McCOMB — A short bank shot in the paint by Ole Brook’s SweyzeBlack with 5 seconds left on the clock, propelled the Lady Panthersto a 39-38 Monday win over the Amite (La.) Lady Warriors in Day 1of the 2004 McComb Coca-Cola Invitational.

In the varsity boys game, the Amite (La.) Warriors scored 20points on 10 offensive putbacks to defeat the Ole Brook Panthers67-50.

This year’s tournament features a Mississippi/Louisianaround-robin format.

In other action, Hammond (La.) made it a clean sweep over AmiteCounty. The Lady Tornadoes blew past the Lady Trojans 86-26, whilethe Tornadoes breezed to a 62-48 win over the Trojans. Host McCombdefeated St. Helena Central (La.) 84-51 in a boys contest.Information on the McComb/St. Helena girls game was unavailable atpress time.

Brookhaven plays St. Helena Central (La.) today, beginning at 2p.m. with the girls game. Amite County battled Amite (La.) at 11a.m. and 12:30 p.m., while McComb plays Hammond (La.) at 5 and 6:30p.m.

Brookhaven 39, Amite, La. 38

The Lady Panthers (3-8) came out of the starting gate on fire.Senior guard Ashley Leggett and junior guard Blanche Wilson sacked3 treys in the opening 8 minutes, to give Ole Brook an 11-7 leadheading into the second quarter.

The Lady Tornadoes (11-4), coached by Joe English, opened thesecond with 14-4 run to take a 20-15 advantage. Tanya Walker tossedin 7 points in the period as Amite led 22-17 at the intermission.Walker led Amite with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 5 steals.

Ole Brook, behind the play of forward Kayla Harris, began theircomeback in the third. Harris, a 5-foot-8 sophomore, scored 6 ofher game-high 12 points in the frame. Harris also had 6 rebounds.The Lady Panther trailed by 2 points, 34-32 entering the finalstanza.

“Kayla played a good game today,” said Ole Brook girls headcoach Billy Holmes. “This was a good win for us against a qualityteam.”

Neither team could take advantage of the other in the finalperiod. Walker gave the Lady Warriors a 38-37 lead, late in thegame. An 0-of-6 performance from the charity stripe in the final 8minutes cost Amite a chance at victory.

“We did not hit our free throws at the end,” said English. “Wewere little flat today.”

Lending support for Ole Brook were Black with 11 points, 17rebounds, 5 blocked shots and 2 assists. Portia Dickey dished out 4assists. Wilson had 3 assists. Leggett had 2 steals and 2assists.

Amite, La. 67, Brookhaven 50

“The difference in the game was our offensive rebounding,” saidWarrior head coach Alvin Stevens.

Amite (11-2) outrebounded Ole Brook 26-8 on the offensive endfor the game, and held an overall 39-19 rebounding margin. ThePanthers committed 27 turnovers, compared to 17 by theWarriors.

Amite was fresh from winning the Louisiana Class 3A statefootball championship two weeks ago in the Louisiana Superdome.Brookhaven won the Mississippi Class 4A state football title Dec. 4in Jackson.

The Panthers (5-6) could not find an answer for the Warriors’scoring spree, trailing 11-4 entering the second quarter.

Amite opened the second with a 10-0 run, for a 25-15 lead.Warrior Kendrick Perry tossed in 10 of his game-high 22 points, asAmite forged a 31-17 halftime lead. Walker also had 11 rebounds and3 steals.

Ole Brook, coached by Ronald Hines, closed the deficit to 6points in the third; 36-30 on a basket by Bud Chatman. That wouldbe as close as the Panthers would get. The Warriors closed thequarter with a 10-3 run, to lead 46-33 entering the fourthperiod.

Ole Brook freshman Charles Rancifer sacked 3 treys in the final8 minutes and finished with a team-high 14 points and 3 assists.Chatman added 12 points, 9 rebounds and 5 blocked shots. JeromeAvery had 3 steals and 3 assists. Michael Thrasher had 5 reboundsand 3 assists.