Coach Dan Presley was happy to see his Brookhaven Panthers snapa 2-game losing streak Friday night in Sinclair Gymnasium. The59-55 victory over Port Gibson’s Blue Waves was filled withturnovers but the Panthers prevailed, thanks to a strongperformance on the backboards by Phillip Tobias and 13 points byguard Brandon Caston, including 6 of 7 free throws in the finalframe.

“We snapped that losing streak and that’s about the best thingyou can say about this game,” said Presley. “Phillip Tobias did agood job on the boards for us. Turnovers are killing us. We are nothandling the ball very well.”

Tobias, a muscular 6-foot-4 sophomore who started at tight endfor the football team, grabbed 10 rebounds in the victory andscored 6 points.

The Panthers (17-5, 3-0) got 11 points from 6-5 junior postLamar Hall and 8 rebounds from 6-6 senior post Rayshone Autman toremain unbeaten in designated Division 6-4A action. That helpedoffset a game-high 21-point performance by Port Gibson’s DannyHoward who also had 8 rebounds.

Port Gibson (7-16, 1-3), coached by Ken Windom, made a spiritedrun at the Panthers in the third quarter. The Waves took the leadat 29-28 on a putback by Howard.

Consecutive steals and layups by Jasper Hall and GervariusDickey ignited the Panthers and sent them on a 16-3 scoring spurtwhich pushed them ahead 44-32 at the close of the third quarter.Treys by Gervarius Dickey and Derrick Allen highlighted the pointsurge.

“We hustled but we didn’t make our free throws,” said Windom,recalling his team’s 10-for-16 showing at the free throw line. “Wehad a couple of letdowns.”

Port Gibson will host the Division 6-4A Tournament next month.Howard scored 6 of his points in the fourth quarter. Leroy Allenchipped in 15 points.

Mackabee Returns

The game marked the return of Brookhaven senior guard FredMackabee who missed the last three games due to an elbow injury.Mackabee entered the game with 46 seconds left in the first quarterwearing an elbow pad. He finished with 5 points.

“Fred tried his elbow tonight,” said Presley. “It wasn’t there(ready) yet. He blocked that shot and that hurt him.”

Mackabee, suffering from a strained ligament in his right elbow,aggravated the injury in the third quarter when he leaped high andblocked a Port Gibson shot on the backboard. He returned to actionwith 5:36 remaining in the game, minus the elbow pad.