The Regents School of Oxford girls basketball team defeated Delta Academy 64-44 on Saturday to win the MAIS Class AA District 2 championship.

The Lions played stifling defense for four straight quarters, generating plenty of turnovers and holding the Raiders scoreless for long stretches.

“We’ve been working really hard on our man-to-man defense, and they came out and executed exactly what we’ve been working on,” said Regents head coach Luke Buckner. “Even our full court man-to-man, they gave their all.

Regents fell behind 11-9 midway through the first quarter before exploding offensively, going on a 12-0 run between the first and second quarters that opened their lead up to 10. The Lions held Delta Academy scoreless for over five minutes of game time, smothering ball handlers and refusing to allow quality scoring opportunities.

The Raiders responded however, knocking down back-to-back threes to cut the deficit back to just four with five minutes remaining before halftime.

Buckner’s squad answered with another extended run, scoring seven straight points to extend their lead back out to double-digits.

“That run was huge. I told the girls they just like to mess with me sometimes. They cut it back, but then we turned on the gas and didn’t look back,” Buckner said.

The Lions continued to pull away in the second half, outscoring the Raiders 15-8 in the third quarter. They entered the final quarter up 48-31, allowing them to cruise to an easy 64-44 victory.

“It’s been a tough tournament and they had a chance to step up and really push through, and they did,” said Buckner. “They left it all on the court and, as a coach, you can’t ask for much more than that.”

Miracle Joiner led the way for Regents, scoring 24 points while dishing seven assists. The Lions’ star was able to get whatever she wanted on the floor, scoring from all three levels in a dominant performance.

“Miracle, she’s a great girl, very sweet. In more than just the game of basketball, she’s fun to be around, but when she steps on that court she just becomes an animal,” Buckner said. “I tell her all the time “nobody can guard you,’ and as you can see tonight they couldn’t stop her. She could get the rebound, take it all the way down the floor and get the layup, she can shoot in the post and score, she can step out and hit the three, she’s a special player.”

Jamya Fondren was also stellar for the Lions, recording a game-high 25 points while hauling in rebound after rebound.

After the game, Joiner and Fondren were named to the MAIS Class AA District 2 All-Tournament team, along with teammates Natalie Prather and Myla Muerrier.

The Lions clinched the Class AA District 2 championship with the victory, and move on to the MAIS state playoffs next week.