McCOMB – The Brookhaven basketball teams garnered a pair ofbasketball wins Tuesday afternoon in Day 2 of the McComb Coca-ColaClassic. The Lady Panthers got by the St. Helena Central (La.) LadyHawks 46-33, while the Panthers took the Hawks to the cleaners73-44.

Other tournament action saw Amite (La.) sweep Amite County withthe Lady Warriors smashing the Lady Trojans 72-14, while theWarriors squeaked by 73-66.

The McComb boys improved to 13-1, as they squeezed by previouslyunbeaten Hammond (La.) 84-82. The Hammond girls defeated McComb67-56.

Brookhaven plays Hammond today at 2 and 3:30 p.m. Amite Countytook on St. Helena Central at 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. McCombhosts Amite (La.) at 5 and 6:30 p.m. in the final day of the 3-daytourney.

Brookhaven 46, St. Helena 33

This girls game resembled a hockey game. There were a lot offouls and free shots. Both teams combined for 48 fouls, 53turnovers and 69 free throws. Neither team found an offensiverhythm, but the Lady Panthers made the most of their opportunitiesto pick up back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

“It was not pretty, but we will take the win,” said Ole Brookhead coach Billy Holmes. “Both teams played poorly.”

The Lady Panthers (4-8) led from start to finish. They foundtheir niche at the charity stripe in the first half. Ole Brook was15-for-29 from the foul line in the first half, led by junior guardCorena Bates’ 10-of-15 performance.

There were 32 fouls called in the first half as Holmes’ squadtook a 14-8 lead into the second frame and 29-17 into the halftimelockerroom.

“Our free throw shooting was disappointing,” said Holmesreferring to his team’s 43 percent (18-of-42) showing at the freethrow line.

Ole Brook’s defense allowed only 2 St. Helena Central players toscore. Reserve guard Sheena Taylor led the Lady Hawks with 26points, 7 rebounds and 6 steals. Ashley Byrd tossed in 7points.

Bates paced the Lady Panthers with 12 points and 8 rebounds, 2steals and 3 assists. Swayze Black pumped in 10 points, 13 reboundsand blocked 2 shots. Blanche Wilson had 10 points and 2 assists.Portia Dickey had 7 rebounds, 3 blocked shots and 2 assists.

Brookhaven 73, St. Helena 44

The Panthers (6-6) used the combination of a balanced offensiveattack along with a smothering, pressure defense to author the29-point blowout win. St. Helena Central could not match OleBrook’s intensity on both ends of the floor.

Panther head coach Ronald Hines’ ballclub realized a 16-6 first-quarter lead and a 45-19 advantage at the intermission. Bud Chatmantossed in 12 of his game-high 20 points in the opening half. Healso finished with 7 rebounds. Tory Richardson, Wade Stewart andMichael Thrasher combined for 29 first-half points.

The Hawks, coached by Lester Jenkins, tried to rally in thethird. Anthony Baker scored 10 of his team-high 18 points. It wasnot enough, as St. Helena found itsself trailing 58-34 entering thefinal stanza. Baker also finished with 8 rebounds and 6 steals.

Lending support for Ole Brook was Stewart with 12 points.Thrasher added 13 points, 8 rebounds 2 steals and 5 assists. AntwanBryant had 2 steals and 4 assists. Richardson had 10 points and 2steals.

Ole Brook forced the Hawks into 27 turnovers, while committing24 of their own; including 16 in the second half. The Panthers helda 40-29 rebounding edge.