GOLDSTON — Gianna McManama pumped in 14 points and Theryn Elmore added 11 more as Margaret Pollard cruised past Horton 42-29 to capture the 2019 Chatham County Middle School Tournament crown. at J.S. Waters School in Goldston.
Pollard, which also won the regular season title, outscored Horton in every quarter after trailing 8-5 after one.
Te’Keyah Bland scored all eight points for the Wildcats in the opening stanza to offset three from McManama and a basket from Sydney Ballard.
In the second, Bland continued to produce for Horton as the talented eighth grader collected seven points to go along with a basket each from Keaghan Wilcox and Asia Allen.
Pollard would use seven points, including a trey, from Allen, six more from Khasidy Boston, and a bucket from Sklar Adams to take a 15-11 advantage in the second, and a narrow 20-19 lead at the intermission.
The Mustangs came out blazing in the third, sparked by a trey and seven points from McManama, thee foul shots by Adams, and a field goal from Boston to post a 12-6 run in the period.
Wilcox had four points for Horton in the quarter and Bland a bucket, but the Wildcats fell further behind at 32-25 entering the fourth.
In the final stanza, Pollard wrapped up the title with a 10-4 surge behind four points each from McManama and Elmore, and a bucket from Boston.
Bland had all four points for the Wildcats in the final period.
Boston chipped in eight points and Adams seven more for the victors.
Horton was led by a game-high 21 points from Bland.