By By Rocky Higginbotham/The Meridian Star
Dec. 15, 2000
The Clarkdale girls and Choctaw Central boys lived to face one more day in the 2000 Frazier-Yarbrough Memorial/Coca-Cola Classic basketball tournament, as each won consolation contests Thursday night at Meridian Community College's Ivy Sports Center.
Jeff Davis' Clarkdale squad knocked off Quitman 56-41 in the girls' consolation, while Choctaw Central's boys downed Clarkdale 72-59.
Today's consolation bracket finals, which will be held at Meridian High School, begin at 4 p.m. That's when Clarkdale faces Northeast Lauderdale in the girls' matchup, followed by Choctaw Central and Noxubee County in the boys' game at 5:30 p.m.
The FYM/Coca-Cola Classic finals are set for 7 p.m. and 8:30, also at MHS.
Clarkdale girls 56, Quitman 41: The Lady Bulldogs improved to 7-11 on the season by placing four players in double figures and downing Quitman.
Tamara Brown scored 17 points to lead Clarkdale, while Arlisha Wright, JorD'an Orr and Carmelita Naylor each scored 10 points. Danielle Gaddis threw in six points for the Lady Bulldogs.
Quitman was led by Takeshia Bonner's 16 points. Kemonica McGee added 12 and Shaquilla Mack scored five for coach Judy Morgan.
Clarkdale jumped out to a 16-9 lead after one quarter and was up by a dozen at halftime.
Choctaw Central boys 72, Clarkdale 59: The Warriors erased a seven-point deficit in the fourth period as they knocked off the Warriors.
Choctaw Central, which is now 3-9 on the season, was down 33-24 at halftime and still trailed 47-40 heading into the final quarter.
There, they got 11 points from Tony Garcia and nine from Tyler Williamson neither of whom had scored in the first three quarters as Walter Wilson's squad exploded for 32 points to get the victory.
Jason Shumake led Choctaw Central with 14 points, while Garcia had 11 and Giovann Dixon and Tyler Williamson nine apiece.
Clarkdale was led by Richard Matthews, who finished with a game-high 22 points, and Anthony Holliday, who scored 13 before fouling out.
Rocky Higginbotham is a sports writer for The Meridinb Star. E-mail him at rhigginbotham@themeridianstar.com