ROBERSONVILLE — A slow start threatened to derail top-seeded Plymouth’s path to the Four Rivers Conference tournament title game but a dominant second quarter performance kept the Vikings on track as they sped past No. 5 Camden 56-30 in the semifinal round.
Desire Chesson poured in a game-high 16 points for Plymouth (19-3), who had a total of nine players post points as it advanced to tonight’s championship game at 6 p.m. at South Creek High School.
“This time of year we just want to win and advance,” Plymouth coach Lamont Gilliam said. “I’m just happy for the girls. They’ve worked hard to get to this point.”
The Vikings, who are ranked 20th in the state by MaxPreps.com, entered the game hot having won five straight, but got off to a sluggish start as they managed only six points in the first eight minutes. The good news for Plymouth was that it was able to hold the Bruins to just two.
“We just came out flat,” Gilliam said. “We just couldn’t make any shots.”
Plymouth did a 180 in the second quarter where it seemingly couldn’t miss and with every made shot the Vikings were able to set up their suffocating press.
“In order for us to get into our pressure defense we have to make shots,” Gilliam said. “In the second quarter we started scoring the ball getting some turnovers for layups.”
The Vikings went full speed ahead in the second as they pieced together an 18-2 run and jumped ahead 24-3 after a three-pointer by Shamika Busknight with 1:24 left in the first half.
By halftime the game was out of reach for Camden as it trailed 24-8 and showed no signs of being able to make up the deficit.
In the second half Gilliam was able to empty his bench and rest his starters for Friday’s title game.
“It’s always good when you can get everybody in the game, especially this time of the year,” Gilliam said. “

Camden    2    6    12    10    —    30
Plymouth    6    18    14    18    —    56
Bruins (30)
Moore 4, Pipkin 7, Hassell 8, Lewis 2, Jackson 2, McDaniels 5, Harrell 1, Mercer 1.
Vikings (56)
Desire Chesson 16, Barrow 4, Dixon 4, Busknight 5, Davis 3, Simpson 4, Curry 7, Cooper 3, Smallwood 7.