Entreprise Ledger

ELBA – Sometimes the easiest shots prove to be the most impossible ones to hit. For Pike County here Tuesday night in a big 3A, Area 2 contest against the Tigers, that certainly proved to be the case.

Trailing by one with time winding down in overtime, Pike County missed seven straight shots under the goal before Elba’s John Mitchell came down with the rebound and was fouled to stop the clock.

Mitchell hit the free throws, helping Elba preserve a 61-58 victory. Elba improved to 6-3 overall with the win and 1-0 in area play. They host Luverne Friday night.

Pike County dropped to 4-8 and 1-1 in area play. Behind Mitchell and Tim Andrews’ long range shooting, Elba raced out to a big first-quarter lead, up 19-10 at the end of the period. Elba went cold from the floor from there, hitting just 2 of 15 in the second quarter, a spell which allowed Pike County to battle its way back into the game.

Buckets by Shermandre Jackson and Michael Walker, who finished with 10 and 16 points respectively, helped the Bulldogs string together a 12-1 run which gave them a 26-24 halftime lead.

The two teams exchanged buckets throughout the third, Elba hitting a last-second shot to tie things at 36-36 heading into the fourth. There early on, the Tigers seemed to take control of the contest, using a 12-2 run to pull out to a 48-38 advantage with just over four minutes remaining.

However another cold shooting spell allowed Pike County to battle back, Jackson and Tyrone Boyd sparking a 14-3 run, Jackson hitting a layup with 12 seconds remaining to tie the game, which after a pair of missed shots in the closing seconds by Elba, went into overtime knotted at 52-52.

Pike County hit its first three shots of the extra period to jump out to a 58-52 lead, but missed its final nine shots of the game, seven coming on that one 20-second spurt in the final minute. Elba rallied from the deficit, outscoring the Bulldogs 9-0 over the final three minutes to hold on for the win.

Boyd added 14 points for the Bulldogs and Nick Walker tallied 16 in the losing effort. Elba was led by Mitchell with 26 points and 21 rebounds while

Marcus Henderson and Derrick Brooks tallied 16 and 10 points respectively.

Elba 47, Pike County 41 (girls)

Pike County owned the first half. Elba owned the second and thanks to LaGina Mack, it was enough to hold on for the victory.

Mack scored 10 of her 13 points in the fourth quarter, helping Elba rally from a 22-19 halftime deficit to post a 47-41 victory here Tuesday evening.

Elba improved to 9-2 overall with the win and 1-0 in area play. Pike County fell to 3-8 overall.

Behind the shooting of Dee Dee Rodgers, Wenica Foster and Stephanie Caffie, all who finished in double digits on the night, the Lady Bulldogs were able to take advantage of a poor shooting first half by the Lady Tigers to hold the lead.

Elba battled back, behind the shooting of Rachel Bludsworth and Roshanda McKinnon, rallying to take a 32-30 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Lady Tigers slowly pulled away, getting a pair of three-pointers by Mack to push their lead into double digits before a late run by Pike County resulted in the final margin.