BRANDON – Senior point guard Dontae Dixon was a perfect 7-for-7from the charity stripe in the final frame to aid the BrookhavenPanthers to a 75-68 victory over the Northwest Rankin Cougars todayclaim to the 2000 Brandon Invitational Tournament championshipSaturday night.

Forward Nikki Blakely of Brookhaven, coming out of a shootingslump, pumped in a game-high 25 points and 7 rebounds to lead theLady Panthers to a 61-57 non-district win over the Terry LadyBulldogs in a loser’s bracket game.

Brookhaven will be at home tonight to take on Brandon. Thevarsity girls game begins at 6 p.m. followed by the varsity boysgame at 7:30.

Brookhaven 75, NW Rankin 68

Brookhaven (7-1) continues to win with a balanced scoringattack. Four Panthers scored in double figures for head coachPreston Wilson and assistant Dan Presley.

“We played well tonight,” said Wilson following the game.

The Panthers came out the starting gates slow as they trailed11-10 at the end of the first quarter.

Both teams were deadlocked at 28-28 at the intermission.

Junior guard Fred Mackabee keyed a third quarter Panthers surge.Mackabee scored 10 of his 15 points in the period as Brookhavencarried a 53-49 lead in into the final quarter.

The Cougars, behind 10 fourth-quarter points by Patrick Lindsey,tried to keep pace with Brookhaven. Lindsey led all scorers with 24points.

Dixon’s performance at the free throw line and a relentlessPanther defense held NW Rankin at bay.

Brookhaven shot an amazing 27-for-29 from the charity stripe (86percent). They were 12-for-13 in the final stanza.

Maurice Brown and Matt Fitzsimmons held team-high honors for thePanthers, with 16 points apiece. Corey Bryant provided 14points.

“Free throws helped us down the stretch,” added Wilson.

Brookhaven 61, Terry 57

The Lady Panthers (3-5) got offensive support from an old sourceto snap a 2-game losing streak.

Blakely, a 5-foot-8 senior who was coming off a season-low 4points against Madison Central, scored 15 points in the openingperiod as Brookhaven jumped out to a 19-7 lead.

“Nikki got off to a good start,” said Brookhaven head coachRonald Gill.

The second quarter was a virtual standstill, but the LadyPanthers still maintained a 37-25 lead going into the halftimelocker room.

Terry, coached by Liz Foster, got support from seniors AprilMcElroy and Samantha Harrison. The two combined for 12 points inthe third as the Lady Bulldogs pulled within 7, 49-41, entering thefinal frame.

McElroy led the Lady Bulldogs with 18 points.

Foster’s ballclub continued to chip away at the Lady Panthersbut missed baskets in the period helped Brookhaven to the 4-pointwin.

“We played better as a team,” added Gill. “But we still must cutdown on the turnovers and do a better job on the offensiveboards.”

Julianna Wallace provided 12 points and 5 rebounds for Gill andassistant Terri Hall. Shameka Gilmore pulled down 6 rebounds.Tiffany Watkins had 3 steals.