Brookhaven’s Wade Stewart saved his best for last. Stewart hitthe winning jump shot off a spin move with 7 seconds left to playand then blocked a South Pike field goal to help the Pantherspreserve a narrow 62-60 Friday night victory over the Eagles inSinclair Gymnasium.

In the varsity girls game, Brookhaven beat South Pike 56-52,paced by Portia Dickey’s 15 points. Swayze Black chipped in 13points and Ashley Leggett 12 as the Lady Panthers won their firstDivision 6-4A test of the season.

Ole Brook resumes play Monday night, visiting Class 5A Clintonfor a non division twinbill.

The Panthers (5-3, 1-0) won for the fifth timein their last six outings as late arrival Bud Chatman pumped in 20points. Chatman, a 6-foot-4 starter at wide receiver, wasunavailable until Monday because of Ole Brook’s march to the statefootball championship.

“Bud is a good athlete,” said BHS boys coach Ronald Hines. “Hemight be the best raw basketball player I’ve had in my three yearshere.”

Charles Rancifer followed Chatman with 17 points.

“That was a big play by Wade,” said Hines. “South Pike shot thelights out against us. They couldn’t hit anything against FranklinCounty.”

Directing the Eagles was Phillip Brown with a game-high 31points, including 3 treys.

South Pike had pulled ahead 58-55 with 1:17 left to play on ajumper by Jonathan Williams and 2 free throws by BrandonDuplesis.

Ole Brook got a jumper from Rancifer and a 3-point play fromChatman to go up 60-58 with 45 seconds left on the clock. A jumperby Brown had granted the Eagles a 60-60 knot with 24 ticksleft.

The Lady Panthers (2-6, 1-0) got 9 reboundsfrom Black and 6 from Dickey as they turned back South Pike’sgirls. Corina Bates had 4 assists.

“The best thing about the win was that we got three girls indouble figures,” said Ole Brook girls coach Billy Holmes. “We stillhave to get better at handling zone pressure and taking care of thebasketball.”

South Pike was led by Brittney Fultz with a game-high 21points.

In the JV boys game, South Pike edged Ole Brook54-51 as Travarois Maralis and Jonathan Davis scored 13 pointsapiece. Brinson Johnson added 10 points.

The Panthers were paced by Johnathan Keeton’s 13 points. WilliamHughes added 8 points. Christopher Smith and Mandral Washingtonboth had 7 points.