BHS Lady Panthers outhustle Tylertown, 52-37
Published 10:16 pm Monday, January 1, 2018
Ole Brook’s girls carried all four quarters in Saturday afternoon’s 52-37 win against Tylertown, walking out of McComb’s Coca-Cola Holiday Tournament as victors in both its contests.
The Lady Panthers scored more than half their points in the third and fourth quarters, feeding a high-pressure defense with fresh players off the bench to gather in turnovers and score in transition. The pace wore Tylertown thin, and the Lady Chiefs managed only seven points against Brookhaven’s 14 in the final period.
“Our press defense makes us more hyped, gives us more intensity, speeds up the pace for us,” said Ole Brook senior Taylor Carter.
Brookhaven’s speed and depth started to show early in the second half. Tylertown fought to within six points before the teams headed to the locker rooms, but Brookhaven’s offense fired up 14 points in the third and another 14 in the fourth, while the Lady Chiefs managed only 17 points in answer.
Thirteen of Brookhaven’s 14 ladies got into the game, with nine scoring points.
“When we see things slowing down, we speed up,” said Ole Brook freshman Ashanti Louis. “We want to get to the basket.”
Sophomore shooter Silentianna Collins led Ole Brook in scoring with 13 points. She scored 31 total points across both Lady Panthers’ games in the McComb tournament.
Carter scored 10 points, while Louis and junior Cynphoni Thompson scored seven each. Junior Tamia Stallings and sophomore Ayanna McNairy dropped in five points each, while juniors Yacoriuna Braxton and Dymonde Washington had two each. Junior Miyah Miller hit a single free throw.
“We got some easy transition baskets in the early part of the third quarter,” said Brookhaven coach Preston Wilson. “We didn’t play solid defensively, so we struggled a little bit there. But Tylertown has a good team and they kept getting loose balls.”
The win takes the Lady Panthers to 10-5 on the season. The girls host South Pike tonight and welcome the Lady Bulldogs from Natchez Friday for the season’s first district game.
Tylertown hosts the Lady Cobras of Wesson Friday night.