By Robert Wilson
MCCOMB – The Parklane Academy girls basketball team gave a loud message to the teams from the North MAIS Class 5A like defending MAIS Overall Tournament champion East Rankin Academy, MAIS Class 5A and Overall contender Leake Academy, and traditional successful programs like Pillow Academy and Simpson Academy:
These Lady Pioneers from the South, led by leading scorers freshman guard Carlyle Carruth and junior guard Zoe Arnold, can play and believe they can make a run at a state girls basketball championship, something the school has never done in its history.
And if they play in the postseason like they did Friday night, Parklane could wind up holding the 5A state championship trophy instead of East Rankin, Leake, Pillow or Simpson.
Parklane’s starters shot a red-hot 61.4 percent from the field and defeated MAIS Class 5A, District 3 rival Oak Forest, La., Academy 67-39 in a battle for first place in the region before an estimated 1,100 at Parklane’s gym.
Parklane improved to 16-4 overall and 6-1 in district play and avenged its only district loss, a 53-49 decision Dec. 7 at Oak Forest. Parklane’s other losses are to defending MAIS Class 6A state champion Jackson Prep, 2024 6A state runner-up and Overall runner-up Madison-Ridgeland Academy and to Vanderbilt Catholic from Houma, La., in a tournament at Lake Charles, La.
Oak Forest dropped to 15-11 overall and 5-2 in district play.
The 5-foot-11 Carruth and the 5-7 Alford combined for 39 points and made 16 of 27 shots from the field (59.3 percent), 4 of 9 from 3-point range (44.4 percent), and 3 of 3 from free throw line (100 percent) with 9 assists, 7 rebounds, 5 steals, and 4 blocked shots before both leaving the game with 5 minutes, 40 seconds to play and Parklane comfortably ahead.
Carruth – the niece of former Parklane, University of Alabama and Green Bay Packers running back Paul Ott Carruth and daughter of Missy Brewer Carruth, who was a freshman on Parklane’s only Overall championship team in 1993 – made 10 of 16 shots from the field, 1 of 4 from 3-point range, 3 of 3 from the free throw line, with 4 blocked shots, 3 steals, 3 assists and 3 rebounds. She finished with 24 points, and if she had continued to play, might have broken her career high of 30 points, set last year against Oak Forest as an eighth grader.
This wasn’t a one-time occurrence for Carruth, who plays on the Southern Starz 2028 EYBL team which won the national championship and already has an offer from Southern Miss and is getting interest for several other Division schools. She is averaging 16.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in district play and averaged 11.5 points last year as an eighth grader. Carruth – who can flash past her defender and pull up for a smooth mid-range jumper like an old school, Michael Jordan type player – is considered one of the top players in the South in the Class of 2028. Carruth and her mom aren’t the only basketball players in the family. Older brother Brewer is a freshman on the Southern Miss basketball team this season.
Alford – who can shoot the 3-pointer but also has the quickness and ability to drive to the basket – connected on 6 of 11 shots from the field, 3 of 5 from 3-point range, including 3-pointers at the buzzer at the end of the first and second quarters. She also had 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and finished with 15 points. Alford – who offers from Southwest Mississippi Community College and Copiah-Lincoln Community College – is averaging 20.4 points, and 4.6 assists per game in district play this year and averaged
The talented duo combined for 29 points in the first half to lead Parklane to an impressive, 43-19 halftime lead.
Southern Miss softball commitment Anna Sawyer – a 5-11 junior center whose mother, Kim Weaver Sawyer, was a senior on Parklane’s Overall title team in 1993 and late father, Justin Sawyer, played football at Ole Miss – made 6 of 7 shots from the field and had 14 points.
Parklane did a superb job of passing the ball against Oak Forest, and had 20 assists out of 27 made shots, led by Alford and 5-5 senior guard Sydney Brewer, Carruth’s first cousin, with six assists each.
Parklane finished third in the state tournament and reached the Overall tournament last year and are hoping to reach new heights this season.
“I’m very proud of how our team is playing right now,” said Parklane coach Vicki Rutland, who played basketball at Forest Hill High for current Madison St. Joseph coach Tommy Groves, played softball and was a cheerleader at Delta State and has coached basketball, softball and has been an athletic director at Lumberton, West Marion, Northeast Jones, and Lawrence County before coming to Parklane for years ago. “We have focused on improving in three areas – better defensive fundamentals, offensive rebounding, and patience on offense. I feel like we have accomplished all of these things in the last few crucial district contests. Our girls are playing with more confidence, trusting each other, and having fun every time they step on the floor. I couldn’t be more proud of their work ethic and dedication to the team. It’s definitely paying off for us as we prepare to enter postseason play. We know how competitive the MAIS Class 5A field is this year and have worked extremely hard to be in the hunt. We are looking forward to hosting South State in February. Our team feeds off the energy of our fans and although we travel well, there’s nothing like playing on our home court. We encourage everyone to come out for some exciting basketball and support their favorite team.”
Parklane’s girls wanted this win, especially after losing to Oak Forest earlier this season.
“Our mentality was different,” Carruth said. “We had a game plan and we stuck to it. We focused on our defense and sharing the ball on offense. We really worked the ball better in this game. We were really eager and motivated to win.”
“We have been working on moving the ball all week and focusing on rebounding,” Alford said. “We were all so unselfish and always looked for the open man. Every player played their best and really just wanted the team to win no matter what. The whole team was so motivated because our first game against OFA. We just wanted to show them that we were the better team. We just had an off night.”
It was Oak Forest’s night to be off Friday. Parklane jumped out to a 10-1 lead and never looked back.
“I thought in the last matchup, we were more focused and active team,” Oak Forest coach Ace Misita said. “Parklane came out tonight with great energy and really got after us. They made a few shots early and got them going. We didn’t do ourselves any favors with our lack of effort and focus but sometimes you have to just tip your hat that the other team is making plays. Hopefully, we can regroup and focus and be ready for a big conference game against Brookhaven Academy Saturday.”
Junior Brooke Pekete had 12 points, all in the first half, and junior Carlie Turner had eight points for Oak Forest.
