The Brookhaven Academy Cougars and Lady Cougars squared off with the Parklane Pioneers to wrap up the Thanksgiving Holiday Classic at the John R. Gray Gymnasium Tuesday evening. All in attendance got their money’s worth in two highly-contested games, with the Pioneers muscling their way to a 51-39 boy’s win and the Lady Pioneers taking a nail-biter by a score of 43-42.

In varsity boys action, Parklane used a 15-7 third quarter run to put some distance between themselves and the Cougars, who trailed by three points at the halftime break. The deficit proved too much to overcome, as the Pioneers were able to answer every BA scoring run with key baskets and great free throw shooting down the stretch.

Tanner Thurman led BA with 11 points. Ethan Nations and Dawson Flowers added 8 points each for the Cougars in support. Newlon Gillihan paced all scorers with a 19-point evening of work for the Pioneers.

In girl’s action, the Lady Cougars came out quick and posted a 16-3 first quarter lead. Not to be outdone, Parklane responded in the second quarter and cut the BA advantage to a single point at halftime. Going into the fourth quarter with the score knotted at 33-33, it looked as though the team with the last possession would pick up the win.

An old-fashioned three-point play from Anne Brantley Warren with less than 30 seconds to play cut the Lady Pioneer’s lead to a single point. A turnover on the other end set the Lady Cougars up to potentially grab the win. After strategy timeout discussions on both benches, the Lady Pioneer defense rose to the challenge and dodged any successful last-second buzzer-beater scoring attempts by the ladies from BA to escape with the one-point win.

Kailyn Jordan led the Lady Cougars with 11 points. Jana Case added nine, while Emily Claire Felder and Warren each had five points. Sharpshooter Lana Moak carried the scoring load for Parklane with 18 points.

BA will return to action on Nov. 28 as the teams travel to Gallman for four games, taking on Copiah Academy in junior high and varsity action. Junior high girls first tip is scheduled for 4 p.m.