Maroon Tide gets by Long Beach 54-52

by Carey Meitzler

Picayune--Picayune's Brandon Fortenberry scored on a lay up with :12 left to lift the Maroon Tide past Long Beach at

Picayune's Kelly Wise Memorial Gymnasium. The win pushes the Tide's record to 10-2 overall and 2-1 in the Region 8-4A.

The Maroon Tide led 14-13 after one quarter as they took the lead on a basket by Reshun Smith with :21 left.  The second

quarter was a back and forth affair with the lead changing hands seven times before Jeremy Hill scored his tenth point on a layup

with :09 left to give Long Beach a 26-24 half time advantage.  Chris Dees had 8 points for the Tide in the first half.

Fortenberry scored on consecutive lay ups to put Picayune up 28-26 with 6:15 left in the third quarter.  Hill tied it by scoring

on a put back of a missed shot, but Wayne Mickel drained a 3 pointer for Picayune to put them up 31-28 with 5:40 left.

A free throw from Ben Daly made it 32-28, but Savalace Townsend countered with one of his three 3 pointers to bring the

Bearcats to within one point with 4:40 left.  Picayune got a basket from Dees and a three pointer from David McClain to lead

37-31 with 3:59 on the clock.  Long Beach called time out and proceeded to go on a 7-0 run to lead 38-37 at the end of the

quarter.

Fortenberry scored to open the fourth quarter to put Picayune back on top 39-38.  Hill put Long Beach back on top 41-39 as

he converted a three point play with a layup and a free throw. The Bearcats built a 48-43 lead with 3:27 left in the game.

Jessie Ulmer cut it to 48-45 with a short jump hook from the left baseline. Fortenberry scored and was fouled, but missed a free

throw that would have tied it with 2:54 left.  Micah McNally scored to put Long Beach up 50-47, but Mickel hit a 3 pointer

to tie it at 50-50 with 1:58 left. 

Ben Daly (44) fights for position against Long Beach.

Fortenberry drew a charge from Hill on the other end of the court to get ball back for Picayune and he went to the other end

and scored on a lay up with 1:25 left to give the Maroon Tide a 52-50 lead.  After a Long Beach time out, Michael Robinson

was fouled with :34 left and made both free throws to tie the game at 52-52.   Picayune patiently passed the ball around until

Fortenberry drove in the lane and scored on his game winning lay up.  Long Beach called time out to stop the clock with :07 left.

After the time out, Hill missed a long jumper at the buzzer.

Fortenberry led the Maroon Tide with 21 points.  Dees finished with 10 points and 5 rebounds.  Mickel added 8 points and

McClain had 7 points.

Hill paced Long Beach (7-5, 2-2) with 20 points.  Townsend finished with 14 points.

Picayune will be at home on Monday hosting the Class 5A Ocean Springs Greyhounds.  JV Boys action will begin at

5:00pm followed by the Varsity Girls and the Varsity Boys. 

Long Beach Lady Bearcats 66   Lady Tide 35

Picayune (0-10, 0-2) was led by Brittany Winterstein with 16 points and Jasmine Johnson added 9 points.

Brittany Winterstein scored 16 points for the Lady Tide against Long Beach.