Senior center Ryan Thibodeaux and junior guard Khalil Newton pumped in 13 points apiece to lead three players in double figures as the Brookhaven Panthers roared pass the Hazlehurst Indians 54-50 Friday night in Sinclair Gymnasium.

     In the girls game, the Lady Panthers held on in a tough, physical battle to edge the Lady Indians 49-47.

     Brookhaven continues action Tuesday. They visit Tylertown to battle the Chiefs. Junior varsity action tips off at 5 p.m. The varsity girls begin at 6 p.m., followed by the boys.

     Hazlehurst returns to action Friday. The Indians invade Columbia to tangle with the Wildcats. The girls start at 6 p.m., followed by the boys.

Brook 49, Hazlehurst 47

     The Lady Panthers (9-5) came out strong and overpowered the Lady Indians with their size in the first half to take a 28-15 lead at halftime.

     In the second half, Hazlehurst caught fire in the third quarter to outscore Brookhaven 21-9. The Lady Panthers held a slim, 37-36 lead going into the final frame.

     In the fourth quarter, both teams battled back-and-forth, before the Lady Panthers’ post players seized control of the game with a strong effort in the paint for second and third chance opportunities.

     Senior center Carey Crozier directed Ole Brook’s offense with 13 points and 5 rebounds. Classmate Archea Brotherns was the leader on the boards with 6 rebounds and 8 points.

     “We came out and played really well in the first half,” said BHS coach Freda Craft. “In the second half, the girls came out too relaxed and Hazlehurst fought their way back into the game. In the fourth quarter, the girls managed to wake up and battle hard on the boards to give us more opportunities to score.”

     The Lady Indians (3-6) had two players score in double digits. Latasha Arnold paced Hazlehurst with 12 points. Jenny Joiner contributed 11 points.

     “The girls started the game off slow, before picking up the tempo in the second half,” said Hazlehurst coach Chastidy Sandifer. “We did a great job scrapping and fighting our way back. In the fourth quarter, Brookhaven did a good job controlling the boards for second and third chance opportunities to score.”

Brook 54, Hazlehurst 50

     Brookhaven and Hazlehurst fans gathered to watch a tough bout as both teams fought hard from start to finish.

     In the first quarter, the Indians (1-8) took control and grabbed a 15-12 lead. In the second quarter, the Panthers (9-5) roared back to secure a 24-23 lead at halftime.

     In the second half, Brookhaven continued to overpower Hazlehurst and extend their lead to 40-30 before heading into the final frame. In the fourth, the young Indians battled back into the contest as they outscored the Panthers 20-14. Ole Brook managed to hold off Hazlehurst’s late rally for the triumph.

     Junior forward Fred Trevillion netted 10 points to help led the Panthers. Newton was the leader on the boards with 8 rebounds.

     “We got off to a good start,” said BHS coach Preston Wilson. “The guys played hard and hustled the whole night. We managed to make our free throws in the clutch to preserve the win.”

     Senior guard Trojuan White showcased his talents pouring in a game-high 31 points to lead the Indians.

     “This was a tough game for both teams,” said Hazlehurst coach Carl Palmer. “We managed to get in sync a lot better in the second half. Number 2 (White) did a great job stepping up for us. Overall, I am pleased with the guys effort. We are a young team and we need to continue to get better in each contest.”

     In junior varsity boys’ action, Ole Brook blasted Hazlehurst 44-25.

     Randy Wilson led the Panthers with 9 points. Zymarrion Goodwin was the top scorer for the Indians with 8 points.