Southeast takes exhaustive win, 82-79
By By Jeff Byrd / sports editor
Feb. 5, 2003
An exhaustive contest led both Southeast Lauderdale and Choctaw Central to dig deep into its respective benches here Tuesday night at Southeast.
It was the Southeast Lady Tigers, who despite seeing a 23-point lead wilt under the constant pressure of Choctaw Central, had enough left to hang on for an 82-79 victory.
The end result of the Division 5-3A contest, will more than likely, be a rematch a week from Thursday in a go-home, make-or-break, semifinal contest at the divisional tournament in Carthage.
The win moves Southeast to 8-3 in the division while Choctaw Central suffered its fourth divisional loss in 11 games. The visiting Lady Warriors, who entered ranked fifth in this week's Associated Press poll, fall to 22-6 overall.
Lady Tiger head coach Joe Miller was elated to see his team pull out the win despite losing a big, second half-lead and for losing three players to fouls.
None were bigger than the pair made by reserve forward Cresha Little who entered after Shalonda Mitchell fouled out with 36 seconds left. Southeast's other primary post player in Stacy Tate, was also out of the game with fouls.
The Lady Warriors had just pulled even at 79-all, erasing a four-point Southeast lead, with 26 seconds left.
The Lady Tigers broke through the Choctaw pressure and found Little on the baseline where she was fouled. She calmly sank the first free throw for a one-point lead. After a timeout, she made the second for an 81-79 lead with 16 seconds left.
Choctaw worked the ball around but the Lady Tigers were determined not to give up a three-point basket. After a ball was knocked out of bounds, Choctaw set up its final play with six seconds left. On the entry inside to Kelly McMillan, the pass was low and bounced off her foot and out of bounds.
The Lady Warriors were hurt by the mid-fourth quarter loss of Ashley Flint who fell to the floor after hearing her ankle "pop."
Choctaw did get a boost from the bench by Kelly Willis who scored 16 second half points. Willis enabled the Lady Warriors to battle back from a 21-point deficit at 61-40 with four minutes left in the third quarter.
Down 11-5, Southeast scored the last 14 points of the first quarter to close out a 20-2 run. The Lady Tigers then extended the 25-13 lead to 41-18 with 3:45 to go in the half. It was 49-30 at the half.
A basket by Tate, who ended with 16 points, made it 61-40. Two free throws and a basket by Willa Mae Thomas ignited the Lady Warrior comeback.
A three-pointer by Chantay Frazier followed by two baskets from Flint and one from Willis completed an 18-3 that cut the Southeast lead to 64-58 by quarter's end.
Choctaw eventually took the lead and held on three occasions, the last at 74-73 following a basket by Thomas. Southeast answered with two straight inside buckets from Shalonda Mitchell to reclaim the lead for good at 77-74 with 1:38 to play.
Southeast, now 20-8, finished with five players in double figures. Mitchell and LaShondra Hall each had 17. Tate had 16 followed by Ree Newell with 12 and Sam Smith added 11.
McMillan led Choctaw Central with 19 points. Willis had 16 followed by Thomas with 14 and Chantay Frazier chipped in 10.
