Turnovers costly for Tigers

By Brad Greer

South Panola opened up Region 2-6A play at home  with a pair of losses to Columbus Friday.

The Lady Falcons showed why they are one of the top teams in the state (ranked No. 3) by trouncing South Panola 65-37 to improve their record to 13-1 on the season.

In a boys game that saw neither team shoot the ball particularly well, it was the defending state champion  Columbus boys forcing 22 South Panola turnovers in a 43-33 victory.

The Lady Tigers (6-7, 0-1) could not buy a bucket to open the game as Takyra Webster accounted for South Panola’s first basket at the 4:27 mark.

Columbus ran off eight straight points to take a 11-2 lead. Aniya Saddler ended the first quarter with a  old fashion three point play to give the Falcons a 19-4 cushion.

Columbus extended its margin to 27-10 early in the second quarter on Hannah White’s crossover bucket. White led all scorers with 24 points as the Falcons, who entered the night ranked No. 3 in the latest 6A poll and No. 6 in the Super 10, led 37-12 at intermission.

The most telling stat of the night was from the free-throw line as Columbus converted 22-of-37 opportunities from the charity stripe compared to South Panola’s 6-of-12 .

Webster led the Lady Tigers with 14 points while Marshala Doyle followed with 10. Ladayshia Robinson added five with Teddera Patton, Bailey Ware, Kaniya Ford and Crystal Mays all chipping in two points each.

Varsity Boys

Much like their counterparts, the boys contest started off slow as both teams couldn’t find the range until the Tigers JaMichael Ford’s underneath  basket at the 3:45 mark broke the scoreless streak.

Tijah McCrary held the hot hand by scoring eight of the Falcons ten points in the first quarter. McCrary led Columbus (6-9, 1-0) with 18 points while Jerome Sherrod with 11 points.

Back-to-back three-pointers by Sherrod gave Columbus a 18-13 lead in the second quarter before Keith Cole’s trey and a Terry Bishop bucket tied the game at 18-18 with 2:18 left in the half.

McCrary and Kaderius Williams baskets in the final minute staked the Falcons to a 22-18 halftime lead.

Columbus maintained its slim four point lead throughout the third quarter as South turned the ball over on five straight possessions but still managed to trail by 29-27 at the end of the quarter.

The Falcons finally got some breathing room in the fourth quarter when McCrary’s basket with 3:58 remaining gave the visitors a 39-31 advantage. South Panola meanwhile was held to two field goals in the final eight minutes.

Eldridge Brooks and J’Tavion Hicks paced South Panola (4-6, 0-1) with eight points while JaMorris House added four.

Keith Cole, Issac Sturdivant and Trea Ellis chipped in with three. Stanwon Porter and Bishop ended with two points each.

South Panola visits Tupelo today for junior varsity and varsity games beginning at 4 p.m.

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