WEST LINCOLN – The 2014-2015 high school basketball season arrived Thursday night at West Lincoln, with Lawrence County sweeping a varsity double-header from the host Lady Bears and Bears.

Lawrence County rolled to a 45-21 win in the girls’ game. The LCHS boys then followed with a 78-46 victory in the late game. Thursday’s action marked the season opener for both schools.

Lawrence Co. 45, West Lincoln 21 

In the girls’ game, Vicki Rutland’s Lady Cougars scored the first 17 points of the game en route to a comfortable win over the West Lincoln Lady Bears. The Lady Cougars led 10-0 after one quarter, and 24-7 at the half, and were never really threatened.

Haven Johnson and Jazmine Moore led Lawrence County with 10 points each, and DeNeisha Dickson added nine. The lightening-quick backcourt combination of Dickson and Johnson controlled the pace of the game for LCHS. Dickson had five assists and five steals, while Johnson contributed four rebounds and two steals. Moore led the Lady Cougars in rebounding with six.

“We had a decent first night,” said Rutland, in her tenth season at Lawrence County. “We got to see a lot of players, and a lot of them got quality time. For some, it was their first minutes of varsity time. That experience will help in the long run.”

Layton Sills led Lane Young’s Lady Bears with eight points. Hanna Moak added four.

Lawrence Co. 78, West Lincoln 46 

Hot shooting was the key to the LCHS win in the boys’ game. Junior guards Phillip Moore and Gabriel Lewis combined for 29 first-half points, and the Cougars raced to a 44-26 halftime lead. Moore had 17 points at the intermission, and Lewis had 12.

The second half saw more of the same. Lawrence County stretched its lead to as many as 29 points (59-30) in that period, then lengthened it even more in the fourth.

“We had a good night,” said Cougar coach Pat Bridges. “We shot the ball well, and I thought we ran the floor well, and played with good energy. It was a good start for our team.”

Lewis led LCHS with 21 points, and Moore added 17. Keyshawn Feazell had a double-double for the Cougars with 10 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. Shacorey Pittman added eight rebounds. Lewis and A.J. McLaurin each handed out three assists. Quitten Brown had three steals.

Jason Watts had a great shooting night for the Bears. He connected on five 3-pointers en route to a 19-point evening. Ronnie Edwards added 11 points. Lane Young’s boys were minus some players, as West Lincoln is still alive in the football playoffs.

West Lincoln will next be in action next Thursday, against Bogue Chitto. The Lawrence County boys will play at Pearl on Saturday, in a “classic” game. The Lady Cougars will do the same, at West Jones, on Tuesday.