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NETTLETON — The Lady Tigers broke open a two-point ballgame by outscoring the Bruce Lady Trojans 31-13 in the third quarter on their way to a 86-73 victory while the Tigers completed the sweep by pulling away in the fourth quarter for a 74-58 win over the Trojans in the nightcap.

Camry Jones scored a game-high 23 points while Taylor Scott had 20, Memory Shumpert 15, Shauntina Collier 15, and Lavo Hill added 10 for Nettleton. Morgan Vickery paced Bruce with 19, Jasmine Hampton 18, and Brianna Brown added 16 points in the loss.

Blake Birks scored 18, Krieg Pounds 16, Brandon Jamison 15, and Kyle Easley had 10 for Nettleton while Devin Tillman scored 21, Rod Harris had 18, and Shaq Bush added 12 points for Bruce.

Nettleton girls’ and boys’ coach Grant Gardner took time after the games to talk to GoreSports.net about the wins and the outlook on the team.

Will Kollmeyer/ICC Director of Marketing and Sports Information

Two years ago, both of the Itawamba Community College basketball programs captured state titles.  Last year, the men’s and women’s basketball teams from Jones County Junior College were crowned state champions.  Thursday night in Ellisville, both of these proud programs will square off in a pair of showdowns on the JCJC campus.

The Lady Indians (3-3) are led by sophomore post player Lori Crudup of Pontotoc (14 ppg), who has scored in double figures in all six of the ICC games so far, including 18 Monday night in the Itawamba 76-58 win over Snead State.

The Indians (3-2) are led in scoring by Houlka’s Wesley McIntosh (13 ppg) and Melvin Morgan of Memphis (12 ppg), while New Hope’s Ray Hollivay is averaging 10 points and six rebounds an outing.

You can listen to both contests at  www.jcjc.tv beginning at 5 p.m. with the women’s tip-off.  The men will follow at 7 p.m.

Aberdeen’s Lady Bulldogs stayed perfect, the guys got win number one and Nettleton’s guys made 4-0 with a win against West Point on Tuesday.

In Aberdeen, Dayana McGee scored four straight points to stave off a fourth quarter Amory comeback, then hit 1 of 2 free throws with 4.4 seconds left in a 48-46 win.

“At the end of the day, I’d like a good win, but a bad win is >>> click here for the Monroe County basketball roundup from Brandon Speck.

West Jones coach Scott Pierson knows it worked in his favor last year.

This time it didn’t.

The “it” being the Mississippi High School Activities Association’s much debated formula for determining home teams after the first round of the playoffs: The team that has played the least amount of home playoff games gets to host.

It’s a formula that has West Jones, a No. 1 seed from Region 3-5A, traveling to face rival Wayne County on Friday night in the 5A quarterfinals.

West Jones beat Wayne County 17-7 in the regular season on its way to earning the top seed but still has to travel to face a team that finished third in the region.

“I’m struggling with it this year obviously because >>> click here to read more from Rod Walker.

SPRINGVILLE – Even in the most tense situations, doing the basic things works just fine.

Take the Pontotoc Warriors, who worked for an early lead, withstood a run, then closed the deal Tuesday with a 74-59 victory over county rival South Pontotoc.

“I think we got a little 3-happy in the third quarter, which allowed them to make a run,” Pontotoc coach Jon Ginn said. “They hit some huge shots, but in the end, we got some rebounds and stick-backs, which were key.”

After trailing by as much as 16 points in the third quarter, the Cougars (2-2) pulled within 48-42 by the end of the period on a Jermaine Bean 3-pointer. South Pontotoc began the final quarter still in catch-up mode, and succeeded when Bean connected on another 3-pointer with 5 minutes, 44 seconds to play to knot the contest at 49-49.

But that was the peak of the mountain for the Cougars.

Josh Green responded quickly for the Warriors (2-1) with a >>> click here to read more from David Wheeler.

TUPELO – Shannon’s C.J. Montgomery opened the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s hoops showdown against Tupelo with a 3-pointer to cut the Golden Wave’s lead to four points.

Seconds later, Tupelo’s Deontaye Ewing staggered the visiting Red Raiders with a 3-point bomb to propel the Golden Wave to an 80-64 victory.

“Deontaye hit a big 3 for us,” Tupelo coach Grant Pate said. “He plays so much it comes natural to him, even in clutch situations.”

Tupelo improved to 4-1 overall with the win while Shannon exited a packed THS gym with a 1-2 mark.

Ewing, who led the Wave with 16 points, was a starting cornerback in football two weeks ago. He credits >>> click here to read more from Gene Phelps.

BLUE SPRINGS — The Ingomar Lady Falcons held off a late-game rally by the East Union Lady Urchins to escape Blue Springs with a 39-37 victory on Tuesday night.

Ingomar opened the third quarter on a 8-0 run to take a 28-16 lead before Heather Dillard banked in a runner at the 4:58 mark for the Lady Urchins’ first basket of the second half before closing on an 6-0 run to cut Ingomar’s lead to 33-26 by the end of the quarter

East Union’s Tosha Graham nailed a bank shot in the lane to make it a 38-37 contest with 2:11 left and Ingomar went to their stall offense forcing East Union to foul but a turnover gave the Lady Urchins new life in the latter stages of the game.

