WCMessenger.com: Slidell scores homecoming victory

WCMessenger.com Sports: Basketball Headlines

Slidell scores homecoming victory

By Robert Morgan | Published Thursday, February 19, 2009

There have been fewer wins in this rebuilding season for the Slidell High School boys' basketball team. However, they group did not disappoint a big crowd Tuesday night at home.

The Greyhounds got a little defensive in their homecoming game against Prairie Valley. They held the Bulldogs to less than 10 points in each quarter and got scoring from seven players en route to a 49-26 victory.

"Everyone got to play and got up and down the floor tonight," said SHS coach Andy Simpson. "We were very patient."

The win pushed Slidell's district record to 5-7 and its overall mark to 11-7. The Greyhounds, who will not make it back to the state playoffs this year, will end the season this week at Saint Jo.

Slidell used its best first-half performance of the season to take a commanding lead early in the action. Trent Myers and Dyllon James did most of the scoring in leading the locals to a 17-8 advantage.

However, the second-quarter made it clear that Prairie Valley would not get out of Wise County with a win. Aubrey Fortenberry, T.J. Epting and Zane Perkins were among several standouts that held the Bulldogs to just one free throw in the quarter.

The Greyhounds made the most of the defensive work to build a commanding lead before the break. James and Myers continued to punish the PVHS defense as they helped outscore the visitors 13-1 in the second quarter to take a 30-9 halftime lead.

The third quarter was not much better for the Bulldogs. Slidell opened the second half with a 13-8 run to push the lead to 25 points going into the fourth.

Myers led all scorers with 15 points, two more than James with 13. Epting finished with nine points, while Perkins, Fortenberry, Nathan Garrett and Justin Romine added two each.