By Stephen Dawkins

Jemison went scoreless over the last 2 minutes of a game against Chelsea on Saturday and lost, 47-42.

The JHS boys basketball team (1-4, 1-1 area) fought back from a 31-19 halftime deficit by outscoring Chelsea (6-4, 0-1) 11-2 in the third period.

The Panthers held a 42-40 lead late in the game, but “then we just couldn’t hit a shot after that,” Coach Stacy McGehee said.

On Friday, Jemison had defeated Bibb County for the first time in more than 20 years in an emotional game that saw Bibb come back from a large deficit, but JHS held on.

The Panthers may have had a difficult time bouncing back and winning another close game only one night later.

Trey Bryant and Eddie Hubbard, both juniors, scored 12 points each in the game for JHS.
Bryant also recorded eight rebounds and four assists, and Hubbard had nine rebounds.

On Friday, JHS built a 47-31 lead at the end of the third period but had to withstand a Bibb rally in the fourth period that included four 3-pointers by James Rutledge and two more triples by Ratel Hardwick.

“We just hung on for dear life,” McGehee said.

Bryant scored 20 points for JHS to go along with 12 rebounds and six assists. Hubbard added 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists.

Zak Kaylor and Jeremiah Gates each scored 10 points.

“We played awesome tonight,” McGehee said.

Jemison’s girls team, meanwhile, fell to Chelsea (3-5) by a 50-25 score as it played without two regular contributors—senior Kortney Robinson and junior Shayna Robinson—and a third player, sophomore Shelby Griffin, who has yet to see action but figures to be a crucial component when she returns, which should be after the Christmas break.

“They had a couple of girls inside that we didn’t have an answer for,” McGehee said.
Chelsea had a 5-0 lead before Jemison (3-4, 1-1) scored, on a fastbreak that ended with senior Kelsey Mims laying the ball in despite being fouled.

She added the free throw, but 5-3 was as close as the Panthers would get the rest of the game.

Mims led Jemison with nine points.

The visitors’ press caused numerous Jemison turnovers, allowing the Hornets to lead 36-19 at halftime and 40-25 after three periods of play.

The Panthers defeated Bibb County, 58-29, earlier in the week.

The hosts went up 16-0 after one period and never looked back.

Mims led all scorers with 17 points, including four 3-pointers.

Tika Nunn recorded a double-double, with 11 points and 13 rebounds, for JHS.

Shelby Lopez posted 14 points.

Jemison’s boys and girls teams plays its third area game of the season when it hosts

Southside-Selma on Tuesday beginning at 5 p.m.