NATCHEZ &045; The Newellton Lady Bears stayed very close with the ninth-ranked Natchez High Lady Bulldogs throughout the first quarter of their game Tuesday night.

However, the second quarter proved to be the turning point in the game as the Lady Bulldogs put the clamps on Newellton’s Amanda Gales defensively and got double-digit scoring from four players in a 69-55 win at the Natchez High Gym.

After scoring just two points in the first quarter, Crystal L. Brown caught fire in the second quarter and finished with team-highs of 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots.

Gloria Lewis and Quantrita Marsaw had 14 points each and Karmethia Mazique scored 10 points for the 13-1 Lady Bulldogs.

&uot;It was very important for us,&uot; Lady Bulldogs head coach Mary Irving said. &uot;They played real well compared to what we did in practice. They looked good tonight.&uot;

Gales’ eight points and three rebounds in the first quarter helped

the Lady Bears (13-6) stay with Natchez as they trailed just 19-17 at the end of the quarter. Gales finished with a game-high 21 points to go with 10 rebounds.

&uot;My team played a good game,&uot; Lady Bears head coach Farrington Johnson said. &uot;We made some turnovers and my girls never were able to get in it.&uot;

Then the Lady Bulldogs, behind the 3-point shooting of Mazique and Marsaw and the inside play of Brown, went on a 25-11 run in the second quarter to take a 44-28 halftime lead.

&uot;I thought that once C.B. got acquainted with her (Gales) movement, she played better defense,&uot; Irving said.

Natchez built as big as a 19-point lead in the early stages of the fourth quarter, but Gales and teammate Kimberly Brown, despite getting in foul trouble, got Newellton back to within 11 at 65-54, but got no closer than that.

Brown finished with 18 points and eight boards before fouling out late in the contest.

&uot;Newellton’s a good ball team,&uot; Irving said. &uot;We made some passes that weren’t good and they scored off our mistakes.&uot;

Natchez High boys 62, Newellton 39

Brian Williams had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds and connected on three 3s as they the Bulldogs (7-10) pulled away in the second half to rout the Bears.

&uot;We just came ready to play,&uot; Williams said. &uot;We played defense and the offense came to us.&uot;

Ronald Calcote finished with 14 points, including a pair of 3s, and Derrick Martin added 13 points and nine boards for the Bulldogs.

Both teams got off to a sluggish start offensively and the Bulldogs had a slim 12-9 lead at the end of the first quarter and a 27-20 lead at halftime.

&uot;Coach (Mike Martin) told us to get going on defense and stop penetration,&uot; Williams said. &uot;We really rely on our defense. We’re a small team.&uot;

Natchez’s defensive pressure led to several easy baskets in the third quarter as the Bulldogs had a 17-5 edge to take a 44-25 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Ian Jordan led Newellton (5-10) with 12 points. Aretius Ransome had a game-high 13 rebounds to go with seven points.

&uot;It was a game we needed going into district play,&uot; Bears head coach Carl Washington said. &uot;We got manhandled. Some of their kids made some nice 3s and we didn’t adjust like I thought we should have. Overall, I’m pleased with the effort.&uot;