BOGUE CHITTO – Like an army general, Bogue Chitto boys coachTheo Black constructed a three-pronged attack for the second halfof Thursday night’s game against the Wesson Cobras. After a fieryhalftime speech, the Bobcats picked up the tempo on offense anddefense, erased a 10-point deficit and got a game-high 24 pointsfrom freshman post Dorian Dunn, beating the Cobras 85-73 in CalhounGymnasium.

In the varsity girls game, Bogue Chitto overpowered Wesson 54-8,led by playmaker Jessica Melton’s 12 points.

Bogue Chitto faces a key Division 7-1A test tonight atEnterprise. The 3-game feature starts at 5 p.m. with a juniorvarsity boys game.

Wesson hosts St. Joseph tonight.

The Bobcats (6-1) also got 19 second-half points from guardDenard Ferguson who sat out the first half due to disciplinaryaction. Guard Carlos Brown brought the partisan crowd to life with4 third-quarter treys, finishing with 15 points and 9 rebounds.

Dunn, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound freshman, also had 13 rebounds, 4assists and 4 steals. Michael Blackwell chipped in 14 points and 6rebounds.

“We needed to play together, penetrate and dish,” said CoachBlack, referring to the halftime strategy. “The basic thing wasdefense.

“When we added Denard in the second half, we could trap and make(Cobras) turn it over.”

Wesson, coached by principal Billy O. Britt, came out stronglast night, dominating the backboards and taking a 40-31 halftimelead. The Cobras got 21 points from Roderick Clay, 14 of themcoming the first half.

Center Richie Miller scored 14 points and playmaker MarcusCorley netted 12. Corley came back to play after injuring his rightankle in the first quarter. Wesley Page and Herman Johnson each had10 points. Page also had 5 rebounds before fouling out late in thegame.

The Bobcats caught Wesson at 43-43 on a steal and layup byFerguson. The Cobras built a 54-51 advantage on Herman Johnson’slayup but began running out of gas as BC picked up the defensivepressure.

Blackwell hit a pair of treys in the last minute and the ‘Catscarried a 62-56 lead into the fourth quarter. A steal and a layupby Dunn pushed the BC lead to 10 points, 78-68.

“Dunn is young,” said Black. “He’s a true freshman. When he getsit all together, he’ll be tough.”

The Lady Bobcats (5-0) made it look easy last night. They ledWesson 21-0 at the quarter and 32-1 at halftime, fueled by afull-court press. Bogue Chitto coach Mickey Myers showed mercy andtook his team out of the press early in the second quarter.

“I was real pleased with our bench,” said Myers. “They hustledand played well.”

Kia Porter followed Melton with 10 points and 5 rebounds.

Myers missed last week’s games because he was in New Orleanswith his wife, Karen, who is under going chemotherapy for a rareform of esophagus cancer. Retired West Lincoln coach Jack Case washired as a substitute teacher and coach while Myers took a leave ofabsence.

“Coach Case is doing a good job teaching my girls man-to-mandefense,” said Myers. He played for Case at West Lincoln in thelate 1970s.

Wesson (0-5), under the direction of first-year coach ScottJohnson, committed 28 turnovers. “We were three for 28 (fieldgoals) shooting,” said Johnson. “We only have two girls with anyexperience. Our team needs to spend a lot of time in the gymshooting.”

A free throw by Kail Baldwin, with 6:28 left in the first half,was Wesson’s only points in the opening 16 minutes of action.

Junior High Action

Bogue Chitto rallied to beat Wesson 27-26 in the junior highgirls game as Meleah Brown pumped in 18 points, including thedecisive free throw. Teammate Cassandra Thomas hit 2 free throws toforce the overtime.

Wesson got 12 points from Bethany Dykes and 8 from ChristyWatson.

In the junior high boys game, Wesson beat Bogue Chitto 36-22,led by Mason Warren’s 19-point outburst. Chance Peets and JohnMichael Cliburn added 5 points.

Bogue Chitto got 7 points from Cory Washington. Ryan Watson,Dontae Ratcliff and Maurice Upkins chipped in 4 points.