Win puts Quitman boys in title contention

By By Robby Atkinson / staff writer
Feb. 4, 2004
QUITMAN The Quitman Panthers have put themselves in perfect position to possibly clinch a regular-season division championship. The Panthers needed to take care of a little business on Tuesday night at home, but the night turned out to be another great picture-perfect finish.
Quitman needed some clutch shooting and free throws in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter to take a thrilling 78-73 win over the Northeast Lauderdale Trojans.
The Panthers moved to 17-10 overall and 4-1 in divisional play and it sets up a huge showdown on Friday with 5-0 Mendenhall.
"We played with a lot of intensity tonight and got the big shots to fall when we needed them down the stretch," said Quitman head coach Steve Hampton. "It was a great game all the way around tonight and we have a shot this Friday to possibly move into first place in the division."
The Trojans started the game with a big 11-4 lead over Quitman with 4:14 left in the first quarter. Alex West and Antonio Clayton led the offense with five points apiece in the scoring run for Northeast Lauderdale in the first couple of minutes. Quitman took control of the rest of the first quarter with great perimeter shooting from Alandis Cook to give the Panthers a 23-18 lead at the end of the first.
Quitman continued to build its lead with 4:29 left in the second quarter on a pair of huge baskets by Belton Parks to make the score 28-22. The Panthers dominated the rest of the second quarter and held a 40-30 lead at the end of the first half.
Northeast Lauderdale played a fabulous third quarter to climb right back into the game and only trailed 56-55 with 1:27 left in the third. The next two trips up the floor for the Trojans produced two three-point shots with Clayton connecting on both shots to give Northeast Lauderdale a 58-56 lead. The Trojans took a 62-58 lead heading into the fourth quarter, but the Panthers would have the final run that proved to be the difference.
"We just need to learn to put all four quarters together," said Northeast Lauderdale head coach Lewis Lightsey. "We give them all the credit for hitting those big shots at the end of the game."
Quitman went on a 15-5 run in the final three minutes that made the big difference as the Panther took the key win.
Daniel Boyd led the Panthers with 19 points and Prince Trotter also had a great night with 18 points. Antionne McKenzie ended with 13 points for QHS and Parks finished with 10.
Clayton led the Trojans with 17 points and Maurice Langston also chipped in with 14 points. West added 11 points in the loss for Northeast.
Northeast Lauderdale (10-13, 3-3) returns to action on Friday at Enterprise.
Northeast (girls) 52
Quitman 46
The Lady Trojans fought off a great Quitman run in the third quarter to preserve a six-point win on the road. Northeast Lauderdale only led 15-11 at the end of the first quarter, but the second quarter belonged to Shaquita Bell. Bell scored all of the Northeast Lauderdale points in the second quarter with 10 points.
"She (Bell) has been the driving force for our team," Northeast Lauderdale head coach Dan Stegall said. "We played a much improved team and we hits some key shots that made the big difference."
The closest the Lady Panthers would come to taking a possible lead was with 1:17 left in the third quarter with two big baskets from Kemonica McGee to make the score 32-30 in favor of Northeast Lauderdale.
"We have improved as the season as rolled along," said Quitman head coach Judy Morgan said." "I am proud of the effort of the girls throughout the season and we have a chance to make some noise down the stretch."
Northeast Lauderdale went on a 12-4 run in final two minutes to take the road win. Bell led the Lady Trojans with 27 points and Crystal Hopson added 11 points in the win. McGee led Quitman with 19 points and MaShanna Bonner pitched in with 11 points in the home court loss.