The host Brookhaven Academy Cougars swept a varsity doubleheaderfrom the Canton Academy Panthers Tuesday in the first home games inJohn Gray Gymnasium.

The Brookhaven Academy boys smashed Canton 82-36 and the LadyCougars thrashed the Lady Panthers 60-32.

Before the start of the varsity girls game, Brookhaven Academygirls head basketball coach Barry Gray and the Lady Cougarspresented the family members of Russ Michael Mangold with a Cougarwarmup suit displaying the initials R.M.M. on a patch. The girlsbasketball team will be wearing the patch on their warmups in honorof Mangold this season. Mangold, a K-5 student, died in an accidentat the start of the school year.

The Cougars led 21-0 in the varsity boys game until Canton guardDel Murphy nailed a three-pointer at the end of the first quarterto finally put points on the scoreboard for the Panthers. Athalftime, Brookhaven led Canton 44-17.

Cougar senior forward Craig Smith powered the Brookhaven boyswith a game-high 25 points, including three 3-pointers, fourrebounds, three steals and five assists. Jonathan Winborne netted17 points. Following with 10 points and four rebounds was AlexDavis.

“Our strength is our shooters,” said Brookhaven Academy boyshead coach Dale Watts following the season-opening win. “Ourweakness is our size. We are going to take an extremist tempo mostof the time. We are looking forward to this year. They’ll be a funto watch and coach.”

Leading 0-1 Canton with 11 points was 6-7 center Matt Hardy. BenGraves and Murphy finished with nine points apiece.

Brookhaven 60, Canton 32

Leading 12-7 at the end of the first quarter, the Brookhavengirls picked up the tempo and ran away with the game. At halftime,the Lady Cougars were on top of the Lady Panthers 30-12 and 45-20going into the fourth quarter.

“We started off sluggish,” said Gray. “We played really goodafter getting the pace faster. It was a good game in preparing forJackson Academy Saturday.”

Jackson Academy is the defending MPSA Overall State Tournamentchampion.

Sparking the 6-0 Lady Cougars with nine points apiece wereMallory Logan and Jessie Altman. Scoring eight points was AnnaGatlin. Angie Davis led off the backboards with nine reboundsfollowed by Altman with seven rebounds and Logan with fiverebounds. Kelli Byrd made four steals and had five assists.

Lauren Carney led the 0-4 Lady Panthers with 12 points.

Junior high basketball

In the boys game, the Cougars crushed the Panthers 84-32. PacingBrookhaven with 18 points was Seth Davis. Jeremy Winborne scored 14points and

Price Sessums finished with 13.

Paul Dowdle had nine points for the Panthers.

In the girls game, Brookhaven knocked offCanton 52-36. Top scorer for the Lady Cougars was Holly Case with12 points and four rebounds. Jessica Diamond and Maddie Allencollected 10 points apiece. Joy Powell led off the backboards withseven rebounds followed by Emily Langley with five rebounds.

Sherry Wineland directed Canton with 11 points.

BOYS

Brookhaven Academy 82, Canton Academy 36

Canton (36) Matt Hardy 11, Murphy 9, Jereme 3, Clark 2, Graves9, Snow 2.

Brookhaven (82) Craig Smith 25, Jonathan Winborne. 17, AlexDavis 10, Latham 4, Moreton 4, Cole Smith 7, Magee 2, Hodges 8,Brister 3, Achord 2.

Total fouls: Brookhaven 16. Canton 13. Fouled out-None.Technicals-None.

Free throws M-A; Brookhaven 7-13. Canton 5-17.

3-point goals: Craig Smith 3, Murphy 3, Graves 2, Jereme,Hodges.