Choctaw Central takes second win over SEL

By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Feb. 4, 2004
For two quarters, Choctaw Central and Southeast Lauderdale swapped baskets like a pair of heavyweight fighters before a packed house at Vimville.
Then the fourth-ranked Lady Warriors went for the knockout punch early in the third quarter and landed it.
No. 4-ranked Choctaw Central improved to 26-1 overall and 10-0 in Division 5-3A, wrapping up the regular season league title with the 95-76 win.
"I've never been more proud of a team that I've coached," Lady Warriors head coach Walter Wilson said. "They won a big ballgame in a tough, tough place to play against a tough team.
"I'd like to enjoy it, but we've got to get back to work. Hopefully, this will prepare us for the tournament and everything that's ahead of us."
Southeast, No. 7 in the Associated Press poll, fell to 25-2 and 9-2 with both losses coming to Choctaw.
The Lady Warriors led 27-19 at the end of the first quarter, thanks to 11 points from Chantay Frazier, only to have Southeast close to within 46-44 going into halftime. Both teams had 21 rebounds in the first half.
Southeast, which never led, tied the game for the third time at 46 on a basket by Samantha Smith early in the third quarter.
After scoring four of the next six points, the Lady Warriors ran off nine unanswered points to take a double-digit lead at 59-48 with 4:31 remaining in the third period. In the run, freshman Mystie Dale hit a 3-pointer and a deuce.
"First of all, the best team won," Southeast coach Joe Miller said. "They've played us twice and beat us pretty good twice, so you've got to say they're better than us, even though I think we've got a pretty good ballteam.
"We played a good first half, but we didn't answer the bell coming out of the dressing room (at halftime). I thought we did the least hustle that we've done all year in the second half.
"They hit some good shots on us and we just kinda quit which is a little puzzling to me because that's the time you've got to step it up.
"We didn't shoot well at all in the third quarter."
Dale had 12 of her 28 points in the third quarter as the Lady Warriors upped their lead to 79-59 by the end of the period. Choctaw outscored Southeast 33-15 in the quarter as the Lady Tigers quit working the ball inside and instead fired blanks from behind the 3-point arc.
"We played better defense," Wilson said. "Ria (Willis) came in and gave us good defense. She drew two charges that were real instrumental in turning the tide. And she was able to rebound."
Frazier joined Dale with 28 points. Shyatesa York had 14, Ashley Flint 13, and Willis eight. The Lady Warriors made 10 3-point shots with Frazier hitting four and Dale three.
"We made some big 3s," Wilson said. "Shyatesa stepped up and made some big shots."
The Lady Warriors had a 40-38 rebounding advantage.
Southeast got 18 points from Stacy Tate, 17 from Smith, 14 from LaShondra Hall, 13 from Shalonda Mitchell, and eight from Queta Reed. Hall had four treys.
Choctaw (boys) 82
Southeast 41
The Warriors kept the league lead in the boys' standings as they doubled the Tigers.
Choctaw Central led 18-6 after one quarter and held a 44-15 halftime advantage.
The Warriors (23-4, 8-2) got 16 points each from Scotty Nickey and Rodgrick Anderson, 11 from Joseph Martin, seven from Wesley King, and six each from Jamie Wesley, Joey Stephens, and Justin Willis.
Southeast (7-20, 1-9) got 12 points from Dennis Knight, 10 from Detrick Landrum, and six from Sidney Coleman.