Tornadoes take win over Cougars

By By Jim Luke/Special to the Star
Jan. 19, 2002
PHILADELPHIA Defense was the name of the game here Friday night as Philadelphia and Newton County split a pair of Division 5-3A basketball games. In the boys' game, the Philadelphia Tornadoes took a 63-48 win while the Newton County Lady Cougars fought their way to a 43-36 victory.
The boys' game was close, with the Tornadoes holding a 27-21 lead at the half. An eight-point run in the early stages of the third quarter put the home team ahead by 12 points. The Tornadoes used a tight defense to slow a strong-shooting Cougar team and picked up key free throws in the final quarter to pull away in the contest.
At the same time, the Tornadoes had a very balanced scoring attack with Tellas Burnside leading the way with 16 points and Mandrako Jackson adding 12. Diego Gill and Johnathan Davis each had nine and Bobby Goodin eight.
Delvin Murrell led the Cougars with 17 points, who didn't shoot as well as normal according to coach Johnny Ray Slaughter.
Robinson also noted that the Cougars are a good-shooting team and gave credit to the defensive effort by his team for having an affect in the contest.
The Cougars fall to 9-8 overall and 2-4 in division play with the loss. The Tornadoes, 15-7 and 5-3, will travel to Choctaw Central Tuesday night before hosting Carthage Thursday in a pair of key division games.
The girls' game was one that might not look good on paper, but was an outstanding game from a defensive standpoint.
Vance gives much of the credit for the win to Kristin Chaney, who led the Lady Cougars with 15 points, but was more important from a defensive standpoint.
Newton County, 10-8 overall and 1-5 in the division also got 13 points in the game from Dominique Mapp.
Philadelphia, 8-14 and 2-6, was led by Erica Clemons with 11 points.
Lady Tornadoes coach Jason Gentry would have preferred to come away with a win, but was nonetheless pleased with the effort his team gave in the game, especially on defense.