By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
June 29, 2003
DECATUR The Cougars found their three-point stroke at the perfect time during the State Games of Mississippi on Saturday.
In the final game of the day at its home gym, the Newton County High School basketball team nailed two three-pointers a minute apart in the final three minutes of its 63-60 win over the Choctaw Central Warriors.
The Cougars finished Pool IV play with a perfect 5-0 mark to advance to the semifinals against Meridian High School at 10:15 p.m. today at Meridian Community College.
Chase Slaughter broke a 51-51 tie by nailing a three-pointer with 2:47 left in the game to put the Cougars up 54-51.
Choctaw Central's Sean Ahshapanek brought Newton County's lead down to two on the ensuing possession by hitting a jumper.
Cougars center James Broach gave his squad a four-point lead with 1:44 left in the game when he wandered away from his normal spot on the blocks.
Broach ventured to the right corner of the court to hit another three for Newton County, and the Cougars never looked back.
Craig Pruitt led the Cougars' charge out of Pool IV play with a game-high 20 points, and Broach and Ricardo Alcanter added 16 and 13, respectively.
Ahshapanek tallied a team-high 12 points for Choctaw Central, and Scotty Nickey and Joseph Martin added 10 and nine, respectively.
Newton County boys 61
Jefferson County 48
The Cougars had to dig deep in their first contest of the third day of the State Games basketball tournament to keep their unblemished mark intact.
Newton County entered the second half leading Jefferson County 32-22, but heavy defensive pressure by the Tigers forced Slaughter to burn a timeout four minutes into the final half.
The Cougars were able to regroup and break down the Tigers' press to notch the win.
Pruitt led Newton County's offensive push with a team-high 16 points, and Ricardo Alcanter added 13. Broach scored 12 points for the Cougars, and Jose Alcanter notched 10.
Josh Nichols tallied a game-high 21 points for Jefferson County, and Quintin Key and Chris Carradine added eight and six, respectively.
Bay Springs boys 49
William Sullivan 48
The Bay Springs boys' basketball team didn't let an eight-point deficit with eight minutes left in the game keep it from staying a perfect 4-0 in its opening four games in Pool III play.
Bulldogs forward Reggie Shellwood tied the game at 46 on a breakaway dunk, with 1:13 left in the game.
Shellwood struck again with 11 ticks on the clock hitting a layup to produce the final margin of victory, after the defense turned away William Sullivan's attempt to get the ball into the low post.
Ben Jones scored 12 points to lead Bay Springs offense, and Regis Huddleson and Phillip Simms each notched 11.
Markendrick Bell scored a team-high 12 points for William Sullivan, and Marcello Green added nine.
Bay Springs girls 52
Newton County 47
Quaya Payton tallied a team-high 15 points for Bay Springs, and Kristi Martin and Nadosha Strickland added 11 and eight, respectively, for the Lady Bulldogs in the win.
Andrea DuBose scored a game-high 18 for Newton County, and Dominque Mapp tallied 17 in the loss. Danielle Gaddis added seven points for the Lady Cougars.
Pillow Academy girls 46
Newton County 38
Pillow Academy hit five three-pointers, with three coming in the first half, to notch the win over Newton County.
Meg Flanagan, who connected on four of the Lady Mustangs' three-pointers, scored a game-high 12 points. Mary Claire Taylor, Stribling Whites and Katie Buford each tallied eight points for Pillow Academy.
Neisha Ramsey scored a team-high 10 points for Newton County, and Andrea DuBose and Danielle Gaddis each added nine.
Bay Springs girls 47
Nanih Waiya 33
Nadosha Strickland scored a game-high 15 points for Bay Springs to lead her team to victory over Nanih Waiya, and Leatrice Ulmer added 10 points for the Lady Bulldogs.
Heather Steele scored a team-high 12 points for Nanih Waiya, and Christy Hickman added 11.