By By Jeff Byrd/The Meridian Star
Nov, 11, 2001
A potent inside/outside game handed Northeast Lauderdale a commanding 21-point lead in the fourth quarter in its basketball game with home-standing West Lauderdale on Saturday night. However, a lack of ball-handling guards nearly cost the Trojans a valuable road win.
West Lauderdale came roaring back in the final six minutes, trimming the 21-deficit all the way down to three at 78-75. But Greg Powell's free throw with 14 seconds left held off the rally as the Trojans escaped with the 79-75 win.
Northeast moves to 2-0 on the season. For the Knights, it was their season opener.
Knights Head Coach Duran Clark was proud of his team's willingness to fight back from the large deficit.
The game was fairly close through the first half and into the early moments of the third quarter. West trailed just 36-33 when Northeast's Dekenno Winston fired a three-pointer from the corner. A bank shot by Jamall Martin followed by another trey from Winston handed the Trojans a 49-37 lead.
Martin came back with a three of us own folliowing a Knight basket to make it 52-39. The Trojans went on to close out the quarter with a 59-46 lead.
Another trey by Winston, his sixth of the night, handed the Trojans their largest lead at 21, 67-46 with 6:20 to go.
Instead of folding up, the Knights responded with a 12-2 run to get the margin back to 11 at 69-58 with 3:45 left. It was 73-63 with 2:34 left when Calvin Moore nearly stole away the game scoring the Knights' final 12 points.
Most came on cutting lay-ups or makes from the free throw line. His final four points trimmed a 78-71 deficit to 78-75 with 15 seconds left.
The Trojans managed to get the ball inbounds and Powell was fouled. He made one of two to seal the victory.
Moore finished with a game high 31 points. He made nine field goals and was 13 of 18 from the line. Boo Ramsey had a hand in the comeback as well hitting a pair of three-pointers in the fourth quarter. He ended with 13 points.
Andre Adams had 12 and Karlos Lewis had 10 for the Knights.
Winston led the Trojans wtih 26. Martin had 17 followed by Marcus Betts with 14 while Sanchez Clayton and Powell each had seven.
West Lauderdale girls 54,
Northeast Lauderdale 44
Eighth ranked West Lauderdale opened its season with a 54-44 win over the Northeast Lauderdale Lady Trojans on Saturday night.
The Lady Knights were able to overcome a slugglsh shooting night, which saw them miss 10 easy lay-ups and 15 free throws, by getting a balanced effort from five players who scored at least seven points.
Kristina Gardner led the Lady Knights with 12 points. Shannon Lloyd had 11 while point guard Patty Monroe chipped in nine and J.J. Huggins had eight.
West led throughout the game and held a 34-29 halftime lead. Northeast clawed back to within one at 32-31 following a free throw by Crystal Hopson.
West answered getting a basket from Jawanda Huggins and a three-pointer from Monroe to go up 37-31. They then went on to close out the quarter on a 7-4 spurt to lead 44-35 after three quarters.
Northeast would get it back to seven on a couple occassions in the final quarter but could not draw any closer.
Shaquita Bell had 17 points to lead the Lady Trojans. Quinn Jackson had 11.