Northside takes season series against Perry behind late defensive effort

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — The Northside Eagles (3-5) have won three of their last four games, and two straight after their 65-54 win over the Perry Panthers (0-4).

Head coach Reggie Thorpe once again commended his team’s resilience late in the game, with a gritty defensive effort pushing them past the finish line.

“Despite digging ourselves into a bit of a hole in the first half, the team rallied and concluded the half on a positive note,” Thorpe said. “Stepping into the third quarter, we managed to tap into a new well of energy, showcasing the true grit of the players.The boys exhibited an impressive collective effort, forging a bond where each player fed off the other’s intensity.”

Perry nailed back-to-back treys to end the first half and take a 33-31 lead into the break, though Northside fought back from a 29-21 deficit.

As the third quarter opened, the Eagles were able to draw countless fouls on Perry, fueling the back-and-forth effort in the period.

Senior forward Damien Dee sank a three-pointer to propel Northside to a slim 47-44 lead as they entered the final frame.

The Eagles found new energy in the fourth quarter as the Panthers struggled to penetrate their defense, that allowed Northside to surge ahead 55-47 with one minute remaining.

Despite a last-minute push the Panthers couldn’t complete the comeback, and the Eagles came away with a 65-54 win.

Lady Eagles 42, Lady Panthers 28

In a low-scoring affair, the Northside Lady Eagles (2-5) came out on top against the Perry Lady Panthers (1-4).

The first quarter ended with the Lady Eagles on top 6-0, but sophomore guard Cameryn McKenzie flipped the script for the Lady Panthers and rattled off seven points to lead 7-6.

Though McKenzie went on a tear in the second quarter, the Lady Eagles hit a shot at the buzzer to tie the game at 15 heading into the break.

As the quarter unfolded, the Lady Eagles scored back-to-back to break the stalemate and take a 23-20 lead.

From there the Lady Eagles dominated the third quarter with a 10-0 run to take a 33-20 advantage into the fourth.

They maintained their staunch defense in the final period as they held the Lady Panthers to eight points, taking the final score 42-28.

Head coach Tamica Sneed acknowledged they had challenges in the first half, but highlighted her team’s ability to regroup in the win.

“Coming out in the first half, the fouls got us. We had some foul trouble that we had to straighten up. It was crucial for us not to dig ourselves into a hole, so we focused on staying composed,” Sneed said. “We were able to come out in the second half and put up some points. In spite of our foul trouble in the beginning, the team showed great composure and determination.”

UP NEXT

Northside: The Eagles will take a break until the Eagles Holiday Classic, held from Wednesday, Dec. 27 to Friday, Dec. 29. The Lady Eagles’ first game will be on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and the boys will follow.

Perry: The girls will take a break until Saturday, Dec. 30 when they play Houston County at 3:30 p.m.

The boys will take part in the Screamin’ Demon Christmas Invitational on Friday, Dec. 22 and Saturday, Dec. 23. Friday they’ll play Tift County at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday they’ll play Warner Robins at 7 p.m.

HHJ News