By By STEVE FRANKLIN, Sports Writer
YEATESVILLE — Someone must have forgot to tell freshman Tony Peele and junior Isaiah McCullor that it was Senior Night.
On an evening when Northside honored its senior basketball players, the Panthers’ two young forwards stole the show.
Peele and McCullor combined for 32 points and 24 rebounds on Friday night to lead Northside past their short-handed arch-rival Southside 67-54 in front of a raucous crowd.
The Panthers took control from the start, racing out to a 16-point halftime lead as Peele scored 12 of his team-best 18 points in the first two quarters.
In the second half, it was McCullor’s turn as he scored 10 of his 14 points after the break.
Both big men finished with double-doubles as McCullor pulled down 13 rebounds and Peele added 11.
The Panthers led by as many as 27 points early in the fourth quarter, before Southside put together a mini surge. The Seahawks, playing without three suspended players after Tuesday’s altercation against Williamston, actually trimmed the lead to 11 in the final three minutes as Southside guard Willie Ruffin got hot, scoring 11 of his game-high 20 points in the fourth.
But in the end, the size and quickness of the Panthers was too much for the Seahawks. Northside out-rebounded 41-26.
Northside will take on Williamston in the opening round of the Atlantic Conference tournament on Wednesday, while Southside will take on No. 1 seed Roanoke on Tuesday.
Lady Seahawks top Lady Panthers
Tamisha Cradle scored 14 points and Katisha Hyman added 12 points as Southside cruised past Northside 50-27 on Friday night.
The Lady Seahawks jumped out to a 13-4 lead after one quarter of play, and they never let the Lady Panthers crawl any closer as Southside ran away from its arch-rival, using a swarming defense and an efficient offense.
Southside held Northside to less than 20 percent from the field and forced the Panthers to turn the ball over 27 times.
Cradle finished with a double-double as she pulled down 11 rebounds to go along with her 14 points. Valerie Ruffin added eight points for Southside (15-7, 9-5).
Northside (8-13, 2-11) was paced by O’Mesha Gaynor with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
The Lady Seahawks will take on Roanoke in the opening round of the Atlantic Conference tournament on Wednesday, while the Lady Panthers will take on top-seed Williamston on Tuesday evening.
Southside JV tops Northside in OT
The Seahawks’ junior varsity basketball team edged the Junior Panthers 61-56 in overtime on Friday afternoon.
Treshon Blount led Southside with 21 points, while Tony Grice added 20. Northside was paced by Tony Thigpen with 18 points.
Southside 6 13 7 28 — 54
Northside 13 22 15 17 — 67
Southside (54)
Willie Ruffin 20, McCuller 9, Benston 9, Windley 5, Myers 3, Williams 4, Reddick 4.
Northside (67)
Tony Peele 18, Isaiah McCullor 14, Cooper 7, Adams 6, Mackey 6, Slade 2, Artis 2, Woolard 3, Cox 3, Tew 2, Jenkins 2.
Girls
Southside 13 7 21 9 — 50
Northside 4 7 10 6 — 27
Southside (50)
Tamisha Cradle 14, Katisha Hyman 12, Ruffin 8, Jones 2, Whitney 4, Painter 7, Starkie 1, Bogart 2.
Northside (27)
O’Mesha Gaynor 10, Davis 6, Freeman 3, Paniasua 3, Bonney 2, Credle 1, Hollowell 2.