PLAYING WITH A PASSION: Bobcats, Tigers split in Georgiana tournament

Published 12:05 am Thursday, December 21, 2017

The Opp Bobcats and Red Level Tigers split varsity games on Wednesday in the Georgiana Christmas tournament in Georgiana.

GIRLS

RED LEVEL 37,

OPP 18

In the first match of the day the Lady Tigers used a strong second half to pick up a 37-18 victory over the Lady Bobcats.

Jayla Poindexter got the game started with a steal and fast-break layup to put Red Level on top 2-0.

The Lady Bobcats kept things close with buckets from Natavia Bell and Addie Jacobs, but Red Level was on top 8-4 at the end of the first period.

The Lady Tigers got a layup from Alexis Purdue to start the second period.

Jacobs and Vanessa Stoudemire came up with big baskets for Opp to trim Red Level’s lead down to 13-10.

Both teams continued to battle and the Lady Tigers took a 16-14 lead into halftime.

The Lady Tigers’ defense got stingy in the third period and limited the Lady Bobcats to just two points in the period.

Red Level’s offense picked up the pace slightly and pushed their way to a 26-16 lead heading into the final period.

The final period was similar to the third period, with Red Level’s defense once again limiting the Lady Bobcats to just two points.

Red Level tacked on nine points in the final period to pick up a 37-18 victory.

It was the first win of the season for the Lady Tigers.

Jacobs led the Lady Bobcats with seven points.

“The first half we didn’t play with type of intensity that we played with in the first half,” Red Level head coach Allen Cartrett said. “In the second half, we played better defense which led to points on the offensive end. I really felt like we did a good job handling the ball and making shots today. We are a pretty young team, and I’m really proud of the way they played today.”

Poindexter led the Lady Tigers with 14 points in the win.

Natalie Feagin tacked on 10 points.

BOYS

OPP 69,

RED LEVEL 46

The varsity boys contest between Opp and Red Level went back-and-forth before a big fourth period lifted the Bobcats to a 69-46 victory.

Opp’s Erik Matthews got the Bobcats on the board first with a made free throw, but the Tigers responded quickly with a couple of buckets from Jacbob Catrett and Chance Russell to put Red Level on top 4-3.

The Bobcats then surged out front behind a baseline layup from Matthews and 3-pointer from Ethan Baker to go on top 14-4.

Red Level wasn’t going to make it easy for the Bobcats and Matthew Coleman racked up eight points in the final minute of the first period to cut Opp’s lead to 14-12.

In the second period, Kade Green inched the Tigers closer when he buried a 3-pointer with 25 seconds left in the half to leave Red Level trailing 22-21.

A few moments later, Coleman hit a free throw to tie the game.

Opp grabbed the lead back with a bucket from Javonte Crittenden, but Coleman answered with a 3-pointer at the buzzer to put Red Level up 25-24 at halftime.

The Tigers kept the game close in the third period as Opp went up 46-42 heading into the fourth.

Opp surged in the final period to pick up a 69-46 win.

Matthew led the Bobcats with 17 points.

Baker finished the night with 14 points.

“In the second half, we played Bobcat basketball,” Opp head coach Willie Edwards said. “We came out in the second half hustling and getting after them. That’s something that we have to continue to do for four quarters every time we step on the court.”

Coleman led the way for the Tigers with 17 points.

Green tacked on 13 points for the Tigers.