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NATCHEZ — Natchez High School’s varsity boys’ basketball team was looking to get back on track and celebrate Senior Night at the Mary Jean Irving Gym and a win over Brookhaven High School would have just the thing the Bulldogs needed.

Instead, the shots were not falling for Natchez High, especially in the third quarter, and the visiting Panthers took advantage of the situation as they pulled away for a 49-40 win over the Bulldogs last Tuesday night in a key MHSAA Region 3-5A game for both teams.

The Bulldogs trailed the Panthers 11-7 after one quarter of play, but the home team got back in the game by outscoring Brookhaven 16-12 in the second quarter to tie the game up at 23-all heading into halftime. But the third quarter proved to be Natchez High’s undoing as the Bulldogs missed one open shot after another and ended up being outscored by the Panthers 13-2 to go into the fourth quarter down 36-25.

“I just think, it was, I’m not going to take anything away from them (Brookhaven). We had good looks at the basket. We just couldn’t get anything to fall,” Natchez High head coach David Haywood said. “We had 10 to 12 looks and we would have at least half of them drop in. Uncontested shots. It was that same way all night.”

James King Jr. ended up being the leading scorer for Natchez High with 14 points. But it was a rough shooting night from the floor for both Daylan Haywood and William Johnson. Each of them finished with nine points.

When asked if the Panthers did anything defensively that held Daylan Haywood in check, coach Haywood said, “At times they were running two players at him, but that didn’t make much of a difference. Dayland had some good looks (Tuesday) night. If we did it over again, he would take those shots. Normally he makes 70 percent of those shots. It was just one of those things.”

Jamarion Cooper led Brookhaven High with a game-high 15 points and Nicholas Gamble chipped in with 13 points.

Two seniors on the Bulldogs team were recognized before the start of the game — Jaydien Johnson and Jamarius Bell.

As coach Haywood pointed out, a win and some scenarios involving other teams, including Brookhaven, would have put Natchez High into second place in the Region 3-5A standings, but they would still have to defeat South Jones High School on the road Friday night to stay in that place.

Instead, the Panthers will be the No. 2 seed for next week’s Region 3-5A Tournament, which will take place at South Jones in Ellisville beginning next Monday. The Bulldogs are locked in to the No. 3 seed and will take on the No. 6 seed, which will be either Florence High School or North Pike High School, in a first-round game at 5:30 p.m. that day.

Before tournament play starts, the Bulldogs (14-10, 4-5) travel to Ellisville to take on Class 5A No. 1 and region opponent South Jones High School at 7:30 p.m. Friday in their regular-season finale.

“Trying to get better and prepare for an elimination game on Monday,” Haywood said.

Natchez High girls 49, Brookhaven High 30 (Tuesday night)

NATCHEZ — Nine seniors on Natchez High’s varsity girls’ basketball team were recognized on Senior Night ahead of the its MHSAA Region 3-5A game last Tuesday night against Brookhaven High School.

And six of them found their way into the scoring column, led by point guard Roniya Ellis with a game-high 27 points, as the Lady Bulldogs cruised to a 49-30 win over the Lady Panthers at the Mary Jean Irving Gym.

In addition to Ellis, Caleah Kennedy, Faith Gutter, Hope Gutter, Joy Gutter, Taniya Brooks, Domonique Doss, Talesia Broadway, and Jamiya Wimley were honored before tip-off. And it didn’t take long for Natchez High to show its dominance.

With Ellis and Kennedy leading the way, the Lady Bulldogs were up by double digits before the first quarter was over and they led the Lady Panthers 16-4 by quarter’s end. Natchez High continued its defensive prowess over the next two quarters. The Lady Bulldogs outscored the Lady Panthers 9-4 in the second quarter to go into halftime up 25-8.

The third quarter was more of the same as Natchez High put up 18 points while holding Brookhaven to a mere five points for a commanding 43-13 lead. With Lady Bulldogs head coach Ronald Ellis going to his bench, the Lady Panthers were able to outscore them 17-6 in the fourth quarter.

Ellis made five 3-pointers and had four rebounds, three assists, and two steals to go with her 27 points. Kennedy finished with 11 points, six rebounds, and blocked two shots.

Faith, Hope, and Joy Gutter, as well as Brooks each finished with two points. And those four also contributed on both ends of the court in other areas, combining for 10 steals, nine assists, and nine rebounds.

With the win, the Lady Bulldogs improved to 18-7 overall and 7-2 in Region 3-5A. They go on the road to Ellisville to take on South Jones High School at 6 p.m. Friday.