By By Marty Stamper / staff writer
November 10, 2004
DECATUR The first 31 minutes of the Newton-Newton County boys' basketball game Tuesday were pretty much uneventful, as the Tigers held a 62-56 lead and many fans were headed toward the exits.
After the host Cougars put together an 8-0 run, however, it took a 3-pointer from Newton's Walter McDonald with five seconds left to give the Tigers the win.
Newton led 6-3 after a cold-shooting first quarter. The teams were even at 22 going into halftime. Newton pulled out to a 43-37 lead by the end of the third quarter and held a 52-43 advantage with 5:37 to play after back-to-back 3-pointers from Brandon Shelton.
Fred Moore's 3-pointer with 61 seconds remaining cut the Tigers' lead to 62-59. Willie Windham stole the ball and made a free throw to pull the Cougars to within two points with 44 seconds left.
A Newton turnover led to a three-point play by Windham for a 63-62 Cougar lead with 24 seconds showing.
Moore made it 64-62 with a free throw with six seconds left.
Only one second had elapsed when McDonald buried his 3-pointer from the left corner for the win.
Newton (1-0) got 14 points from Shelton, 13 from Kolby Tillman, 10 from Derrick Murrell, nine from McDonald, and eight from Jermario Walker.
Newton County (0-2) got 19 points from Windham, 16 from Devarius Walker, 13 from Ottis Harrison, and 12 from Jamail Holder.
Newton (girls) 67
Newton County 54
Newton used a 19-5 third-period advantage to beat Newton County in the girls' contest.
It was the second-straight game for the third quarter to doom the Lady Cougars as they were outscored 31-13 by Vicksburg in an 86-77 loss Saturday.
Porter saw room for improvement for his team as well.
Newton got 14 points from Nicole Williams, including a 3-pointer that put the Lady Tigers up 54-41 to end the third period. Jessica Anderson and Tawayatha Evans both had 13 points, while Chotsani Henderson added 12.
Newton (2-0) led by as many as 18 points in the fourth quarter after trailing 36-32 late in the first half.
Newton County (1-2) got 19 points from Lynnesha Ramsey and eight from Andrea Dubose.