The Lady Urchins had a good look on their next possession, but missed the shot and quickly fouled Shelly Grisham who made 1-of-2 from the free throw line to give Ingomar a 39-37 lead with under 50 second left to play. Each team traded turnovers before Amy McCollough missed a long range two-pointer and Graham missed a three-pointer allowing Ingomar to pick up the two-point win.

Kayla Stevens scored 16 points and Reid Little added 12 for Ingomar while McCollough led East Union with 11 points in the loss.

Boys: Ingomar 83 East Union 53

Ingomar couldn’t miss in the early stages of their game against East Union — literally.

The Falcons connected on their first 12 shots of the contest before Matt Purvis missed a three-pointer at the 1:49 mark of the first quarter, but by then the damage was done as Ingomar raced out to a blistering 34-5 lead when the dust finally settled on the first quarter.

Ingomar connected on six three-pointers in the first quarter alone (Purvis 3, Clay Kidd 2, and Tyler McCay 1).

East Union caught a break as Ingomar cooled down in the second quarter, but the Falcons still managed to build on their lead by outscoring the Urchins 18-10 on their way to a 52-20 halftime lead before cruising to the thirty-point victory.

Purvis scored 22, Zach Carnell 21, and Kidd added 13 for Ingomar while East Union’s Gareth Pannell led all scorers with 27 points.

Knighton and Ashley missing in action

East Union was without leading scorer Sunnie Knighton against the Lady Falcons.

Knighton missed the game due to a shoulder injury she suffered during last week’s West Union Round Robin and is listed as day-to-day for her return.  She saw very limited action in the latter stages of the game against Ingomar when the Lady Urchins were trying to extend the game by fouling, but would be substituted when Ingomar would shoot free throws.

Legendary Ingomar head coach Norris Ashley missed the Falcons’ game against East Union for undetermined reasons.

No comments were given on the coach’s absence.

Click here to see more Tuesday night basketball scores from all across the state.

PITTSBORO — Kelci McCormick dropped 23 points on the Central Holmes Lady Trojans to help guide the Lady Cougars to a 51-22 victory this past Monday night.

Both team struggled offensively to start the contest until McCormick scored the first points of the game after following her shot to get the offensive putback at the 5:49 mark of the first quarter. Calhoun was able to take sink 5-of-12 visits to the free throw line to take 9-5 edge by the end of the opening quarter after a long range jumper from Cobie Logan.

Caly Denton scored four points and Misty Pryor added a three pointer in the second quarter to help the Lady Cougars to a 21-12 lead at the break.

Calhoun picked up their defensive pressure in the second half to force Central Holmes into numerous turnovers to race their way out to a 34-18 lead by the end of the third quarter before cruising to the 51-22 victory on Military Night at Calhoun Academy.

McCormick’s 23 led all scorers while Logan added 8, Denton 7, Laken Langston 5, Parker Shea Hardin 4, Pryor 3, and Ali Norman scored 1 point for Calhoun Academy.

Sara O’Rilley led Central Holmes with 8 points, Amber Ray added 6, Brooke Bell 4, Olivia O’Rilley 3, and Lily McCroy scored 1 point in the loss.

Calhoun Academy will not field a boys team for the second year in a row after preseason injuries forced the Cougars roster to fall to four players.

Click here to see more high school and junior college scores from all across the state.

Breanna Lewis, a Dandy Dozen guard from Greenille-Weston High, signed a national letter of intent on Saturday to play for the Ole Miss womens basketball team.

“I liked the academics that they offered and just the whole environment,” Lewis said Sunday night. “I am excited about it.”

The 5-8 guard, is a two-time Dandy Dozen selection and was named to The Clarion-Ledger’s All-State team after her junior season when she averaged >>> click here to read more from Rod Walker of the Clarion Ledger.

Here is a list of this year’s girls basketball signees:

Janairrika Bland, Raymond, Southern Miss
Kenyotta Jenkins, Potts Camp, Ole Miss
Breanna Lewis, Greenville, Ole Miss
Katye Magee, Presbyterian Christian, Tulane
Valencia McFarland, Raymond, Ole Miss
Niesha Pierce, Harrison Central, Southern Miss
Nitesha Pierce, Harrison Central, Southern Miss
Brooke Rhodes, East Rankin Academy, Delta State
Jameika Hoskins, Aberdeen, Alcorn State

MEMPHIS – At age 25, Travis Outlaw is an NBA veteran, a Portland Trail Blazer veteran at the very least.

Outlaw was drafted 23rd overall in the 2003 NBA Draft straight out of Starkville High School. He’s been out West ever since, as a starter and as a spark.

For the first time in his tenure, Portland seems to be on the right track. Last season, the Blazers finished above .500 for the first time in his tenure (54-28) and made the playoffs for the first time (first round loss).

“We’re asking him to score, defend, rebound, but be a spark,” Portland coach Nate McMillian said, “make something happen and he has played that role, done a good job the last four years for me.”

McMillian’s wishes will have to resume in mid-January. That’s how long a stress fracture in Outlaw’s foot is expected to sideline him. Outlaw, who has averaged 9.9 points and 3.5 boards throughout his career, injured the foot in a win at Charlotte on Saturday.

In Memphis to face the Grizzles last week, Outlaw is projected by many insiders to be on the market in 2010, a free agent after the end of the three-year contract he signed in July 2007.

He says he’s not looking ahead to what the offseason brings just yet.

“I really don’t know. That’s the future,” Outlaw said. “I ain’t trying to look into >>> click here to read more from Brandon Speck.