With the region 5-1A tournament less than a week away, the French Camp Lady Panthers appear to be peaking.
“I think we’re getting it together at the right time,” coach Pricilla Anderson said after victories over Coffeeville 65-55 and Starkville Christian 54-47.
French Camp will host the Region 5-1A basketball tournament next week, with semifinal games Tuesday and championship and consolation games Friday.
Teams in the region are French Camp, McAdams, Ethel and Coffeeville. Since there are only four teams, all will advance to the 1A playoffs beginning Feb. 18.
The Panthers started slowly against Coffeeville. “We had a horrible first half,” Anderson said. “We came out mentally not prepared to play and physically not prepared to play. But in the second half we got it together. The shots started falling.”
Madison Klein led the Lady Panthers with 28 points. Jasmine Bonty had 21 points and 10 rebounds. The same two girls sparked their team against Starkville Christian, Klein with 25 points and six rebounds and Bonty with 14 and 13.
Klein was at her best in the second half against Starkville Christian with 21 points after intermission. When Starkville Christian rallied from a 28-11 third quarter deficit to draw within 43-42 in the final period, Klein responded by scoring six straight points.
“Madison is our only senior and she is kind of carrying the team,” Anderson said. “She hadsprovided some good leadership to my 9th and 10th grade girls.”
BOYS
The Panthers rebounded from an 80-35 loss to Coffeeville with a 48-38 victory over Starkville Christian behind a strong defensive effort in the first half and the play of Calvin Johnson.
French Camp led 17-5 at the half and was up by 19 in the third quarter 29-10. Starkville Christian cut the deficit to 42-36 in the final two minutes, but French Camp was able to hold on for the win.
“We got sloppy and missed free throws. That allowed Starkville Christian to get back in the game,” said coach Robert Leathers.”
Johnson had 24 points on eight free throws and eight layups. “He was able to get out in front of people and beat them to the rim,” Leathers said. “He finishes really well.”
Cameron Smith added 11 points for the Panthers. Isaac Buckner led Starkville Christian with 13 points.
Both teams played McAdams Tuesday and will conclude the regular season at Kosciusko Thursday,
