that's what we did."