By By Marty Stamper/EMG sports assistant
December 6, 2003
DECATUR The Newton County Cougars erased a 12-point first half deficit to take a controversial 65-64 win over Southeast Lauderdale in the semifinals of the East Central Classic Friday night at East Central Community College.
Tied 64-64, Southeast missed a shot from close range for the win in the closing seconds and was called for a foul on the rebound with 0.0 seconds on the clock. Southeast coach Ryan Miller also received a technical foul after returning to the playing floor near midcourt after being ordered off it by a game official.
Newton County's James Broach made the first of a possible four free throws to end the game.
Southeast led 20-17 after one quarter and held a 39-30 halftime lead after being up 39-27 before a Newton County 3-point basket.
Three-pointers enabled the Cougars to get back in the game as they hit five in the second half. Shammond Jones hit three after intermission and finished with five for the game.
The 6-1 Cougars got 15 points each from Broach, Jones, and Craig Pruitt, and got eight more from Jose Alcanter.
Southeast, 5-5, got 14 points apiece from Windham Campbell, Lamar Crowell, and Chris Gordon. B.B. Brassfield tossed in 12.
Newton girls 56
West Lauderdale 48
The Lady Knights defeated Newton 62-37 on Nov. 25 at Collinsville, but the Lady Tigers dominated from the start in the rematch.
Newton led 13-8 after one quarter, held a 24-18 halftime advantage, and upped its lead to 45-31 by the end of the third quarter.
Rosalind Jones led Newton, 7-2, with 20 points. Jessica Anderson scored 13, Whitney Thames had 12, and Tawayatha Evans added seven.
West, 8-3, got 24 points from Vankeila Wilson, 10 from Lloyd, and seven from Kaihia Fitch.
West boys 64
Morton 52
The Knights steadily pulled away from the Panthers, outscoring them in each of the first three quarters. West led 16-12 after one period, 33-28 at halftime, and 49-36 to start the fourth quarter.
West got 15 points from Mark Ford, 13 from Lee Nelson, 12 from Chris Seaphus, and 11 from Kolin Boyd.
Morton, 3-3, got 17 points from Shay Hodge, 15 from Chris Lloyd, and six each from J.D. Ficklin and Cory Steele.
Southeast girls 60
Northeast 34
Southeast outscored Northeast in each quarter to improve to 10-0.
The Lady Tigers carried a 28-17 lead into halftime and extended their advantage to 42-23 by the end of the third quarter.
Southeast got 14 points from LaShondra Hall, 13 from Stacy Tate, nine each from Queta Reed and Samantha Smith, and seven from Shalonda Mitchell.
Northeast, 6-4 with three losses to Southeast, got 11 points from Shaquita Bell, who left the game with 2:17 showing in the first half due to an injury to her left foot. The Lady Trojans also got eight points from Crystal Hopson.