The Crystal Springs Tigers climbed out of a losing pit Fridaynight and upset the Brookhaven Panthers 65-62 in a Division 6-4Ashowdown. Tiger guard Edward Frazier sparked a 22-point fourthquarter and finished with a team-leading 13 points.

Brookhaven (22-6, 1-2) missed a pair of treys in the last halfminute which could have tied the game. The Panthers were minusstarting junior forward Fred Mackabee who had suffered a handinjury in a pickup basketball game Thursday afternoon. Mackabeebroke a bone in his right, shooting hand.

“We missed Fred tonight,” Brookhaven boys coach Preston Wilsonadmitted. “In the last four or five games, he had been our go-toguy. He was starting to get in a groove.”

Crystal Springs (11-13, 3-2) claimed a 34-31 halftime advantage.A week earlier, they had lost a consolation game to archrivalHazlehurst in the Brookhaven Coca-Cola Classic Invitational.

Obviously, Tiger head coach Lee Payton was overjoyed with histeam’s triumph in Sinclair Gymnasium. “This is probably the biggestwin for us this year. We had lost three in a row. Morale haddropped.

“We preached intensity and playing hard all week in practice,”Payton continued. “Anytime you come to Brookhaven and win, even byone point, it’s a big accomplishment.,”

The Tigers relied on some accurate outside shooting in the firsthalf. Jesse Taylor, a 6-foot-2 center, worked hard in the paint,grabbing 6 rebounds. Jason Osborne also snatched 6 rebounds.

In the third quarter, the Tigers sprang to a 16-point, 47-31advantage. Coach Wilson called a timeout with 3:58 on the clock andthe Panthers began a 21-8 scoring run. A buzzer-beating layup byPanther playmaker Dontae Dixon reduced the Tiger lead to 1 point,53-52, entering the fourth quarter.

Center Maurice Brown directed the rally and put the Panthers upby three points, 58-55, and 6:43 left in the game. Brown finishedwith 16 points and 7 rebounds.

Dixon led all scores with 17 points. Center Corey Bryant had 14points and 10 rebounds.

A layup by Jason Osborne gave the Tigers a 60-58 advantage with2:51 left on the clock. A jumper by Taylor and a freed throw byFrazier gave them a 4-point, 63-59 lead with:05 remaining.

Sophomore guard Jermaine Wilson added 2 free throws with 46seconds left to secure the victory and give the Tigers a 65-60lead.

In the JV boys game, Brookhaven posted a 64-60 victory, led byDexter Middleton’s 21 points.

@Bbstandings:BOYS

Crystal Springs 65, Brookhaven 62

Crystal Springs (65) Edward Frazier 13, Wilson 8,Osborne 11, Jenkins 6, May 10, Smith 4, J. Taylor 9, C. Taylor 2,Powell 2.

Brookhaven (62) Dontae Dixon 17, Bryant 14, Fitzsimmons5, Brown 16, Middleton 9, Perkins 3.

Total fouls: Crystal Springs 22. Brookhaven 13. Fouledout-none.

Free Throws M-A: Crystal Springs 13-16.16-24.

3-point goals: Frazier 2, Fitzsimmons,Middleton.

Crystal Springs 16 18 19 22 – 65

Brookhaven 17 14 21 10 -62

JV BOYS

Brookhaven 64, Crystal Springs 60

Crystal Springs (60) Harris 18, Binshaw 10, Welch 8,Dixon 2, Sturgis 2, Brown 8, Williams 12.

Brookhaven (64) Middleton 21, Levi 1, Allen 3, Flintroy4, Poole 10, Caston 6, Eley 4, Hall 13.