Boyd leads Quitman to win

By By Will Bardwell/staff writer
January 24, 2004
QUITMAN Quitman High School put four players in double figures on Friday night as the Panthers beat West Lauderdale High School 67-57.
Daniel Boyd scored a game-high 19 points for Quitman. Prince Trotter had 16 points, B.J. Parks scored 14 points and Xavier Arrington added 11 for the Panthers, who improved their record to 14-9.
Quitman head coach Steve Hampton said he hoped the non-division win would give his team a boost of confidence heading down the stretch.
The Panthers, who never trailed, held West Lauderdale without a field goal for more than three minutes to open the game. Chris Seaphus drained a three-pointer for the Knights at the 4:47 mark of the first quarter, but it was one of only three baskets during the first period for West Lauderdale.
The Knights trailed by nine points after the third quarter, but trimmed Quitman's lead to six with 3:15 to play on a 12-foot fade-away shot by Daniel Huggins, who finished with 17 points. Seconds later, though, Parks stole the ball for the Panthers and finished with a one-handed slam that gave Quitman a 62-54 lead.
West Lauderdale came within five points with 1:30 remaining after a Huggins three-pointer, but the Panthers held the Knights scoreless for the rest of the game.
West Lauderdale fell to 17-7.
West girls 58
Quitman 51
After watching her team get beaten up for most of the second half, Vankeila Wilson struck back for West Lauderdale.
Quitman's MaShana Bonner had just banked in a long three-pointer to complete a rally by the Pantherettes, who trailed by 13 at one point but led 49-48 after Bonner's bomb.
Wilson streaked down the floor and drained a three-pointer of her own on the Lady Knights' next possession, reclaiming a lead that West Lauderdale never again relinquished.
While Quitman's guards scorched the nets at times Bonner led all scorers with 24 points, and Kemonica McGee add 11 more for the Lady Panthers West Lauderdale's saving grace was its presence down low. Shannon Lloyd scored a team-high 18 points for the Lady Knights, who also got 11 points from Wilson and 10 from Kaihia Fitch.
Though the Pantherettes created plenty of scoring chances for themselves, Quitman head coach Judy Morgan said her team often reacted too quickly to open looks.