BROOKHAVEN — The Natchez High School Bulldogs could not get any kind of a pace going offensively for much of their MHSAA Region 6-5A Tournament first-round game against the Wingfield High School Falcons Tuesday night.

No. 3 seed Natchez High failed to reach double-digit scoring in each of the first three quarters and No. 2 seed Wingfield took advantage of the situation en route to a decisive 49-27 win at tournament host Brookhaven High School.

The Falcons jumped out to an 11-2 lead after one quarter of play and extended their lead to 13 points, 23-10, at halftime. The third quarter was just as bad for the Bulldogs on both ends of the court as they scored just six points while Wingfield put up 16 points to go into the fourth quarter with a commanding 39-16 lead.

“We just didn’t play with any energy. We missed a lot of shots. We let our offense affect our defense,” Bulldogs head coach David Haywood said. “The other team played pretty hard. They moved the ball. They had 10 guys playing together throughout. We just didn’t have any flow.”

Izzy Holmes was the only player for Natchez High to score in double figures with 10 points. Shermontis Mitchell finished with a game-high 12 points and DeMarrion Arrington added 10 points to lead Wingfield.

Natchez High (17-8) will take on the loser of the Brookhaven/Forest Hill game at 5:30 p.m. Friday in the third-place game. At stake is a spot in the Class 5A South State Playoffs.

Wingfield 52, Natchez High 32 (girls)

BROOKHAVEN — The Natchez High School Lady Bulldogs tried their best to overcome a very rough first quarter, but Wingfield High School had too much firepower as the Lady Falcons took a 52-32 Tuesday afternoon in the first round of the 2018 MHSAA Region 6-5A Tournament at Brookhaven High School.

Defensively, No. 2 seed Wingfield played about as close to perfect as a team could to start its postseason as the Lady Falcons held No. 3 seed Natchez High without a single point in the first quarter and led 20-0 at the end of the quarter.

The Lady Bulldogs found an offensive rhythm in the second quarter and outscored the Lady Falcons 15-6 to go into halftime down 26-15. However, Wingfield played better defense in the second half and that allowed the Lady Falcons to pull away.

“We just didn’t play team ball,” Lady Bulldogs head coach ShaRhonda Gipson said.

Candi Gray led Natchez High with 13 points and Aja Carter had 11 points. Wingfield was led by Ciana Williams with a game-high 16 points, followed by Claudesheia Buck with 11 points.

Natchez High (11-13) will take on the loser of the Forest Hill/Brookhaven game at 4 p.m. Friday with third place and a berth in the Class 5A South State Playoffs on the line.