Photo: Vernon Green III of Lake Cormorant drives for two of his game-high 30 points in the 63-58 victory over South Panola Friday night. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Lake Cormorant boys basketball has run off to a 9-3 record this season, with the ninth win coming Friday night in the 63-58 Region 1-6A victory over South Panola at “The Swamp.”
Vernon Green III led the way for the Gators against the Tigers with a game-high 30 points. Jayden Smith added 16.
Lake Cormorant ran out to a 17-8 lead after one quarter behind Green’s 10 points, including a pair of three-point shots. South Panola rallied in the second quarter to put 23 points on the board and get within 32-31 Lake Cormorant at halftime. Smith added six and Green another four in the period to lead the Gators.
In the third quarter, the Gator offense came away again, outsourcing the Tigers 23-12 for a 55-43 advantage heading into the final eight minutes. Nine of the 23 points came from Green for Lake Cormorant.
But the Gators were held to only nine points in those final eight minutes as the Tigers put 14 points on the board, but they weren’t enough to recover and Lake Cormorant came away with the victory.
Gator coach Kendrick Davis said the win came after surviving a series of rallies made by both teams.
“We made a run in that first quarter, then they made a run in the second quarter,” Davis said. “We made a run in the third quarter and they made a run in the fourth quarter, but we were able to close it out.”
In his second year on the bench, Davis believes his club is a tougher one from last season by how it responds to different situations.
“We are getting stops when we need stops, we are getting rebounds when we need rebounds, making the big shot or making a free throw when we need it,” Davis said.
(G) South Panola 57, Lake Cormorant 33: South Panola erupted for 23 second-quarter points to rally from an 11-6 first-quarter deficit on their way to the 24-point victory over the Lady Gators. The Lady Tigers would take a 29-17 lead at the break. In the second half, South Panola continued to push ahead, adding another 17 points in the fourth quarter for the one-sided victory. Shania Fondren led South Panola with 27 points and 13 rebounds in the win. Lake Cormorant got nine points from Marlashia Milam.
Friday, Dec. 6
Prep boys basketball
Lewisburg 60, Northpoint Christian 43
Northpoint: Jackson Rails-17 points
Lake Cormorant 63, South Panola 58
DeSoto Central 68, Olive Branch 63
Horn Lake 75, Memphis Business Academy 71
Oxford 61, Southaven 52
Prep girls basketball
Northpoint Christian 43, Lewisburg 30
Olive Branch 57, DeSoto Central 37
South Panola 57, Lake Cormorant 33
Southaven 50, Oxford 46
Memphis Business Academy 47, Horn Lake 29
Prep boys soccer
Hernando 3, Amory 0
Hernando: Wyatt Sharp-2 goals, Parks Raffery-1 goal
Olive Branch 3, South Panola 2
Olive Branch: Goals scored by Sammy Rojcewicz, Brandt Edler, and Connor Perry
HUSTLE DROP OPENER IN AUSTIN: The Memphis Hustle (4-7) tipped off a four-game road trip with a 114-100 loss to the Austin Spurs (8-2) at the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas, Friday night.
Armando Bacot paced the Hustle with 21 points and seven rebounds. Miles Norris scored 20 points. Xavier Johnson notched his first double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 assists. Lucas Williamson contributed 14 points.
Malachi Flynn scored a game-high 26 points to lead the Spurs.
