By By Ryan Satcher / staff writer
Nopv. 6, 2002
Quitman and Northeast Lauderdale kicked off the season on Tuesday night with two exciting basketball games. The visitors from Quitman swept homestanding Northeast to start off the season.
The Quitman boys were forced to play without players because football season is still going on, but played good zone defense to take a 48-43 victory.
The Lady Panthers used a good second half of basketball to take the first game of the night 60-44.
In the boys game, Quitman jumped out to a 14-1 lead before Northeast came back to tie in the second half. The Panther defense proved to be too much and Quitman held on for the close victory.
Quitman coach Steve Hampton was pleased with the performance of the inexperienced players that stepped up to fill in for the missing football players.
The Panthers jumped out to a big lead in the first quarter. Northeast scored the first point of the game, but Quitman controlled most of the quarter with a 14-0 run. Northeast scored three points in the final minute of the quarter, but trailed 14-4 after the first.
The Trojans played an improved second quarter and were able to cut the lead with a 10-5 run to start the quarter. Marcus Betts hit six free throws during the run to cut the lead to 19-14. Jonathan White hit two free throws with 16 seconds left in the half to cut the lead to 21-18 at the break.
Betts hit a three-pointer just 30 seconds into the second half to tie the game, but Northeast could not take a lead. Quitman kept the lead during the quarter and scored the final three points of the period to take a 36-31 lead going into the final quarter.
Northeast cut the lead to one point on a bucket by Brian Truman with 5:36 left in the game, but once again could not take a lead. The Panthers went on a 8-0 run to extend the lead to 46-38 with two minutes left.
Prince Trotter scored 16 points to lead Quitman in the victory. Belton Parks added 13 for the Panthers.
Betts finished the game with 16 points and Greg Powell scored 10 for Northeast.
Quitman girls 60
Northeast Lauderdale 44
The Lady Panthers, trailing by eight at halftime, exploded for 34 points in the second half while holding Northeast to only 12 to take a 60-44 victory.
The Lady Panthers opened the game with a 7-2 run to take the lead in a low-scoring first quarter. Northeast was able to answer with a 5-0 run to tie the game with 42 seconds left in the quarter.
Quitman came out and went on a run in the third quarter. The Lady Panthers used baskets from a variety of players to go on 10-2 run in the early minutes of the half. Two free throws by Shalanda Carter tied the game with 5:52 left in the quarter.
After a Northeast bucket, the Lady Panthers took the lead with a three-point play by Evay Blanks. Quitman outscored Northeast 12-3 in the final four minutes of the quarter to take a 49-40 lead at the end of the third.
Quitman held Northeast to just four points in the fourth quarter and put up 11 to go on to the 60-44 victory. Mashona Bonner scored 16 points to lead the Lady Panthers while Kemonica McGee added 13.
Shaquilla Mack scored 10 points in the win.
Bell finished with 16 points for Northeast while Jackson finished with 12.