Lady Bulldogs, Lady Tigers compete in Optimist Shootout

By Shelia Mader

Malone’s Indya Barnes dodges a grab by Marianna’s Ja'Shonna Mathis.

The Marianna and Malone girls’ basketball teams had the opportunity to compete on a bigger stage as part of the Jackson County Optimist Shootout, an event that gave local teams the chance to play in a large arena setting, the Milton H. Johnson Center.

Marianna opened the Shootout against Walton and wasted little time making its presence known, rolling to a convincing 55-25 victory in the opening game.

The Lady Bulldogs set the tone early, taking a 14-7 lead after the first quarter. They continued to build momentum in the second, outscoring Walton 12-3 to head into the locker room with a 26-10 advantage at halftime. Marianna stayed in control after the break, outscoring Walton 29-15 in the second half to secure the lopsided win.

Ja’Shonna Mathis led Marianna with 16 points. Harmoni Gibson and Dessiah Gee each added 11 points, while Andrea Groomes rounded out the Lady Bulldogs in double figures with 10 points.

Game two of the Shootout featured a county matchup, with Marianna and Malone battling for local bragging rights. When the final buzzer sounded, Marianna came away with a 42-23 win over a young but determined Malone squad.

Marianna jumped out to a 15-2 lead in the opening quarter, quickly establishing control of the game. The Lady Bulldogs carried a 25-6 lead into halftime. Malone responded with a stronger showing in the second half, matching Marianna point for point with 17 each, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.

Ya’Laysha Barnes led Malone with 12 points, while Indya Barnes added five.

For Marianna, Dessiah Gee and Harmoni Gibson finished with 12 points apiece. Ladeserai Hayes contributed nine points, followed by Ja’Shonna Mathis with six.