Okolona High School secured a narrow 50-47 victory over Simmons High School in the 1A Girls semifinal on Monday, March 2, 2026. The game was part of the semifinals of the 2026 MHSAA Basketball Tournament.
Okolona established an early lead, outscoring Simmons in the first half and maintaining an advantage after three quarters. Simmons mounted a strong comeback attempt in the fourth quarter but fell short.
Simmons relied on Sariyah Alexander, who scored 25 points. Okolona responded with key performances from Sanaa Chandler, who led her team with 20 points, and Braelyn Shumpert, who added 10.
The box score shows that Okolona shot 19 for 44 from the field and made three of their twelve attempts from beyond the arc. They converted three free throws out of thirteen attempts and collected a total of 34 rebounds. Simmons finished with an overall shooting performance of 18 for 55 from the field and made two three-pointers on eight attempts. The team also grabbed a total of 41 rebounds.
This result allows Okolona to advance further in the tournament while ending Simmons’ run this season.
“The semifinals of the 2026 MHSAA Basketball Tournament was held on Monday, March 2, 2026. Photo by Keith Warren”
