By By Marty Stamper and Jamie Sullivan/The Meridian Star
Nov. 27, 2001
DECATUR The West Lauderdale Lady Knights have already learned the hard way that a lot of people see a bull's eye drawn on their jerseys. Kemper County served that message loud and clear on Nov. 13.
As defending champion of the East Central Community College Central Mississippi Classic, there are plenty of teams gunning for them here as well.
The Lady Knights opened defense of their ECCC tournament title with a 71-42 win over Sebastopol Monday night.
The Lady Knights led by only five (15-10) after one quarter, but used their press to take a 40-19 lead into halftime, scoring the final six points of the first half.
Sebastopol was playing its 11th game of the year, while West was only in its seventh.
Patty Monroe had eight points for West at the break with J.J. Huggins, Kristina Gardner, and Shannon Lloyd each having seven.
Ashley Johnson had 10 first-half points for the Lady Bobcats.
West stretched its lead to 30 (58-28) by the end of the third quarter and led by as much as 39 (71-32) in the final period before Sebastopol closed with a 10-0 run.
Huggins led West, 6-1, with 14 points, while Lloyd tossed in 13. Gardner and Monroe both scored 10. Amy Frazier added seven, Jawanda Huggins had six, and Cienna Jennings scored five.
Johnson led Sebastopol, 4-7, with 24 points. Amanda Holloway scored five.
West returns to action Wednesday at 4 p.m. against the winner of tonight's Newton County-Philadelphia contest. Sebastopol takes on the Newton County-Philadelphia loser Thursday at 7 p.m.
Newton 64
Carthage 43
The Newton Lady Tigers won their first game in fine fashion by defeating Carthage 64-43.
The Lady Tigers took a 20-point lead into the locker room at halftime, and tacked on 34 more points in the final two periods to remain in the winners' bracket.
The Lady Tigers were led in scoring by Lenora Gray with 23, and Twilla Clayton, and Tonya Jordan dropped 10 apiece for the victorious Lady Tigers.
Carthage was led in scoring by Amanda Schmidt with 14, and Amanda Cook added 13.
The Lady Tigers will play again on Wednesday, as they will tangle with Scott Central. Carthage will play Noxapater tonight at the old gym located on the campus of ECCC.
Scott Central 60
Noxapater 29
Scott Central opened its tournament action on the right foot, as it knocked off Noxapater 60-29.
The Lady Rebels scored the first eight points of the game, to make for an easy victory.
The Lady Rebels sported a 50-23 lead after the first two periods, and they went on to outscore Noxapater 23-15 in the final half of play to claim the victory.
The Lady Rebels were led in scoring by Nickson with 24, and Burks added 19. Noxapater was lead in scoring by Krystle Hunter14, and Deidre Triplett added nine.
Neshoba Central 63
Nanih Waiya 47
The Lady Rockets took a 38-21 lead into halftime and were up by as much as 33 points in taking the opening-round win.
Neshoba carried a 17-point lead into halftime behind 13 points from Krystal Wells, 12 from India Backstrum, and 11 from Miranda Rosar. Wells staked the Lady Rockets to a 19-13 advantage with nine points in the first quarter.
Neshoba led 61-28 by the end of the third period.
Rosar led the Lady Rockets, 7-2, with 20 points. Backstrum scored 18, Wells had 16, and Elyse Willis added seven.
Nanih Waiya, 3-1, got 13 points from Ashley Pugh, 12 from Christy Hickman, and seven from Alana Hickman. Christy Hickman hit four 3-pointers. Neshoba takes on the winner of today's Union-South Leake contest Wednesday at 4 p.m. Nanih Waiya gets the Union-South Leake loser Thursday at 4 p.m.