By Myra Bean
It was almost a clean sweep by the South Panola basketball teams over Grenada but the varsity boys were denied in overtime.

With a 53-49 loss, the varsity Tigers drop to 2-1 in the early season. Grenada’s Robert Willis led the Chargers with 29 points, including six three-pointers.

The Tigers were down seven points throughout most of the game. Going into the fourth quarter, Grenada had a 37-30 lead. Behind three steals and 11 fourth quarter points of Antonio Jones, the Tigers tied the game at 47 with 2:09 left in regulation. Grenada held the ball to run time off the clock but the Tiger defense forced a turnover.

Grenada repaid the favor and kept the Tigers from inbounding the ball in the required time forcing a turnover. Grenada’s final shot to win in regulation was no good.

The Chargers kept the ball out of Tiger territory most of overtime. Though Willis was quietened in overtime and held to one basket, teammate Clee Hardiman shot three free throws to seal the win for the Chargers.

Leading the Tigers in scoring was Jones with 19 points, followed by James Spraggin with 12, and Kaswick Pierre with 11.

In the game reported last week against Independence, South Panola won in overtime 56-55. Spraggin was the leading scorer with 23 points, followed by Jones with 16.

Lady Tigers

The Lady Tigers had very little trouble with the Lady Chargers winning handily 72-41 going 3-0 on the season.

Grenada led 15-14 at the end of the first quarter, but that was all they could boast. The Lady Tigers went on a 10-0 run to take a 26-16 lead with 6:55 left in the first half. Dorian Winfield and Chasity Kearney spurred the run due mostly by three steals of Christa Brown. At the half, the Lady Tigers led 34-25.

The Lady Tigers held Grenada to three points in the third quarter and only 13 in the fourth quarter while outpacing the Lady Chargers with 31 points.

Leading the Lady Tigers in scoring was Kearney with 21 points, followed by Winfield with 15, Jasmon Houston with 11, Turkessa Burgess with 9, and Brown with 8.

9th Grade

The ninth grade boys played two 18-minute halves and the Tigers emerged with a 26-22 win. The Tigers led 18-10, and held Grenada scoreless for the first eight minutes of the second half.

Grenada found a breath of fresh air and mounted a comeback taking a 20-19 lead with 4:39 left.  The Tigers took notice and were able to mount their own comeback behind shooting of Greg Ford, DeAndre Harris and Myron Powell.

Leading the Tigers in scoring were Harris with 11 points, followed by Powell with six, Octavious Poole, 4, Trevor Walls and Ford, 2 each; and Brendan Smith, 1.

The Tiger team hosted Cleveland last night but the score was not available at press time. The Tigers will be back in action Tuesday, December 1 to host Horn Lake in non-conference action at 6 p.m.