Quitman Panthers Face Bay Tigers Seeking Fourth Straight Win
Quitman entered last week riding a three game streak and a 3 0 advantage over Bay dating to February 2023, after a 40 38 victory over West Lauderdale on December 2. Bay arrived with back to back losses and a 5 6 record, setting up a Friday night meeting that mattered for local standings and community attendance.
Quitman High School basketball continued to shape the county sports calendar as the Panthers prepared to host the Bay Tigers on Friday at 6 00 p m. The matchup carried extra weight after Quitman posted a 40 38 win over West Lauderdale on December 2, improving the Panthers to 6 2 and extending a recent winning streak to three games. That victory followed prior narrow wins, and marked the second straight game the Panthers had prevailed by exactly two points.
The Dec 2 game was a balanced team effort. Senior guard Serenity Brown led the Panthers with a career high 13 points, surpassing previous single game totals posted earlier this season. Sariah Bingham contributed 12 points to the effort as Quitman relied on multiple scorers to secure the close outcome. Those performances reinforced a pattern of competitive, low scoring affairs that have characterized several Quitman contests this season.
Bay entered the Friday contest in a different posture. The Tigers fell 43 33 to Columbia Academy on Tuesday and carried consecutive losses into the matchup. Bay held a 5 6 record, reflecting inconsistency that the Tigers hoped to arrest against a local rival. Quitman had been perfect 3 0 against Bay since February 2023, including a 36 30 victory earlier in the year, and the Panthers sought to continue that run.
Beyond the immediate win loss implications, the game mattered to Quitman County residents for reasons that extend past the scoreboard. Close contests between local schools sustain community engagement, support for athletes and gate receipts that matter to school programs. The tight margins in Quitman games suggest defensive intensity and coaching adjustments that will affect postseason seeding in the region. Fans attending the Friday game were directed to purchase official tickets on GoFan com, the district s partner for Quitman High School ticketing.
With both programs navigating the midseason stretch, the result would influence momentum and local interest heading into holiday tournaments and the second half of the schedule. Coaches on both sides will likely emphasize ball control and defensive consistency as the season moves toward district play and potential playoff qualification.
