January 6, 2012

Picayune splits games with Long Beach

by Carey Meitzler

Picayune--Picayune's Boys held off a relentous effort by the Long Beach Bearkats to earn the Maroon Tide's 17th

win of the season with a 75-66 victory.   Long Beach's Girls rallied from a 13 point second half deficit to defeat the

Lady Tide 51-46.

Girls:  Long Beach 51  Picayune 46

Picayune led 30-21 at the half and built a 13 point lead at 36-23 with 5:40 left in the third quarter, but Long Beach clawed their

way back to cut the margin to 40-38 after three quarters.  Long Beach took the lead for good with 5:01 left in the game on a

basket by Kyra Williams that gave the Lady Bearkats at 45-44 lead.   Williams scored again to make it 47-44 with 3:11 left.

Picayune's Tee Myers hit two free throws to cut the lead to 47-46 with 2:27 left, but Williams countered with a short jumper and

later sank two free throws to ice the game for Long Beach (11-5, 1-0).   Picayune (13-4, 0-1) was led by Myers with 17 points

and 11 rebounds.  Clarissa Jones added 11 points for the Lady Tide.   Williams, who entered the game averaging 20 points per

game, finished with 31 points and Karla Jackson added 12 points.

Photos by Carey Meitzler

Donnavan Rice (5) puts on the brakes while dribbling the ball against Long Beach.

Dereonte Magee (1) goes after a loose ball against Long Beach.

Boys: Picayune 75  Long Beach 66

Picayune probably would describe Long Beach as a bad cold they couldn't shake.  The Maroon Tide trailed 12-11 after one

quarter, but used full court pressure defense to build a 34-26 halftime lead by creating scoring opportunities off of Long Beach

turnovers.  Picayune's Dereonte Magee scored on a layup on an assist from Nolan Fletcher that gave Picayune a 36-26 lead in

the first minute of the second half, but Long Beach chipped away and took the lead at 52-50 wtih 6:10 left in the game.

Sullivan Bell tied it at 52-52 on a put-back of a missed shot and Eric Payton put Picayune up for good with a pair of free throws

just seconds later.   Shemar Williams had 16 points off the bench and grabbed 7 rebounds.  Magee had 15 points, 4 rebounds,

4 steals, and 3 assists for Picayune (17-2, 1-0).  Fletcher finished in double figures with 10 points.   Long Beach (3-14, 0-1)

got 24 points from Damian Young and Chad Cook added 14 points.