Greenwood High School held off a furious fourth-quarter rally by Amanda Elzy to improve to 3-0 on the young season.
With a 17-point lead heading into the final period, the Bulldogs looked like they were going to bury the Panthers.
However, that wasn't he case as Greenwood had to hold on for a 63-58 victory Tuesday night before an overflow crowd at the Leflore County Civic Center.
Trailing 53-36 at the end of the third, Elzy went to its 2-1-2 trap and made a run at the Bulldogs. The Panthers opened the fourth with a 15-4 run, with senior guard Oscar Martin scoring eight of those 15 points.
Back-to-back baskets by Martin pulled Elzy within four, 57-53, with 3:51 left to play. But Greenwood's stud, Lavoris Weathers, scored the game's next three points to cool off the Panthers.
"We know Elzy is going to play hard. We wanted to blow them out, but those country boys have got heart," GHS head coach Kelvin Young said.
"We didn't protect the ball down the stretch. We've got to get ready, because we will see that kind of pressure from the teams in our conference."
Weathers, considered one of the top seniors in the state, finished with a game-high 17 points, but he was much more excited about his 19 rebounds.
"Nineteen boards, baby," he said after the game. "That's what I'm talking about."
Falando Jones and Jerome Simmons had 15 points each for GHS, and William Pugh added 11.
For Elzy (2-2), Martin and Cordell Miller had 15 points each. Terrence Moore added 10, and Desmond Jones chipped in with nine.
The Bulldogs jumped on their crosstown rival early, running out to a quick 11-2 lead. Jones sparked the fast start with the game's first two field goals.
Simmons, a senior wing player, brought the packed house to its feet with a one-handed slam dunk in the early minutes of the game.
Greenwood led by as many as 13 in the opening period and was up 18-8 heading into the second period.
The Bulldogs' biggest first-half lead came in the second period when Weathers hit a pair of free throws to put his team up 15, 34-19.
GHS led 38-25 at the half.
Greenwood plays Friday in a tournament at Humphreys County in Belzoni, while Elzy plays in the Leflore County Tournament next week.
GHS girls 58, Amanda Elzy 49 - The Lady Bulldogs held off a fourth-period rally in a game controlled by the refs and their quick whistles.
Greenwood moved to 2-1, winning a foul-filled game that lasted 1 hour and 55 minutes. More than 50 fouls were called on the two teams combined.
The Lady Panthers (2-2) cut the Lady Bulldogs' lead to one midway through the fourth period, but GHS responded with a 7-0 run. Brittany Carter scored five of her 16 points in that run.
Asia Russell salted the game away for GHS with back-to-back breakaway layups in the final minute.
First-year GHS coach Edna Powell was pleased to get the win in her inaugural Greenwood-Amanda Elzy clash.
"We expected a fight, and that's what we got," Powell said. "We played hard and hung in there. We got some turnovers off our man-to-man defense to get some layups and keep them at bay."
Carolyn McCorckle had a key steal and assist to Kimberly Huff for a layup to help spark the 7-0 run.
The Lady Bulldogs led by as many as 13 in the third after a putback by Brittany Carter early in the period, but the Lady Panthers went on an 8-0 run to pull within five, 34-29, at the two-minute mark. But GHS ended the run on a jump shot from Huff, preventing Elzy from getting any closer.
Huff finished with 15 points.
Dominic Freeman led Elzy with 21, while Lillie Wilson added 11.
