By By Marty Stamper/The Meridian Star
Dec. 17, 2000
NEWTON The folks at Newton County High are either living so right that Christmas is going to be really special this year or else the Cougar faithful are seriously using up most of the big cat's nine lives.
The Lady Cougars rallied from a six-point deficit in the final minute of regulation to take a 74-72 win in the opener.
The Cougars dug their way out of a 10-point hole to take a 71-67 victory in the second game before a standing room only crowd.
Newton County's girls improved to 14-2, while Newton's Lady Tigers dropped to 8-6. Both boys' teams are 10-3.
Newton hosts Choctaw Central on Tuesday, while Newton County's next scheduled action is Jan. 4 in the Newton Invitational along with Newton, Quitman, and Jackson Lanier.
Newton County girls 74, Newton 72 (OT): Newton led 64-58 after a basket from Latonya Jordan, but Newton County had an 8-2 advantage over the final 56.5 seconds of regulation to force overtime.
A three-point play from Tamekia Foley pulled the Lady Cougars to within 64-63 with 32.8 seconds on the clock. Two Stephanie Airhart free throws gave Newton County a 65-64 lead with 17 seconds remaining.
A Kristin Chaney freebie with 8.9 seconds left put Newton County up 66-64, but Creoshia Williams took a long inbounds pass from Kotreece Bender and laid the ball in with four seconds remaining to force overtime.
Foley snapped a 72-72 deadlock with a layup with 29.4 seconds to go in overtime and Newton missed two shots in the final 13 seconds.
Foley led Newton County with 23 points. Chaney tossed in 14, Lakelia Bogan had 13, April Bufkin added 10, and Airhart and Yolanda Johnson both scored seven.
Where the Lady Cougars didn't excel was at the free-throw line as they were only 18-of-36. Newton made 10 of its 12 charity tosses.
Newton got 28 points from Williams, 16 apiece from Jordan and Lenora Gray, and seven from Bender.
Newton County boys 71, Newton 67: Newton led 54-44 with 2:09 remaining in the third period after Bob Lindsey converted a three-point play before the Cougars rallied for the win.
Newton County pulled even at 59-59 with 3:54 to play on a pair of free throws from Tony Smith. The host Tigers then went on a 6-0 run to go up 65-59 with 2:47 left.
A basket apiece from Tory Huddleston and Al Willis in a 25-second span pulled the Cougars back to within 65-63 with 2:02 to go.
Three Tigers then combined to go 0-for-6 at the free-throw line during the next minute as Newton County pulled even at 67-67.
Smith snapped the tie with 38 seconds left and two free throws from Willis with 10.2 seconds remaining iced the win.
Smith had 15 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, while Willis tossed in 10 of his 15 in the final period. Chris Wansley added seven, Lewis Coker and Mylan Anderson both scored six, and Huddleston added five for the Cougars.
Newton got 24 points from Lance Pruitt, 17 from Lindsey, 13 from Mario Qualls, six from Ladarrian Blaylock, and five from Charles Dukes.