By Myra Bean

Fourth time was a charm for the North Panola Lady Cougars.

The Lady Cougars (4-4) met Rosa Fort three times last year and lost all three games. That drought came to an end Tuesday night as they downed the Lady Lions 50-43.

After leading 16-4 with 1:09 left in the first quarter, Rosa Fort staged a comeback by shutting down the Lady Cougars that last through the 2:05 mark of the second quarter. Rosa Fort took a 27-22 lead into halftime.

It was the Teariny Wheatley/O’Nesha Hunt show in the third quarter as both scored six points to pull the Lady Cougars out of the dumps and keep them within one point of Rosa Fort at the end of the quarter, 35-34.

Angelica Davison put her major mark on the game scoring eight points in the final quarter, along with two points each from both Wheatley and Hunt to tie the game at 41 with 3:18 left. Daryleshia Ward’s three free throws added to the mix and gave the Lady Cougars some cushion as they took the lead on Wheatley’s field goal 43-41 with 2:34 left and 45-41 with 2:03 left in the game on Ward’s free throws.

“The win feels good,” said Lady Cougar head coach Chris Yancy. “I feel like we are turning the corner. We played really good ball this past weekend and I feel like the girls are finally understanding what we are trying to accomplish as far as offense is going.”

The young team with only two seniors, Davison and Cearea Jackson, are beginning to take heed to what Yancy and assistant coach Daphne Thomas are trying to impart.

“I told the girls when they make their run, weather the storm and don’t get rattled,” Yancy said. “That was our whole thing – to take our time and don’t start rushing. Do what we are supposed to do and chip back at it. Then you can win yourself a basketball game.”

North Panola has two tough games on tap for this weekend, and start district play next week. Going into district Yancy said he learned the team can play with anybody for the most part.

“Substance is the key,” he said.

North Panola will travel to take on Coldwater in a rematch tonight beginning at 6 p.m. Tomorrow, the Cougar teams will take part in the Coach “C” Tournament at Lafayette. The teams did not get the luck of the draw and will face 6A Tupelo, the boys at noon, followed by the girls at 1:30.

Wheatley and Hunt led the Lady Cougars in scoring with 13 points. Wheatley logged a double-double with 10 rebounds and two assists. Davison followed with 12 points, one block, one steal and one assist.

Other scorers include Ward with five points and 10 rebounds; Takmydris Clay and Tiara Golden with three points and one rebound each; and Candace Mottley with one point and four rebounds.

Monday, the Cougars will travel to face Charleston at 5 p.m. in the district opener.
The Charleston Lady Tigers are 7-1 on the season after losing to the Oxford Lady Chargers (9-0) 75-41 Tuesday.

Charleston and North Panola met in the Water Valley tournament and Charleston emerged the 31-27 victor December 1.

In the junior varsity Lady Cougars’ game, North Panola won 29-7. North Panola led 13-3 at the half.
Whitney Pettis led in scoring with eight points, followed by Kyle Webb and Tiffany Austin with five points each. Other scorers include Clarissa Jones, four points; Tiara Golden and Kelvisha Kirkwood, three points each. Teariny Webb rounded out scoring with one point.