The French Camp Academy boys and girls basketball teams both had a win over Noxapater and a loss to Ethel in the first two Region 5-1A games of the season.
The Panthers defeated Noxapater 58-46 but lost to Ethel 50-40. For the Lady Panthers there was a 41-29 win over Noxapater, followed by a 38-36 loss to Ethel.
The Panthers broke open the Noxapater game by outscoring the Tigers 15-7 in the third quarter for a 44-32 lead. “It was the first game back from Christmas and it took us a while to get going,” said coach Robert Leathers.
Derrion Smith led French Camp with 23 points. “We ran our offense and he was wide open every time,” Leathers said. “He finished well.”
C.J. Johnson added 16 points for the Panthers.
French Camp led Ethel 28-25 at the half, but was held to 12 second-half points. “We played pretty well defensively. The problem was we couldn't make a shot,” Leathers said. “We shot the ball over the rim, under the rim. We just couldn't get it to go in the hoop.”
Johnson had 12 points and Smith 11. Izik Stewart led Ethel with 22 points.
Grace Ann Wade had 15 points and Jasmine Bonty 13 in the Lady Panthers' victory over Noxapater.
The Ethel game was close the whole way with Ethel able to hold on for the two-point victory. “It was a hard fought game,” said French Camp coach Polly LeVert. “We just couldn't get over the hump.”
Jordan Carter had a game-high 12 points for French Camp. Takia Miller led Ethel with 10 points.
The Panthers and Lady Panthers played West Lowndes Tuesday and have home games with McAdams Friday. Both are region opponents.
GCS drops pair to Laurel Home School
By a scheduling quirk, the Grace Christian girls basketball team payed the same opponent – Laurel Home School – three straight games.
The first two came in the Meridian Holiday Tournament January 4. Laurel Home School won 24-14 in round robin competition, but Grace Christian was victorious in the tournament championship game 38-29.
The rubber match came in a regular season game last week, a 31-26 Laurel Home School victory, Grace Christian cut a four-point halftime deficit to one in the third quarter, but was never able to catch up. “We did not block out well at all. They won the game on offensive rebounds,” said coach Talor Troyer.
“Our defense was good. We got them to take the shots we wanted them to take, the hard, off balanced hand-in-the-face shots. But we did not do our job blocking out.”
Carly Peterson led Grace Christian with 10 points.
BOYS
The Eagles also lost to Laurel Home School 46-32. Freshman Grayson Skelton had 11 points and two assists and sophomore Bonner Brownlee nine points and nine rebounds for Grace Christian.
The Eagles picked up a forfeit when Lakeview Baptist Academy of Tupelo canceled a game due to a scheduling conflict.
“We had a good week of practice and play last week overall,” said coach Jason Morgan. “We are slowly improving in a few key areas. I think we are primed for a strong week.”
The Eagles played Diamond Grove Tuesday and have games scheduled with Victory Christian of New Albany at home Friday and on the road next Tuesday. Because Diamond Grave and Victory Christian do not have girls teams, the Lady Eagles next game will be at home Jan, 24 against Hebron Christian.
