In the opening game, The Lady Cougars (1-5) struggled with the full court press of Chapel Hill. The Lady Panthers (5-1) were able to force turnovers and take a 6-0 lead in the first two minutes of the first period.
Down 8-2 with 4:30 remaining, Alexander mounted a comeback and tied the game at 8-8 on a Molly Brown layup. Daijea Anderson was then fouled and gave the Lady Cougars their first lead of the game at 9-8 with a minute left in the period. The Lady Panthers retook the lead on the next possession and then Erica Jones knocked down a 3-pointer at the buzzer to put Chapel Hill up 13-9.
The second period started off slowly on the offensive end with both teams getting one point on free throws over the first two minutes. Alex Weems made the first shot from the field in the period with 5:34 on the clock, putting the Lady Panthers up 16-10.
With 2:56 to play in the first half, Weems picked up a foul on the drive to the basket and then stepped up to the line and hit both shots to give Chapel Hill a 10-point lead, 22-12.
The Lady Panthers continued to widen their lead from the line and the field, while their defense completely shut down Alexander in the second period for a 34-12 halftime lead.
Kaneisha Mixon led the Chapel Hill surge with 11 first half points. Ashley Chestnut followed with nine and Weems added seven. Brown led Alexander with six points. Anderson netted five.
The Lady Cougars opened the third period on a 9-0 run, capped by a Rachel Robinson layup. Chapel Hill managed to break the streak with 5:30 to play on a Mixon steal and layup for a 36-21 lead. The Lady Panthers ended the third up 48-28.
Alexander would earn a moral victory by not giving up and taking the final period but Chapel Hill woud go on to win by 17.
Mixon finished with 21 points. Chestnut added 12 and Earnicia Washington had nine for the the Lady Panthers. Anderson scored 15 for Alexander and she was followed by Brown’s 13.
BOYS GAME
Karim Mawuenyega opened the boys game with a 3-point shot and Alexander followed with a short jumper and a layup to take a 7-0 lead. Ishmael Davis got Chapel Hill on the board with a layup with 5:58 on the clock.
Both teams continued to exchange baskets after that until the final second when Mawuenyega ended the period like he started, with a 3-pointer, for a Cougar 20-13 lead.
Offense was at a minimum four minutes into the second period with Alexander holding a 24-17 lead. The Cougars managed to widen their lead to 10 on a pair of free throws with three minutes to go before the half and a follow up trey made the score 30-17.
Chapel Hill’s Aries Phoenix answered with a shot from behind the arch but Mawuenyega shot right back to keep AHS up 33-20. Both teams exchanged baskets again and the Cougars added a free throw for a 36-22 halftime lead.
Mawuenyega led all scorers at the half with 15 points. Teammate Jaquon Grier followed with eight. Terrance Hughes led the Panthers with seven points.
Defense continued to rule for both teams through the first half of the third period. Alexander and Chapel Hill combined for only five points through the first three minutes. Over the next 30 seconds, the Cougars added five more points, including a three from Gravett, and led 44-24. AHS pushed their lead past 20 with 2:30 remaining in the third. The Cougars ened the period up 55-30.
Alexander went on to win by 24.
Mawuenyega led all scores with 18 points. Grier finished with 13. Efe Balfour led the Panthers with nine points. Davis added eight.
With teams will also compete today. Alexander will host New Manchester and Chapel Hill with host Lithia Springs. Both will start at 6 p.m.
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