A balanced overall effort by the Brookhaven Lady Pantherspropelled them to a convincing 63-32 Division 6-4A win over theFlorence Lady Eagles Tuesday night in Sinclair Gym. The BrookhavenPanthers started slow, but finished on a strong note; posting a65-51 win over the Florence Eagles.

Brookhaven travels to Port Gibson Friday night for anotherDivision 6-4A test.

Brookhaven 63, Florence 32

The Lady Panthers (20-3, 6-1) controlled the opening tip andproceeded to go on an 18-0 spurt to open the game. Head Coach FredaCraft played her starters the entire first quarter, garnering a24-4 lead entering the second frame.

The Lady Eagles (8-14, 2-5) outscored Brookhaven 13-10 in thesecond period against the Brookhaven bench. Florence, coached bySteve Wingate, still trailed 34-17 at the halftime break.

Craft continued wholesale substitutions through the second half.All 10 players that dressed played between 14 to 16 minutes in thegame. Ole Brook led 53-26 entering the final frame.

Dandy Dozen seniors Swayze Black and Nikki Byrd held game-highhonors with 12 points apiece. Junior guard Amber Dickey followedwith 11 points.

Byrd led all rebounders with 8, followed by Mal’esia Burnett andKelly Mackabee with 7 each. Byrd had 6 assists and Whitley Shannondished out 4.

The Lady Eagles were led by Hope Moore with 9 points.

Brookhaven 65, Florence 51

There was a logjam in the 6-4A boys race coming into Tuesdaynight’s game. Following division leaders Forest Hill (7-0) andMcComb (7-1), t here were 4 teams (Brookhaven, Florence, Mendenhalland Port Gibson) with at least 4 defeats.

The Eagles (10-11, 2-5) held an early 6-4 lead on a basket byguard Ken Jones. That would be their only lead of the night.Florence found itself on the wrong end of a 12-6 spurt by thePanthers to trail 16-12 entering the second period.

Ole Brook (10-14, 3-4) began to find the range from the floor(52 percent) in the first half. Senior forward Simmie Yarboroughtossed in 8 of his 12 points in the first, but it was his prowesson the boards that aided the Panthers to a 30-22 halftimecushion.

Yarborough also had 7 rebounds and 2 assists in the game.

Florence, coached by Darrin Chancellor, tried to make a run inthe third. The Eagles cut their deficit to 5 points, 42-37 enteringthe fourth stanza. Ken Jones would sack a pair of treys in theperiod, but it would not be enough.

Panther head coach Ronald Hines saw his team put the Eagles awayin the fourth. They went on an 18-3 run to lead 60-40 with under 3minutes in the game.

Turnovers would hurt Chancellor’s ballclub down the stretch.

“We are getting better,” said Coach Hines following thegame.

Ken Jones led all scorers with a game-high 22 points. ForwardNate Amos added 13 points and 8 rebounds. Keith Chancellor tossedin 12 points. Florence shot a dismal 27 percent (13 of 48) from thefloor.

Lending support for the Panthers was Charles (Bobo) Ranciferwith 15 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Point guard KeenanRichardson had 12 points, 4 steals and 2 assists. Frederick Fairmanhad 6 rebounds. Marcus McGee dished out 4 assists.

Brookhaven committed 25 turnovers, compared to 15 by the Eagles.Ole Brook dominated the rebounding battle 44-29, and shot 51percent (27 of 53) from the field. The Panther bench outscoredFlorence 32-1.