By Brad Greer

The North Panola Cougars boys basketball team ended 2010 on a positive note by winning a pair of games in the “O-Town Showdown Tournament” Wednesday and Thursday at Oxford High School.

The Cougars eased past Hernando 61-47 Wednesday as Ricky Hunt led four scorers in double figures with 18 points. Cameron Shorty followed with 17 points while Kiwanis Bobo added 13 and Brandon Bagwell chipped in with 11. Terrence Turman rounded out scoring with two points.

North Panola put the finishing touches on the two-day tournament with a  62-50 victory over Oxford Thursday night. Shorty led the way with a game-high 24 points while Bagwell and Hunt registered 13 and 12 points each. Bobo followed with seven while Darius Jackson contributed with four points. Turman finished the scoring with two points.

Oxford (9-4) jumped to an early 8-1 lead in the first quarter before the Cougars exploded on a 17-4 run to take an 18-12 lead at the end of the first quarter as Shorty accounted for eight of his 18 first-half points in the stanza.

A frightening scene occurred with 4:18 remaining in the second quarter as North Panola’s Ketwan House was knocked unconscious after landing on the back of his head  after chasing  a loose ball. House laid on the court for 20 minutes before being taken to a local hospital by emergency personal.

After play resumed, the Cougars extended their lead to 30-14 on a Shorty’s two-handed jam and a pair of free throws by Jackson and Hunt. Oxford cut the margin to 34-23 with a 13-4 run to close the first half. Justin Fondren led the Chargers with 16 points, nine of which came in the first half.

The Cougars built their lead back to double digits at 42-30 with 4:18 left in the third quarter as Shorty connected on a jumper followed by a Bobo basket that gave North Panola the commanding lead.

North Panola started the week off on the short end of the stick by losing to Greenville 66-62 in overtime in the Coldwater tournament. Hunt and Shorty poured in 21 points in the losing effort.

Lady Cougars

The North Panola girls were not as fortunate as their counterparts as they fell to Olive Branch 48-29 and 57-16 to Oxford. The Lady Cougars also dropped a 43-25 verdict to Senatobia in the Coldwater tournament.

Candace Mottley led the Cougars in scoring with 15 points against Senatobia and eight against Oxford. Teariny Wheatley registered seven points in the loss to Olive Branch.

North Panola will return to the hardwood tonight at 6 p.m. as they host M. S. Palmer in non-district action.