Harrison Central slips by Maroon Tide 67-66

By Carey Meitzler

Lyman --Picayune led Harrison Central 60-48 with 6:00 left in the game and appeared to on the verge of putting the game

away, but the Maroon Tide was unable to protect the basketball down the stretch and the Red Rebels rallied for a 67-66 win

at Lyman.

Picayune's Wayne Mickel got off to a fast start scoring 12 points in the first quarter to give the Maroon Tide a 24-13 lead.

The Maroon Tide went up 40-29 on consecutive lay ups by Brandon Fortenberry with just over a minute left in the second

quarter, but the Red Rebels got buckets from Cameron Morgan and Michael Lawrence to cut the lead to 40-33 at the half.

Brandon Fortenberry (4) lays the ball high off the glass and scores for Picayune.

In the third quarter, Harrison Central trimmed the lead to three points on two occasions, the later at 48-45 with 1:20 left.

Picayune's Ben Daly hit a short jumper to make it 50-45. T.J. Bowie hit one of two free throws for the Red Rebels just

before Fortenberry scored on a lay up and completed the three point play after being fouled with :44 left to push the

lead to 53-46. Bowie made two more free throws with :32 left to make it 53-48 at the end of the quarter.

Ben Daly (far right) hits a jumper to put Picayune up 50-45 in the third quarter.  Wayne Mickel fires a jumper for the Maroon Tide.

Chris Dees (15) releases a shot in the third quarter.   Brandon Fortenberry (4) appears to be fouled on this shot.

Picayune's Chris Dees short jumper on an assist from Fortenberry capped off a 7-0 run by the Maroon Tide that pushed the

lead to 60-48 with 6:00 left. After a Red Rebel time out, Harrison Central responded with a 9-0 run to cut it to 60-57 with

2:50 left. Dees scored again on a lay up on an assist from Fortenberry to make it 62-57 with 2:01 left. The Red Rebels' Julian

Simmons scored to cut it to 62-59, but Ben Daly scored on a lay up to make it 64-59 with 1:37 left.

Bowie drove the lane, scored, was fouled and made his free throw to complete the three point play to cut the lead to 64-62

with :59 left. Picayune turned the ball over and Simmons nailed a three point shot to give the Red Rebels a 65-64 lead, their

first since early in the opening minutes of the game. Picayune worked the ball down low and Chris Dees attempted a short

jumper in heavy traffic, but Harrison Central got the rebound.

Picayune fouled Simmons with :14 left and made his first free throw, but missed the second. Picayune hurried down the floor,

but Fortenberry was called for a charging foul.

The Maroon Tide fouled Simmons immediately after the inbounds pass, and once again he made the first free throw, but missed

the second. Fortenberry got the ball and raced down the floor and attempted a three point shot with :04 left, but the ball

bounced off the rim. Dees rebounded the shot and scored at the buzzer to make the final 67-66.

Wayne Mickel had 20 points, 5 steals, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists for the Maroon Tide (23-5). Dees also had 20 points

and pulled down 8 rebounds. Fortenberry finished with 13 points and 4 assists. Ben Daly had 7 points and 8 rebounds.

Harrison Central (13-8) was paced by T.J. Bowie with 17 points. Julian Simmons had 15 points and Cameron Morgan

tallied 12 points.

HCHS 67  Lady Tide 35

Arianna McGill (22) gets ready to shoot vs Harrison Central.