CANTON — Sophomore guard Jeremy Winborne was a driving forceTuesday night in Brookhaven Academy’s 53-41 win over MarshallAcademy. Winborne tossed in 19 points as the Cougars caught fire inthe fourth quarter of the MPSA Class AA State Tournament. Winbornescored 10 points in the fourth-quarter surge.

The victory advances the Cougars (32-3) to Friday’s 7:15semifinals. They await the winner of today’s Prairie View-LeakeAcademy game.

In the other boys game yesterday, South No. 4 Columbia Academyupset North No. 1 West Memphis 73-70. Columbia meets the winner oftoday’s Heritage-Silliman game. All four semifinalists advance toSaturday’s finals, either the 6 p.m. consolation or 7:15championship games.

Against Marshall (22-14) the Cougars roared to a 26-8first-quarter lead over the No. 4-seeded Patriots. Marshall camefighting back and reduced its deficit to 8 points, 31-23, athalftime as Heath Taylor went to work in the paint and histeammates sacked 3 treys. Taylor finished with 12 points and 8rebounds.

Foul trouble for Brookhaven center Alex Davis sent him to thebench with 3 personals and 6:28 left in the third quarter. Sensingan upset, the Patriots pulled within a field goal at 35-33 on ashort jumper by Thomas Rogers at the close of third frame.

Senior guard Jonathan (J.M.) Winborne said his responsibilitywas to keep his teammates focused when Marshall launched a spiritedrally. “It got pretty intense out there. My job was to keep thingsin control.

“Jeremy is a great player and he can take it to the hole,” saidWinborne. “It’s a great thing to play on the same team with yourbrother.”

In the fourth quarter, Jeremy Winborne and Cole Hodges sankback-to-back field goals for a 39-35 Brookhaven lead. Thecombination worked again as Hodges sank a baseline drive andWinborne cashed in a steal with layup, giving the Cougars a 48-39advantage with 2:22 left in the game.

“Jeremy and Cole stepped up and we got some baskets in thefourth quarter when we needed them,” said BA coach Dale Watts. “Wehad a great first quarter but then we slacked off.

“Marshall got tenacious and momentum was like a big tidal wavefor them,” Watts added. “We showed a lot of togetherness in thefourth quarter.”

When Davis encountered more foul trouble in the third frame,Watts sent his team into a delay offense to slow Marshall’smomentum. “We wanted them to come out after us.”

On the backboards, Hodges and sophomore Seth Davis each had 7rebounds. Hodges made 5 steals and Davis had 4 assists.

Marshall, coached by Keith Taylor, got 12 points and 6 reboundsfrom Bob Dickerson.