BCMS varsity boys open with win

Girls fall in close game

By Michael Rodgers (Contact) | Greenville Advocate

Published Wednesday, November 18, 2009

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The Butler County Magnet School Panthers helped christen the first game in their new gym with a 65-59 win over Flomaton last night.

The Panthers jumped out to an early lead, and held a 10-point advantage, 37-27, at halftime.

In the second half, BCMS cranked up the tempo of the game, but Flomaton was able to stay close.

At one point in the fourth quarter, the Hurricanes cut the lead to 52-50, but a small run by the Panthers helped keep the game out of reach.

With BCMS ahead 60-55 with 30 seconds to play, Victor Marshall hit a layup and a free throw to seal the game.

Despite the win, head coach Kirk Norris said he sees a lot of room for improvement.

"I didn't think we played well at all," he said. "We had several chances to put them away, but instead of keeping our foot on their throat, we just relaxed and let them back in it."

The Panthers also struggled from the free throw line, only hitting 38 percent of their shots from the charity stripe.

"We had 22 wins last year, and would have had 25 or 26 if we could have made some free throws," Norris said. "We also didn't move our feet well on defense and picked up some cheap fouls."

Marshall was the leading scorer with 18 points, while Derrick Crittenden and LaJordan Crittenden each added 11.

Tay Hamilton had 12 points, and Adrian Paige scored eight.

In girls' action, the BCMS Panthers fell to the Hurricanes 44-43.

The Panthers held a slim 22-17 lead at halftime, but the Canes came back to tie the game at 35 at the end of the third.

Flomaton also heated up from beyond the arc in the fourth, and despite a last-minute surge from the Panthers, the game remained out of reach.

Sharran Matthews led the Panthers with 12 points, and both Melissa Betts and Shakayla Mixon had eight.

"The girls played hard tonight," said new head coach Joseph Edwards. "We played pretty well and we should have won the game, but if you keep playing hard, you're going to win eventually."

Edwards served as an assistant coach under John Cheatham, and he gives credit for the girls' tough play to him.

"I've got to give thanks to him because he was key in teaching them to play ball," he said.

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