By Staff
ON THE FLOOR Meridian's Dana Cox (bottom) and Livingston's Kendra Harris (top) battle for ball possession during the first half. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
Nov. 12, 2003
The Meridian High School Wildcats and Lady Wildcats tipped off their home-basketball schedules in outstanding fashions.
The Wildcats (2-0) kept their record spotless with an 82-53 victory over the Livingston (Ala.) High School Cougars (0-1), and the Lady Wildcats (1-1) picked up their first win of the season with an 83-38 whitewashing of the Lady Cougars (0-1).
The closest the Wildcats felt in terms of residences in their game was a 2-0 lead the Cougars took before the first whistle.
Meridian High had a player charged with a technical foul prior to tip off of the boys' night capper, and Livingston's Peter Miller sank both free throws to take the lead before the clock started moving.
The Wildcats quickly put the pre-game miscue behind them and took a 22-14 lead at the end of the opening quarter. Meridian High outscored Livingston 14-6 in the closing four minutes of the first for the lead.
Meridian High continued to keep the pressure on Livingston in the second quarter, allowing the Cougars just 10 points in the final eight minutes of the first half.
The Wildcats finished the first half with a 41-24 lead, and they had forced the Cougars to commit 11 turnovers in the game's opening 16 minutes.
Meridian High's large halftime lead allowed Watson to use 14 players in the early season contest.
Jocoby Davis and Bryant Washington paced Meridian High's offense with 13 points each, and Cornelius Miles, Chris Leggett and Maurice Nayler each added 11 in the win.
Roland Fitch scored a game-high 15 points for Livingston, and Miller added 10 for the Cougars.
In the girls' contest, Meridian High jumped out to an 11-2 lead four minutes into the first quarter and never looked back.
Lady Wildcats center Courtney Wade lead the way with 13 points and eight rebounds, and Brittany Kennedy chipped in 10 in the win.
Meridian High's Sade Coates scored nine points, and Alexis Clemons added eight, as Lady Wildcats head coach Donald Shirley was able to use 15 players in the game.
Meridian High cruised to a 33-17 lead by the end of the first half, and the Lady Wildcats outscored the Lady Cougars 50-21 in the game's final 16 minutes.
The Lady Wildcats forced 19 turnovers in the win, and 12 of the 15 players used scored at least one point for Meridian High.
Kendra Harris tallied a team-high 12 points for Livingston, and Keshia Harris added 11 in the loss.
The Wildcats and Lady Wildcats continue their seasons on the road against Quitman on Friday.