NATCHEZ &8212; Bogue Chitto transformed a stalemate into checkmate in just one possession.

The Bobcats scored seven points on single third-quarter possession &8212; a three-point play by Keyouna Perkins, two free throws by Nick Hatten and a short jumper by Dontae Ratcliff &8212; to seize control of Tuesday night&8217;s district opener against Cathedral.

The seven-point possession erased a 34-32 deficit and gave Bogue Chitto a 39-34 lead. The Bobcats never looked back, ending the third quarter on an 11-2 run and using a 9-0 spurt early in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.

&8220;I felt like the game changed on that seven-point possession,&8221; Cathedral coach Peter Arnold said. &8220;I&8217;ve never even heard of a seven-point possession. That changed the momentum right there.&8221;

Cathedral (5-3) controlled the first half, as seniors Matt Goss and Matthew Hall led a controlled attack against Bogue Chitto&8217;s zone defense.

In the second half, however, the Bobcats (2-3) went to a box-and-one defense and turned up the defensive pressure. Cathedral simply couldn&8217;t handle the Bobcats&8217; more aggressive defense.

Cathedral matched the Bobcats basket-for-basket early in the third quarter &8212; thanks to eight points from Goss &8212; until Perkins made a driving layup with 3:14 to play. He was fouled on the play.

Cathedral was also whistled for a technical foul on the play, too.

&8220;I didn&8217;t see what happened, but the next thing I knew, they were asking me for a shooter for the technical,&8221; Bogue Chitto coach Andy Smithie said.

Perkins made his free throw to complete an old-fashioned three-point play, and Hatten made both free throws for a 37-34 lead.

Ratcliff wasted no time adding to the lead, darting into the lane and swishing a short jumper with 3:05 to go in the third period.

&8220;When you have a game like that, one that&8217;s nip-and-tuck all the way, that seven-point swing was big,&8221; Smithie said. &8220;When we got that lead, I played to maintain it.&8221;

The Bobcats&8217; assigned athletic forward Alonzo Miner to shadow Goss in the second half, while guards constantly harassed Cathedral&8217;s first-year starters Matt Marchbanks and Keylann Hinson in the backcourt.

Cathedral never found any offensive rhythm in the second half, and Bogue Chitto took advantage by building a lead that swelled to as many as 19 in the fourth quarter.

&8220;The whole second half, we didn&8217;t do well at all,&8221; said Goss, who led the Greenwave with 18 points. &8220;We didn&8217;t run our offense like we&8217;re supposed to. We made some very bad passes.&8221;

Arnold agreed that the Greenwave lacked offensive execution in the second half.

&8220;We forced up too many stupid shots,&8221; Arnold said. &8220;We couldn&8217;t take care of the ball. Once they got the momentum, they just took off.&8221;