JACKSON — When the Choctaw Central Lady Warriors decide to step on the gas, everybody else seems to just grow distant in the rear-view mirror.

The Lady Warriors used a 43-14 second-half domination to whip Hazlehurst 73-44 in the Class 3A State Tournament semifinals Tuesday night at the Mississippi Coliseum.

The Lady Warriors advance to the Class 3A state championship contest Saturday at 1 p.m. against the winner of today’s game between Southeast Lauderdale (33-3) and Byhalia (26-6).

“It doesn’t matter who we play now,” Choctaw Central head coach Walter Wilson said. “It’s a championship game.”

After going down 3-2 on a 3-pointer by Hazlehurst guard Sheba Smith, the two-time defending state champion Lady Warriors ran off eight straight points to go up 10-3 and led 21-12 at the end of the first quarter behind nine points from Mystee Dale and six from Shyatesa York.

York hit her third 3-pointer for a 24-12 lead just 46 seconds into the second quarter, but the Lady Warrior offense spit and sputtered for the remainder of the period.

The Lady Warriors managed just six more points in the quarter, four coming on baskets by Dale, as Hazlehurst used an 18-4 run to go up 30-28 with 34 seconds left in the half.

A basket by Dale, who led the Lady Warriors with a game-high 31 points, sent the teams into halftime tied at 30.

Deonna Isaac opened the second half with a basket for Choctaw Central, 32-6.

Hazlehurst got to within a point before the Lady Warriors began asserting themselves again with a 13-0 run that upped their lead to 46-31 with just over three minutes to play in the third quarter.

The Lady Warriors led 50-35 to start the fourth quarter.

Wilson, wearing his familiar “Big House” black-and-white shoes, said there really weren’t any major changes made at halftime. At least not in game plan.

“I just wanted to get us better focused. I didn’t think we were focused for that first half,” Wilson said. “We came out and looked like we thought it was going to be easy. We just kind of lost it in that second quarter. They just took it to us.”

Hazlehurst not only outscored the Lady Warriors 18-9 in the second quarter, the Lady Indians also had a 13-4 rebounding advantage. Only seven Hazlehurst turnovers and six missed free throws by the Lady Indians kept Choctaw Central in striking range.

“We tried to get together at halftime and get back focused and play the way we’re capable of playing,” Wilson said.

“Thank God for Mystee Dale. She put on a show. We tried to get her inside and get her some buckets and she did.

“We just had to get jump started. When we did, it finally got going.”

And once the Lady Warriors got going, all Hazlehurst could do was play chase when Choctaw Central began spreading the floor with just over three minutes showing in the third quarter and watch as the Lady Warriors continued to find and make open shots.

The Lady Warriors led by as many as 30 points in the final period.

“I really knew that our seniors wanted another ring, so I just had to step it up and play harder,” said Dale, who scored nine points in each of the first, third and fourth quarters. “We just had to get warmed up the first half. At halftime, (coach Wilson) talked to us and we got more confidence in ourself and just stepped it up.

“I think it got to our heads at first, but once they tied it up, we got a little nervous and knew we had to pull it out and that’s what we did.”

In addition’s to Dale’s 31 points and five rebounds, the Lady Warriors also got 18 points and four rebounds from York.

“She injured her finger a little bit. She’s got to tough it out. She’s got to play now,” Wilson said.

Isaac added 12 points and six rebounds. Ria Willis had four points.

Hazlehurst held a 35-28 advantage on the boards, but the Lady Indians committed 23 turnovers to 20 for the Lady Warriors. Four of Choctaw Central’s throwaways came after Wilson emptied his bench with 2:03 left.

Hazlehurst, 29-7, got 13 points from Smith, eight from Lateisha Pendleton and six from Yashunda Williams. Pendleton also had a team-high seven rebounds.

The Lady Indians, who were 1-of-12 at the free-throw line in a 64-48 Class 3A South State semifinal loss to Choctaw Central, continued to struggle at the line, making only 8-of-23 free throws. Choctaw Central was 11-of-15 at the line.