By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Dec. 20, 2002
CHOCTAW – Nobody, least of all Choctaw Central boys' basketball coach Scott Thomas, expected his team to dismantle Philadelphia in Thursday's Division 5-3A contest, but that's just what the Warriors did as they claimed a 93-51 victory.
The Warriors improved to 9-3 overall and 2-1 in 5-3A. Philadelphia fell to 4-6 and 1-2.
Philadelphia got the game's first two points on a basket by John Williams. By the time the Tornadoes scored again, Choctaw Central had run off 15 consecutive points. A free throw cut the gap to 15-3 before the Warriors went on a 9-0 run.
By the end of the first quarter, Choctaw Central held a 27-5 lead with Shaun Dougherty already having 11 of his game-high 21 points. Six came off layups with three coming on a long-range shot from the top of the key off an inbounds play.
The rout continued as the Warriors outscored Philadelphia 25-12 in the second quarter to take a 52-17 lead into halftime.
In addition to Dougherty, the Warriors had four other players score in double figures. Beasley Willis had 12 points, while Roderick Anderson, Jaric Anderson, and Clifton Willis had 11 apiece. Duran Morris scored eight and Anselm Henry tossed in seven.
Philadelphia got 19 points from Eric Lyons and six each from Trey Beamon and Jonathan Davis.
Choctaw Central girls 68
Philadelphia 35
The fourth-ranked Lady Warriors struggled to beat Philadelphia 69-63 in the finals of the Philadelphia Invitational Tournament on Dec. 7 but had no problem in blowing the Lady Tornadoes out in the rematch.
Choctaw Central led 19-6 after one quarter and held a 25-6 lead before Philadelphia rallied to within 32-16 by halftime. The Lady Warriors were up 51-24 to start the fourth quarter.
In improving to 13-0 overall and 3-0 in 5-3A, the Lady Warriors got 17 points each from Natisha Isaac and Willa Thomas. Chantay Frazier added 15.
Philadelphia, 2-8 and 0-3, got 11 points from Dominetrix Hunter.
The game had a scary moment when Philadelphia's Britney Grace collapsed near midcourt with 1:05 left in the third period after hitting the back of her head on the floor seconds earlier on a blocking foul in the lane.
According to one of the trainers, she soon regained consciousness, but was taken to a local hospital by ambulance as a precaution.