By Brad Greer

Both the South Panola boys and girls basketball teams find themselves fighting to keep their season alive today after taking losses in opening round games of the Region 2-6A tournament Tuesday at Tupelo.

The Lady Tigers (12-12) saw a late fourth quarter fall short at the hands of the host Tupelo team 64-50. South Panola trailed 46-23 with 3:42 remaining in the third quarter before going on a 23-5 run to close the margin to 51-46 with four minutes left.

Tupelo (20-8) held off the Lady Tiger late surge by scoring eight of the game’s next 10 points. Crystal Mayes led the way for South Panola with 14 points while Marshala Doyle followed with nine second half points.

Comiah Bryant, Nehriah Connor and Aziya McGhee finished with five points while Takyra Webster and Ladayshia Robinson supplied four. McGheyla Patton and Keamber Jackson finished with two points.

The South Panola girls will square off against Oxford today at 4 p.m in the consolation game. The Lady Tigers split regular season games with the Lady Chargers.

Varsity Boys

Tupelo 54, SP 33

In a game that was closer than the score indicated, Tupelo held South Panola to 11 points in the second half to advance to the championship game against Oxford at 7 p.m. tonight.

South Panola trailed 26-22 at halftime, held the Golden Wave to a combined three field goals in the second and third quarters, but could not take advantage of the strong defensive effort by the Tigers.

Tupelo (19-10) blew the game open by outscoring the Tigers 20-6 in the fourth quarter. J’Tavion Hicks paced South Panola with 14 points while Terry Bishop had four.

Eldridge Brooks, Issac Sturdivant, Stanwon Porter and Thad Kirkwood all contributed with three points. Keith Cole supplied two points while Jamorris House finished with one.

South Panola faces Columbus today at 5:30 p.m. in the consolation game. The top three teams advance to next week’s North State playoffs.