NP number 4 in district after blowing two leads

By Ike House
For the North Panola Cougars they had a wild week in terms of basketball.
After winning in the first round against Charleston, they faced the number two team in the tournament, Independence. The Cougars lost in heart breaking fashion with a buzzer beater that ended with a 64-62 final.
The Cougars came out on fire, going on a 10-2 run into the second quarter with a 23-11 lead. In the second half the Cougars took a close game and made it a certain win with an 11-point run.
In the Cougars case the win did not come easy. The Wildcats came out and hit three-pointer after three-pointer and made a come back.
In the fourth quarter the Cougars had a seven-point lead with a minute left on the clock. The Cougars pushed the ball to keep the lead which came back to hurt them.
The Cougars could not hit free throws in the end and that was required to keep the lead. With three seconds on the clock after a missed free throw, the ball was knocked out of bounds and after a conference from the referees, 1.5 seconds was put on the clock.
Which was enough for the Wildcats to come out and shoot a half court shot that dropped straight in.
Leading the Cougars was Darrell Young with 19 points. Other scorers were Jamarcus Jones with 17 points; Vennis Mills with 12; Jordan Dandridge and Kenneth Jefferson both with six points and Mario Fenner with two.
The Cougars played in the consolation game against Holly Springs who had lost to M.S. Palmer the night before. This game was similar to the game the previous night.
But the Cougars were on the wrong end of the stick in this game. In the first quarter the Hawks led 21-5 with 2:01 in the first quarter.
The Cougars got on track and cut the lead in the second quarter to eight, 38-30, at the half.
In the second half the Cougars led going into the final stretch of the game by eight points with 50.3 seconds on the clock.
The Cougars fell behind and with big shots by Holly Springs the Cougars fell to the Hawks with a 77-73 final.
Leading the Cougars was Jones with 32 points. Other scorers were Young with 14; Fenner with 10; Mills with seven; Jefferson with two and Sylvonta Oliver and Dandridge with two points each.
Making the All-District team were Darrell Young, Jamarcus Jones and Vennis Mills. Young was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year. Young and Jones also made the All-Tournament team.
The Cougars play against Nettleton on the road tonight a 7 p.m. and the winner advances to the second round Friday.