By By BRUCE HIXON – Sports Editor
Two weeks off from game competition affected the Brewton Middle School girls and boys basketball teams in different ways Thursday.
The Lady Tigers recovered from a sluggish start and remained undefeated with a 31-24 victory over visiting Escambia County.
Meanwhile the Tigers played an Escambia County program that has not lost a game in two years on near even terms in the first half before they faded down the stretch in a 47-34 loss.
Brewton's girls, who had not played since they beat Flomaton 34-8 back on November 17, fell behind 11-4 in the first quarter against an Escambia County team they had shredded 31-13 back in the season opener.
A pair of buckets by Ihsa Thompson and a field goal and two free throws by Nakiya Smith in the second quarter trimmed Escambia County's lead to 16-13 by halftime.
Brewton finally overtook the visiting Lady Eagles just before the third quarter horn sounded when Janel McCorvey's bucket put the Lady Tigers up 19-18.
Smith hit a key three-pointer and fastbreak layup in the fourth quarter that helped Brewton open up some breathing room.
Smith led the Brewton girls (4-0) with 10 points, while McCorvey added eight.
The Tigers (2-2) were able to hang close in the first half in their game against Escambia County due to a big 15-point outing by Derrick Riley.
Riley had seven of those points in the opening quarter on a three-pointer and two buckets from down low, but Escambia County still managed to take a 12-10 lead.
It was a similar story in the second quarter. Riley added four more field goals to his total, but the Eagles again outscored the Tigers 12-10 for the quarter and increased their lead to 24-20.
Brewton was unable to respond to Escambia County's full-court pressure in the third quarter, as Escambia County began the frame on a 13-3 run that quickly knocked their lead up to 37-23.
Riley finished with a game high 18 points although only three of those came in the second half. Keyanta Lewis added seven.
Brewton travels to Flomaton Monday.
Girls game
Escambia County 11 5 2 6 – 24
Brewton 4 9 6 12 – 31
BREWTON- Smith 10, McCorvey 8, Thompson 8, Shedrone 5
Boys game
Escambia County 12 12 15 8 – 47
Brewton 10 10 6 8 – 34
BREWTON- Riley 18, Lewis 7, L. Dozier 3, Powell 2, Banks 2, Lane 2