By Myra Bean

Thursday night was not very kind to the North Panola basketball teams in the second round of the district tournament. Both teams lost their games by one point on buzzer beaters.

The North Panola Cougars finished third in the district after defeating Charleston 53-46 Friday night. The Cougars were one point away from playing in the championship game Friday but a buzzer-beater field goal by Winona cost them a chance to play for the district championship.

Winona’s 50-49 win dropped North Panola to the consolation round Friday night against Charleston. Winona went on to win the district championship with a 74-72 win over Independence Friday night.

North Panola kept a comfortable 8-15 point lead throughout the first three quarters. Charleston made its move in the fourth quarter and pulled within one point, 40-39, with 3:01 left in the game. North Panola  then went on an 11-0 run to take a 50-39 with 1:54 left in the game and then scored the last five points.
Scoring for the Cougars were Robert Oliver, 11 points; Darrius Jackson, Donte Howard, Vonte Howard and Jerotney Kelson, seven points each; Ketwun House, six points; Terrance Kirkwood and Cordarryl Phillips, two points each.

The Cougars will travel to Holly Springs tonight to face the number two team in Region 1-3A at 7 p.m. The winner advances to the second round of north state Thursday through Saturday to be played at Booneville, Aberdeen or Ripley.

Despite a fourth place finish in the district tournament, the North Panola Lady Cougars earned a spot in the north half tournament. According to the state mandate, the girls teams played last night and the boys will play the first round of the north state tonight.

After a heartbreaking one-point loss, 41-40, to Charleston Thursday night in the second round, the team seemed a shadow of themselves in the consolation game against Byhalia Friday night. The Lady Cougars lost to Byhalia 65-41 after leading 23-21 at halftime.

The Lady Cougars were leading 40-39 when a Charleston shooter pulled up and sank the jump shot to win and earn a spot in the championship game Friday night. Charleston lost to Independence 68-61 in the championship game to place second in the district. Charleston hosted Kossuth last night.

Belmont entered the contest ranked No. 8 in the state by Maxpreps and the number one team in Region 3-1A. Upon a Lady Cougar win, the tournament advances to Ripley as Belmont would be eliminated from the tournament. Upon a Belmont win, Belmont will host the rest of the tournament Thursday through Saturday.

The Lady Cougars’ game against Byhalia was tied at 25, 27 and 29, but after that Byhalia took over and never looked back. Byhalia led 44-31 going into the fourth quarter and out scored the Lady Cougars 21-10 in the final quarter.

Angelica Davison led the Lady Cougars with 14 points, followed by Onesha Hunt with a double-double 10 points and 10 rebounds. Other scorers include Teariny Wheatley, seven points; Daryleshia Ward and Takymdris Clay with three points each; and Cearea Jackson and Kianna Willingham, two points each.