NATCHEZ — In a non-region basketball game, Natchez High Bulldogs breezed past Franklin County High Bulldogs with a 66-32 victory on Friday night.

The first two quarters were not close at all between the two Bulldogs teams. Natchez High started the first quarter with a 22-8 lead over Franklin County High. Cameron Bailey led Natchez High with eight points.

The Natchez High Bulldogs scored 14 in the second quarter to Franklin County’s 15 points in the second quarter and at the end of the second quarter Natchez High led 36-23.

In the second quarter, James Singleton began to make baskets. He ended the first quarter with four points and added eight more points in the second quarter.

Natchez High Head Coach David Haywood said the Bulldogs started to show some bad habits, mostly making only one pass and shooting bad shots in the first half.

“To become a better team, we got to understand that we’re not going to beat teams by making one pass and jacking up shots,” Haywood said. “We have to work the ball around and try to get it everybody involved. We may have to run our offense a couple of times to get a decent shot.”

In the third quarter the Bulldogs scored only 11 points but held Franklin County High to three points. Bailey led Natchez High with three points in the fourth quarter.

“Bailey made it really tough on both offense and defense,” Haywood said. “He came up with some big rebounds, good steals and good assists.”

In the fourth quarter, Natchez High finished leading with 19 points in the quarter to win the game 66-32.

Travis Berry led Natchez High with four points in the fourth quarter.

Singleton finished the game with 15 points, Bailey was second with 14 points and both Traven Jackson and Kedarius Stampley tied with nine points.

Natchez High (8-3) finished the first half of the season with a 5-0 record at Natchez High. The Bulldogs will play in the Hattiesburg tournament on Dec. 26-28. Natchez High begins the tournament with a game against Jefferson Davis County at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 26. After the tournament on Dec. 26-28, Natchez High will travel to Ferriday High School on Jan. 3.

Haywood said for future basketball games he wants to see the Bulldogs play better as a team for longer periods of time.

The next basketball game for Franklin County High School Bulldogs (4-9) is at 7:30 p.m. against Loyd Star High School on Jan. 3.