BOGUE CHITTO – Bogue Chitto’s Bobcats and Lady Bobcats owned Pelahatchie Tuesday night and avenged a pair of earlier season losses with big district wins at the new Bobcat Palace.

Coach Christi Terrell’s Lady Bobcats improved to 19-5 overall and 7-2 in their division with the 53-42 win over the Lady Chiefs. The win avenged an 18-point loss to the Lady Chiefs on the road back in January and gave Coach Terrell reason to smile as the regular season winds down.

“Our game plan worked even though we had some trouble handling the ball,” said Coach Terrell. “We’re very young, with just one senior, and the inexperience showed at times tonight,” she said.

The Bogue Chitto girls took advantage of their young talent, though. Sophomore Zariah Matthews had one of her best games of the season and led the Lady Bobcats with 19 points. She’s the team’s leading scorer, averaging almost 11 points per game.

Matthews was also key in helping senior Mattie Avants break the Lady Chiefs’ press. “I’ve really been working hard to try to improve my ball-handling skills,” Matthews said. “My left hand is really weak and it’s something I’m constantly working on,” she said. Avants had another good night and pumped in 13. Terrah Nelson and Lauren McCaffrey had 6 each.

The Lady Bobcats and the Lady Chiefs are tied for second place in the district behind league-leading Hinds AHS.

BOBCATS WIN IN PAINT:  Coach Mark Pitts watched a 15-point halftime lead slowly erode, but his Bobcats held on for a hard-fought 60-53 win over the Chiefs. BC improved to 8-15 overall and 5-4 in the district.

“When you go cold outside you’re suppose to take it inside, and that’s exactly what we did tonight,” said Coach Pitts. “This was a real physical game and we had to push our way around in the paint.”

The Chiefs closed to within five points with 15 seconds left but couldn’t bring it closer in the final seconds.

The Bobcats got a 17-point effort from Damien Terrell, and 14 from Dennis Rogers. Brock Roberts added 8.

Earlier in the season the Bobcats fell at Pelahatchie by 10. “Much better effort tonight,” Coach Pitts said.

The Bogue Chitto squads will look for district wins Thursday when they travel to play the Mississippi School for the Deaf in Jackson.