BOGUE CHITTO – Loyd Star forward Brittany Brown pumped in agame-high 18 points Tuesday night to lead the Lady Hornets to aclose 42-40 win over the Bogue Chitto Lady ‘Cats in the basketballseason opener for both teams in R.L. “Bob” Calhoun Gymnasium.

With the Bogue Chitto football team in the Class 1A stateplayoffs, the varsity boys basketball team did not play lastnight.

In the junior high boys game, Bogue Chitto knocked off Loyd Star37-24 and the JH Lady ‘Cats mauled the Lady Hornets 40-12.

Loyd Star’s Thursday night games with Cathedral have been movedto Natchez due to work being done on the Hornets’ gym floor.

Friday’s scheduled home games with Bogue Chitto and Mt. Hermonhave been moved to Thursday, with two junior high games followed bythe varsity girls contest.

Loyd Star 42, Bogue Chitto 40

“I’m happy we won,” said Loyd Star girls coachJan Delaughter after the win. “It was ugly, but we won it. We hadfirst-game jitters.”

Delaughter made a successful return to the sidelines after a14-year absence. She coached Loyd Star to a state championship in1991.

With 3:47 left in the fourth quarter, Loyd Star tied the game at39-all on a putback by Haley Sones. Brown nailed a field goal with2:58 left to play to give the Lady Hornets a 41-39 lead.

Bogue Chitto’s Kimberlee Thomas, who finished with 16 points,went 1-for-2 from the free-throw line to cut the deficit to 41-40with 1:35 on the clock. Lady Hornet Dakota Brooks followed with afree throw to push the visitors’ lead to 42-40 with 43.4 secondsleft in the game.

The Lady ‘Cats missed several attempts at the end as the LadyHornets held on for the win.

“I thought Loyd Star came out on top of their game,” said BogueChitto coach Christi Terrell. “They jumped out on us in the firstquarter.”

Loyd Star (1-0) went on a 7-0 run to start the game before BogueChitto’s LaToya Braxton hit a field goal for her team’s firstpoints of the season. At the end of the first quarter, the LadyHornets led the Lady ‘Cats 15-11.

Bogue Chitto improved its shooting in the second quarter and cutthe deficit to 2 points, 32-21, at the half. Going into the finalframe, the Lady Hornets held a slim 31-30 lead over the Lady ‘Cats.Both teams exchanged leads several times before the final 3 minuteswhen the Lady Hornets took the lead.

“We had too many turnovers and missed layups,” addedTerrell.

Bogue Chitto got 12 points from Holli Miller. Thomas led off thebackboards with 8 rebounds and made 4 steals.

Loyd Star got added support from Shannon Chester with 9points.

Bogue Chitto 37, Loyd Star 24

In the junior high boys contest, Colby Johnson directed theBobcats with 19 points. Netting 5 points was Chris Hall.

The Hornets were led by Cade McCullough with 8 points. ZachSmith scored 7.

Bogue Chitto 40, Loyd Star 12

Darcy Miller’s 17 points sparked the Bogue Chitto girls in theJH contest. Aneisha Dillion finished with 8 points.

Loyd Star got 7 points from Courtney Watts.