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Red Level took on Georgiana in two pivotal games with first place up for grabs and came away with a home split in a varsity basketball area doubleheader on Thursday, Jan. 18.

Lady Tigers 56
Lady Panthers 46

Red Level erased a nine-point deficit in the first half and handed Georgiana its first area loss of the season for a 56-46 win in the varsity girls’ game.

Mariah Crowell scored a quick three before Lillie Boggan tied the game at 3-3 off a free throw and layup. After Boggan scored consecutive baskets, Avea Feagin extended the lead to 9-5 with 3:41 left in the opening period. Amaya Williams went off the glass and brought Red Level within two at 9-7. Grace Bradley responded with a three, and Nyeashia Thomas scored a basket for a 14-7 margin. Crowell earned two at the line, but Thomas and Boggan gave Georgiana an 18-9 lead after one.

Ke’Mariah Crittenden scored the opening two of the second period, and Crowell trimmed the deficit to 18-15 with back-to-back buckets. Crowell had a drive to the hoop and buried a three for a 20-20 tie. The Lady Panthers regained momentum when Feagin and Thomas made baskets for an eight-point advantage. Miracle Wright scored back-to-back three-pointers in the final minute as the Lady Tigers cut the gap to 28-26 at halftime.

Feagin started the second half with a jumper, and Crowell responded with a free throw and drive to the basket. Thomas gave Georgiana a 32-29 margin, but Zoey Phillips banked a shot off the glass for two. Crittenden scored a deep three for a 34-33 lead at the 4:04 mark. After Boggan went one-for-two at the line, Crowell gave Red Level a 38-34 lead at the end of the third.

Crowell began the final period with two buckets for a 42-34 lead. Williams kept the margin at eight on a jumper with 5:55 to go in the game. Alyssa Lee earned an offensive rebound and scored a bucket for a 48-40 advantage. Boggan sank two free throws as the Lady Panthers sliced the deficit to six. Wright then knocked down her third three and pushed the Lady Tigers out to a 51-42 lead with 1:52 to go. Bradley connected for a field goal, and Boggan added two from the line. Crowell had the last four points of the contest.

Crowell paced Red Level (6-6, 3-2 1A Area 3) with 31 points. Wright finished with nine points, while Williams tallied six. Crittenden had five in the win as Lee and Phillips rounded out the effort with two each.

Boggan led Georgiana (8-8, 3-1 1A Area 3) with 20 points. Thomas also earned double digits with 15 points and was followed by Feagin at six and Bradley at five.

Panthers 68
Tigers 62

In a top-five matchup, the Panthers battled back and edged the Tigers for a 68-62 win in the varsity boys’ outing.

Javen Poindexter made three free throws for a 3-0 lead. Nasir Cheatham followed with four points, and Noah Nelson hit a three for a 7-3 lead. The two teams traded baskets as Poindexter scored four points, and Dominic Williams Jr. went off the glass. Williams cut the deficit to 13-11 with a jumper at the 3:22 point, but Jaden Stallworth gave number two-ranked Georgiana a 16-11 lead. Poindexter responded with two threes and beat the buzzer as number five-ranked Red Level forced a 17-17 tie after one.

Poindexter kept up his hot shooting with another three and two free throws before a dunk with 6:45 left in the first half. Justin Patterson extended the lead to 27-17 with a shot off the glass. Poindexter answered a visiting free throw with a three-point play and two of his own from the line. Patterson had a nifty drive to the hoop and widened the lead to 36-20. Jacobie Morgan began a nine-point swing with a basket, and Nelson added another three. Quantavious Scott brought the Panthers within seven at 36-29. Kolton Barlow added a layup as the Tigers took a 40-31 lead into the locker room.

Poindexter pushed the lead to 11 before the visitors chipped away at their double-digit deficit. Poindexter scored six in the third period, while Ben Carroll and Barlow added two apiece. After Kaveon Miles hit a three-pointer, Morgan gave Georgiana a 50-48 lead. Red Level stayed within striking distance, but Stallworth had a three-point play with 26.5 seconds left for a 55-50 lead after three.

Miles had five points in the opening moments of the fourth. Poindexter scored his second dunk of the night and took the score to 60-54 with 5:55 left. Miles and Morgan continued to spark the offense for the Panthers who led 68-55 at the 3:51 point. Poindexter finished with the last seven points and hit a three for the Tigers with 40 seconds remaining for the final tally.

Poindexter was the top scorer with 48 points for Red Level (9-6, 3-2 1A Area 3). Williams, Patterson, and Barlow each earned four points as Carroll notched two.

Miles led the way for Georgiana (16-2, 4-0 1A Area 3) with 20 points. Morgan was next with 16 followed by Stallworth who had 11. Cheatham and Nelson both garnered nine points.

The Tigers continue area play on Saturday, Jan. 20, at J.F. Shields and return home for matchups against McKenzie on Tuesday, Jan. 23.