North Pike and South Pike had their hands full with one another on Saturday night.
The South Pike Lady Eagles hung on for a 68-66 win over North Pike in Summit, while the Jaguar boys put together a complete game behind Jeremick Jordan’s 32 points and 10 rebounds for a 68-55 victory.
The win was the boys first in district play and could help the North Pike confidence heading down the home stretch over the next month.
“The first district win is an exciting feeling,” North Pike head coach Keith Russ said. “It will pick them up, but we know that we still got some things to work on.”
The Jaguars put a solid effort together around Jordan’s game down low. Jordan didn’t start, but the Jaguars did finish off the first quarter by scoring the final five points once he entered the game.
“I didn’t start him,” Russ said. “He got a little rest and a feeling for the game and went to work for us.”
The second quarter turned the tables as North Pike doubled South Pike’s 10 points and led 30-24 at the half.
“We were a little bit more aggressive and switched up defenses on them to keep them a little off balance,” Russ said.
Demetric Jackson helped out down low scoring four points and pulling down 11 boards, while Jacob Morgan scored 14 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter.
By then the Jaguars built a solid 10-point cushion that South Pike didn’t threaten.
For the Eagles, Donerrick Ellzey scored 17 points, Devon Malone put in 13 and grabbed 15 boards and Trevosity Ellzey scored 11.
S. Pike 68, North Pike 66
The Lady Jaguars fought back in the fourth quarter to tie it on an Olivia Kennedy 3-pointer with 7:30 left in the game. It was close the rest of the way. Raven Ashley made two free throws with 30 seconds remaining to give South Pike the 66-63 lead.
Brittany Patterson hit a 3-pointer on the wing to tie the game with 10 ticks left.
“It wasn’t even supposed to go to her,” North Pike head coach Lance Golmon said. “She took the shot over three people.”
It went in, but North Pike fouled on the inbound, and Ashley hit her free throws once again. The Jaguars didn’t make their next attempt to end the game, and that let South Pike head coach Marcus Flippin relax.
“We’re finished with them until the district tournament,” he said. “They can fight with Franklin County and Amite County, but we’re done with them.”
Flippin said he had a bad feeling about Saturday’s game, but the Eagles pulled out the win to stay undefeated in district play at 4-0.
South Pike’s early lead was helped by Patterson getting in foul trouble.
“Patterson was huge in the second half and got on the boards hard,” Golmon said. “She got two fouls quick and then was playing not to pick up another foul instead of playing basketball.”
Patterson scored nine of her 11 points in the fourth and Kennedy totaled 19 points to lead the Jaguars.
Kierra Addison led South Pike with 20 points, including going 10-of-12 from the line. Ashley finished with 14 and K’Darrylon Gallagher hit four 3s for her 12 points.
