Although the back-to-back 2A basketball state champion Coahoma County Red Panthers are 4-0 in district play, they were given one of their biggest tests of the season in the Pontotoc tournament on Saturday and fell to Forest Hill from Jackson, 69-58.
The loss gave the Red Panthers an overall record of 13-2 on the season.
Jai’Sheldon Yates led Coahoma County with a double-double scoring 20 points and collecting 12 rebounds followed by Alshun Ross with 15 points and Bentavious Galmore with 11 points.
Markevius Phillips had nine points, while Markevious Holmes scored three.
One night earlier on Friday, Coahoma County travelled to South Delta and earned a 77-58 division win.
Yates put together another double-double with 26 points, 17 rebounds and four steals.
Holmes was the only other Red Panther in double digits with 14 points thanks to three 3-pointers in the contest.
Ross and Phillips had nine points each followed by Galmore with eight. Keshun Holly had four points, Jermaine Fry had three, and Jeff Fisher and Clintavious Davis scored two points each.
The Red Panthers travel to O’Bannon Friday night for a district matchup.
O’Bannon is 2-1 on the season in district competition.
The Lady Red Panthers are also 13-2 on the season, but hold a 3-1 record in division play. Their only district loss came at home to Leland.
The Lady Red Panthers defeated Belmont 47-37 in the Pontotoc tournament on Saturday.
Nakia Cheatham led the way for Coahoma County with a double-double of 19 points, 16 rebounds and five steals.
Calysia Phillips had 12 points and four steals.
Taakaius Fonzy had eight points, while Nyriah Artis, Shakira Artis and Eukemia Blanch had two each.
The Lady Red Panthers won at South Delta in a district matchup Friday night, 51-4.
Cheatham once again scored 19 points and collected nine rebounds.
Calysia Phillips had nine points, while Shuniia Wrenn and Nyriah Artis had eight each, Shakira Artis had four, and Marchadrian Phillips had three.
The Lady Red Panthers also travel to O’Bannon Friday night for a district matchup.
The O’Bannon girls are winless in district play.
Tipoff for the girls game is 6 p.m. Friday with the boys game following.
