By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Nov. 2, 2002
CHOCTAW – Don't look now, but the Choctaw Central Lady Warriors have gotten their groove back.
Choctaw Central opened its 2002-03 basketball season with a 90-75 win over preseason No. 1 Hancock Saturday night at the sixth-annual Choctaw Classic at CCHS.
Several other teams passed on the chance to play the Lady Hawks, but Choctaw Central didn't mind the challenge.
Hancock led 41-28 late in the first half and carried a 45-34 lead into halftime. Both teams were plagued with fouls in the first half as the Lady Warriors were whistled 17 times and Hancock 16.
By the end of the game, seven players would exit on fouls, including five from Hancock, as 65 fouls were called.
The Lady Warriors took a 63-62 lead on a 3-pointer from Chantay Frazier with 7:11 remaining. A 6-0 run extended the lead to 69-63 with six minutes to go.
The Lady Warriors made 12 of their first 13 free throws in the final period to go up 81-67 with only 2:10 left.
Frazier, a sophomore, led the Lady Warriors with a game-high 36 points. Willa Thomas had 18, Ashley Flint 12, and Tamara Chickaway seven.
Hancock was led by 5-foot-7 senior Devin Necaise's 31 points. Letisha Shiyou, a 6-foot-1 senior, scored 17.
SEL 82
Terry 74
The Lady Tigers trailed 21-14 after one period and were down 60-57 heading into the fourth quarter before rallying for the win. Southeast scored the game's final seven points to pull away from a 75-74 lead.
Shalonda Mitchell, a 5-foot-9 junior, scored 25 points and Samantha Smith, a 5-foot-5 junior, had 22 to lead Southeast. Mitchell had 13 points in the fourth quarter as Southeast outscored the Lady Bulldogs 25-14.
The Lady Tigers also got 17 points from Lashondra Hall, 10 from Stacy Tate, and eight from Tiawana Pringle.
Jamie Sanders led Terry with 26 points. Jasmine Lindsey scored 23 and Ebony Martin had 12.
Newton County 48
Kosciusko 37
Newton County outscored Kosciusko 16-9 in the second quarter to take a 25-16 lead into halftime.
Andrea Dubose led the Lady Cougars with 17 points. She had seven points in the third quarter and was 5-of-6 at the free-throw line in the fourth. Newton County also got nine points from Kristin Chaney and eight from Dominique Mapp.
Hope McDill led the Lady Whippets with 14 points. Robin Dawson and Martina Perteet both had eight for Kosciusko.
Columbus 59
Wayne County 38
Columbus showed its 43-33 win over Wayne County in the semifinals of the 2002 Class 5A state tournament was no fluke as the sixth-ranked Lady Falcons beat the No. 3 Lady War Eagles by 21.
Columbus led 19-8 after one quarter and outscored Wayne County in each period.
The Lady Falcons hit seven 3-pointers. Michelle Poindexter led Columbus with 16 points. Courtney Shelton scored 15, Brittany Wilson 13, and Dianca Jones nine.
Louisville 70
West Lowndes 60
Louisville outscored the Lady Panthers 28-17 in the fourth quarter to take the 10-point win. Six-foot junior Dee Forrest led the No. 14 Lady Wildcats with 37 points. She scored 11 in the first quarter as Louisville jumped out to a 19-13 lead and had 13 in the fourth quarter as the Lady Wildcats erased a 43-42 deficit.
Louisville also got 14 points from Erica Hardin and 11 from Kim Mullins.
South Leake 62
Velma Jackson 52
The Wildkittens jumped out to a 17-7 lead in beating Velma Jackson by 10. Tierra Young, a 5-foot-7 junior, led South Leake with 27 points, 11 of which came in the first quarter.
South Leake also got 14 points from Kia Alexander and nine from Kasenda Overstreet.
Velma Jackson got 16 points from Sunyetta Bowie, 10 from Adrienne Walker, and nine from Cynthia Douglas.
Yazoo County 53
Forest 41
In a rematch of the 2000 Class 3A state championship game, Yazoo County outscored Forest 41-28 over the final three periods to again come out on top. Michelle Spires led the Lady Panthers with 19 points.