By Myra Bean

The North Panola Cougars held off a mid-game rally by Water Valley to win 38-23, one of their lowest scores of the season.

The Lady Cougars won their second straight game with a deciding 51-22 win.

Cougar Boys
Defense was the name of the game as Water Valley slowed the furious pace that North Panola usually likes to play its game. The Cougars held a 6-2 lead with 3:43 left in the first quarter.

By the 2:36 mark, Water Valley had tied the game at six then took the lead for the first time with 1:53 to go. On two free throws by Robert Oliver, the Cougars tied the game at eight at the 1:45 mark which was the score going into the second quarter.

Oliver finished the game with seven points and 10 rebounds.

The second quarter was also a low scoring affair as North Panola took a 17-14 lead into half time. The lead changed hands a couple of times before the Cougars got a little air on two free throws by Anjayvious Farmer, 15-12. Farmer finished the game with six points and six rebounds.

Both teams scored six points each in the third quarter with Gerotney Kelson scoring four points for the Cougars. Kelson was the leading scorer with 13 points, seven rebounds and one steal.

North Panola outscored Water Valley 15-3 in the fourth quarter for the dominating win. Water Valley hit one free throw of a possible two technical foul shots with 4:46 left in the game and then did not score again until 29.8 seconds left.

Other scorers include Darrius Jackson, five points, two rebounds, five assists and one steal; Ketawan House, four points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists; and rounding out the scoring was Devonte Howard, three points, one rebound and one steal. Ja’Antony Wright had two rebounds.

Lady Cougars
The Lady Cougars however did whatever they wanted to do to Water Valley holding them to four points in the first quarter and two in the second.

Onesha Hunt led the Lady Cougars with 17 points, two rebounds and three steals followed by Daryleshia Ward with 11 points, five rebounds and three steals.

Head coach Daphne Thomas went deep into her bench to give the younger players some experience.
Also scoring were Audrea Taylor four points, two rebounds; Teariny Wheatley, four points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals; Candace Mottley, four points; Takymdris Clay, three points, two rebounds; Whitney Pettis, three points, four rebounds; Kiana Willingham, two points, one rebound and Clarissa Jones, two points.

The Cougar teams will have their hands full this week hosting 4A Rosa Fort tonight at 4 p.m. In a rescheduled game from December 4, North Panola will travel to Rosa Fort Friday at 4 p.m.