Three-pointer was SP’s friend against Grenada

By Brad Greer
Throughout this year’s basketball season, South Panola has never met a three-point shot they did not like or attempted.
Friday night the Tigers connected on 10 of 25 shots from beyond the arch to come away with a 79-58 road victory over Grenada.
Junior guard Ernest Sanford drained six three-pointers, five in the first half, for a season-high 18 points as the Tigers improved to 6-3 on the season. Kendricus Carlton also garnered a season-high 29 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the floor.
Grenada fell to 2-12 despite 28 points from Christian Cain and 18 from Josiah Lewis.
Both teams came out firing in the first quarter as back-to-back treys  by Sanford and a Carlton layup gave South Panola a quick 8-0 lead.
Grenada responded with a 6-0 spurt  to close the margin then later tied the game at 15-15 on Christopher Hankins steal and lay up. South Panola regained the advantage at 21-16 before the Chargers closed out the quarter with consecutive buckets to make the score 21-20.
The Chargers grabbed their first lead of the contest at 25-21 as the second quarter got under way before a 8-0 surge by South Panola gave the visitors a 29-25 lead with 3:35 remaining in the half.
Sanford’s three pointer along with two free throws by Nick Porter gave South Panola a slim 34-28 lead at intermission.
The Tigers began to pull away in the third period by out-scoring Grenada 22-15 as Shaquille Jackson provided seven key points off the bench on two field goals and three-of-three from the free throw line.
South Panola saw its lead grow to 66-49 midway through the fourth as Carlton added ten points in the stanza. The Tigers hit on 14-of-26 shots from the floor in the second half.
Davonte Cathey added eight points for South Panola while Robert Hentz provided six. Porter chipped in with four points with Ketrell Key registering three. Terriance Jackson finished out the scoring with two points.
The Tiger Junior Varsity boys also came out victorious with a 33-29 verdict as Deronte Thomas led the way with 17 points. Morris House contributed with seven points. Keith Cole followed with five while Markevious Vaughn, Eldridge Brooks and Jerry Hebrins added two points.
Grenada (girls) 73, SP 57
In a game that was tied with seven minutes left to play, the Lady Chargers  out-scored South Panola 27-15 in the final quarter to pick up the win in a game that was closer than the score indicated.
South Panola, (7-8) found themselves trailing 20-4 after the first period and began clawing their way back in the second half behind sophomore guard Marshala Doyle’s 22 points.
Doyle’s driving layup off a Grenada turnover pulled the Lady Tigers with three at 36-34 with 3:46 left in the third quarter.
Grenada took a slim 46-42 lead after three quarters before a pair of three pointer by Temaye Williams tied the game at 48-48 at the 7:09 mark.
The Chargers then put its offense into high gear by going on a 15-6 run  to grab a 63-54 advantage with 2:09 remaining. After Dyaneice Woodall’s basket, Grenada converted eight straight free throws down the strech to put the game out of reach.
Sydney Morgan followed Doyle in the scoring column with 11 points while Chloe Morgan providing 10. Tracie Benson and Kaniya Ford rounded out the scoring with three and two points each.
Grenada placed five scorers in double figures with Woodall’s 20 points leading the way. The Chargers were 24-of-36 from the free throw line while South Panola converted 5-of-15 from the charity stripe.
The Charger Junior Varsity girls came away with the most exciting win of the four game set with a 40-38 overtime victory.
South Panola led 36-33 before a three pointer with two seconds left sent the game into a two minute overtime session.
Grenada knocked down two free throws with 12 seconds left that proved to be the game winner as South Panola could not get a shot off as the buzzer sounded.
Ty’Quera Victom led the Lady Tigers with 10 points followed by Ke’Amber Jackson’s eight points. Shanterika Burton chipped in with seven while Takyra Webster and Aziyah McGhee provided four.
Teddera Patton and Ladayshia Robinson provided two points and Kahlena Hentz registered one.