The flu kept four South Pike Eagles from playing on Monday against Amite, La. Three more fouled out and point guard Donerrick Ellzey was on and off the court and between the locker room with flu symptoms of his own.
The flu and Amite’s Brandon Mitchell proved too much for the Eagles, who led by two at half. Amite won 76-60, while the South Pike Lady Eagles won 67-32.
“You can’t do anything about the flu bug,” South Pike head coach Joe Taylor said. “In the second half we broke down some.”
Defense and 3-point shooting helped South Pike to the narrow lead at half, but the second half started with Amite going on a 15-0 run and South Pike never got closer than nine.
“Laquandra Wesley played his best ballgame this year,” Taylor said. “Defensively he played real good against Mitchell and then got in foul trouble in the second half.”
Wesley finished with 10 points and six rebounds, but also had to defend Mitchell, who finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Mitchell handled the ball above the arc for most of the game and spread out the Eagle defense.
With the big man outside the Eagles were forced into a more aggressive defense, but it also opened up the interior for Edward Davis. Davis scored 16 and blocked three shots for Amite.
Devon Malone led the Eagles with 13 points and 14 rebounds, while Ellzey scored 11.
South Pike 67, Amite 32
The Lady Eagles didn’t have too much difficulty with the Lady Warriors, who had three girls miss the bus and didn’t have anyone score in double figures.
Shannon Bates was the only South Pike player with more than 10 as she scored 14 and grabbed 10 rebounds. Kentoria Harrell was the last South Pike Eagle to score, and her first basket opened the third quarter.
Harrell, Charlene Green, Valarie Eubanks and K’Darrylon Gallagher scored seven points each. Raven Ashley and Shante Clark also added six points.
“This is one of those games where you want to play without anybody getting hurt,” South Pike head coach Marcus Flippin said.
Both South Pike teams will play in their tournament, but won’t take the court until Saturday when they’ll each play twice.
The girls will play at noon against Alpha Christian and at 6 p.m. against McComb. The boys face a second-round game at 10:30 a.m. and either the consolation game or the championship that evening.
