| Lady Panthers still perfect with win over visiting Inman |
By: Sara Reid — Special to the Weakley County Press
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Hair-rasing — Martin Middle School's Taylor Swaim (left) tries to leave behind an Lady Bulldog defender on her way to the hoop during the Lady Panthers' victory Thursday night. Swaim led all scorers with 16 points.
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By Sara Reid
Special to The Press
Though the first match-up of the season was decided in overtime, the Martin Middle School Lady Panthers used a strong second half in the second meeting to defeat the Inman Lady Bulldogs in regulation, 32-20, and go undefeated in the 2007 regular season. The boys contest was never in doubt as the host Panthers punished Inman, 42-22.
In the first half of the girls game, things looked to be headed in the same direction as the first meeting, as the Lady Panthers held onto a two-point edge, 12-10, at halftime.
In the third quarter, Illayia McClain connected on a baseline jumper to tie the score at 12 with five minutes on the clock. A pair of Taylor Swaim free throws put the home team ahead, but the bank was open for Jade Hamilton and she tied the score again. Two straight buckets from Swaim gave Martin a four-point advantage and even though a McClain free throw brought the Lady Bulldogs within three, a 3-point shot from Kaley Leyhue increased the MMS lead to 21-15. With just under a minute, however, Hamilton stole the ball and went in for the layup to bring her team within four points, 21-17, at the end of three.
The final frame belonged entirely to the Lady Panthers as the MMS defense held Inman to just three points while its offense scored 11 to take the 12-point win, 32-20.
Swaim led Martin with 16 points. McClain had five for the visitors.
In the second game of the night, the Panthers put the contest away early on the way to a 20-point victory, 42-22.
After allowing an Amairi Cook bucket early in the first quarter, Martin used a 12-0 run to grab a 14-2 lead. Though free throws from Andrew Jelks broke the run, a jump shot from Antonio Hogard at the buzzer gave the Panthers a 16-4 lead after one quarter.
The Panthers continued to control the pace in the second quarter and took a 29-12 halftime lead.
In the third quarter, the scoring slowed for both squads and a drought set in until, with 3:10 left on the clock, Inman’s Shaquille Hayes hit a pair of free throws. The Bulldogs pulled a mini run and out-scored the home team 7-4 for the quarter. At the end of three, the Panthers led 33-19.
Martin used a 5-0 fourth quarter start to out-score the Bulldogs 9-3 and take the 42-22 win.
Will Thompson led the Panthers with 13 points. Hogard scored 11. Hayes had nine for the Bulldogs.
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