Meridian takes win in MCC shootout
By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
June 17, 2004
Players from seven boys high school basketball teams kept their skills sharp on the hardwood on Wednesday at Meridian Community College's Ivy Sports Complex.
The first day of the Rush/MCC Shootout tipped off with teams from Scott Central, Clarkdale, Bay Springs, West Lauderdale, Northeast Lauderdale and Meridian High School participating in games. Meridian High's varsity and junior varsity are both participating in the summer shootout at MCC.
Participation in summer tournaments and shootouts have become as necessary for high school basketball programs as optional summer mini-camps for NFL players.
Meridian High's varsity squad took on Bay Springs on the first day of the shootout, with the Wildcats claiming a 45-26 win.
Cyrus McGowan led Meridian High's offense with 12 points, and Maurice Naylor chipped in 11.
Bay Spring's Reggie Shellwood scored a team-high nine points, and Labarton Jones added six.
NE Lauderdale 39
Meridian-JV 36
Northeast Lauderdale hung on for a three-point victory against Meridian High's junior varsity squad in the final game on Wednesday.
After taking a 23-14 lead into halftime, the Trojans were held to 16 points in the second half, while Meridian High tallied 22 points.
Rodney Warren scored 11 points for Meridian High, and Tory Adams chipped in five.
Demond Burton scored a team-high eight points for Northeast, and Roland Brown added five.
Scott Central 68
Clarkdale 28
In the first game of the day, Scott Central held Clarkdale to nine points in the second half en route to a 40-point victory.
The Rebels held a 29-19 lead at halftime, and Scott Central racked up 41 second-half points.
Eddie Patrick led Scott Central's offense with 14 points, and Kendrick Stoners added 12.
Shannon Henley scored a team-high 14 points for Clarkdale, and Alex Wonnabe added six.
Bay Springs 52
W Lauderdale 37
Bay Springs didn't relinquish a 27-23 halftime lead over West Lauderdale to pick up a win in the day's second game.
After the Knights' cut their deficit to 31-30 with 11:43 left in the game, the Tigers gave up just seven more points the rest of the game to claim the victory.
Mark Ford scored a team-high 14 points for West, and Daniel Huggins tallied 11 in the loss.
Shellwood scored a game-high 19 points for Bay Springs.
W Lauderdale 45
Scott Central 39
West Lauderdale took a slim 23-22 lead into the first half, as the Knights were able to hold off Scott Central for a win in the third game on Wednesday.
After the Rebels tied the game at 33 with 6:46 left to play, the Knights went on an 8-2 run to take control of the game with a 41-35 lead with 2:16 to play.
Grady led West's offense with 10 points, eight of which came in the second half, and Ford tallied seven points.
The shootout concludes today with six games. Clarkdale and Meridian's junior varsity team will begin the day's play at 1 p.m.
