The Leflore County Lady Tigers are sitting pretty with only one division loss as the season nears an end.
The Lady Tigers improved to 7-1 in Division 4-2A with a 48-32 win Friday night over the Riverside Lady Bulldogs. Leflore County is 16-8 overall.
From the start, Leflore County was too much for Riverside. With a starting lineup full of seniors and a bench that was ready to play at all times, Leflore County jumped on top early and never relinquished the lead.
Deidre Lawson scored the first six points for Leflore County and led her team to a 12-5 advantage at the end of the first period.
The Lady Bulldogs continued to dominate in the second stanza and built a 12-point, 27-15, lead at the half.
"I have a bunch of seniors who really enjoy playing, and they did a great job," said coach John Phillips.
"I have 13 girls (on the team) who don't mind playing," he said.
In the second half, Phillips substituted throughout, giving his entire team playing time. At times he would put five new players on the floor at one time. And that didn't seem to hurt the Lady Tigers' lead.
Leflore County had its largest advantage in the third, leading Riverside 40-23 heading into the final period.
The Lady Tigers continued to put pressure on the smaller Riverside team during the fourth and went on to a 48-32 win.
Leading the way for Leflore County was Juanita Seals with 12, followed by Wondrietta Dixon with 8, Deidre Lawson with 7 and Topeka Greer with 6.
Tasha Franklin led Riverside with 15 points.
The Leflore County boys got their fifth win of the season Friday night with a 57-35 victory over Riverside.
Leflore County coach Lester Smith described his team's effort as "fairly decent."
"I have a very young team, and it seems that they are learning as we go," Smith said.
With only one senior playing and another on the bench, Leflore County's younger players answered the call.
The Tigers jumped out to an early 6-0 lead with baskets from Fredrick Harris, Curtis White and Roshuan Bailey.
Riverside bounced back and scored its first bucket of the game with 5:10 remaining in the first period and matched Leflore County basket for basket. But it was the Tigers who held a slight advantage at the end of the period, leading 14-11.
Leflore County continued to go back and forth with the visitors from Riverside in the second period, but held onto a 5-point, 22-17, lead at the half.
Riverside cut the Leflore County lead to two with 3:41 remaining in the third period, but that was as close as they would get. Harris scored 7 points in the period and led his team to a 37-28 advantage heading into the final period.
It was Terrell Starks who paved the way for the Tigers in the fourth, scoring 10 of his 14 points in the period. Starks also had a strong defensive effort with seven rebounds.
Smith said he was especially pleased with Harris, his junior forward who scored 19 points and had 12 rebounds and two steals, and White, who scored 11 points in the game.
"When I can get (Terrell Starks) to play," things are going to come together, Smith said.
"But it's going to take us a little while to put it together as a team," he said.
Riverside was led by Jamel Allen and Kevin McCollough with 10 each.
