Northeast Lauderdale finds itself in a familiar place in the championship game of the East Central Classic tonight.

    Meeting the Trojans at 8:30 p.m. for the tournament title is unbeaten Newton. The Trojans knocked off Scott Central 54-34, while Newton defeated Choctaw Central 68-50 in Friday’s semifinals at East Central Community College.

NE  Lauderdale    54

Scott Central    34

    The Trojans rallied from an eight-point deficit in the first half to reach tonight’s finals.

    The game had a lengthy delay in the first quarter when Scott Central’s Ashanti Gray went down with a knee injury and an ambulance had to be summoned.

    Northeast’s Chad Hall snapped a 25-25 tie with a 3-pointer from the top of the key and a series of three technical fouls — one on each team’s player and another on Scott Central coach Darrin Gray — enabled the Trojans to go up 31-26.

    The Trojans increased their lead to 35-26 by the end of the third quarter and were up by 20 (48-28) on a 3-pointer from the left corner by A.J. Wade with 4:53 remaining.

    Wade led Northeast (7-1) with 15 points. Brandon Moss tossed in 14, including a 3-pointer at the horn that sent the teams into halftime deadlocked at 20. Quindarius Landrum added seven points.

        “We played a lot better in the second half,” said Northeast coach Lewis

Ligh sey. “We got the tempo turned up a little bit and were able to force some turnovers.

    “We were terrible at the free-throw line the whole game. We’ve got to make free throws if we’re going to come back over here and be able to win.

    “I’m proud of the kids the way they responded and fought back right before the half and the way they played the second half.”

    Denarius Gray led 11 Scott Central scorers with nine points as the Rebels fell to 4-3.

Newton    68

Choctaw Central    50

    Newton outscored the Warriors 25-10 in the second quarter to go up 39-23 in improving to 4-0.

    The Tigers extended their lead to 54-31 over the third quarter.

    “Defensively and rebounding-wise, I thought we played really well,” said Newton coach Crandal Porter. “The only complaint I have is that in blocking shots, we’re coming down and getting the foul instead of staying up high with our hands.

    “I thought we ran our break well and I think we defended really well. “I’m pleased.”

    Cordarion Nichols led Newton with 22 points. Dennis Miles scored 17, Chris Turner and Darkenious Bender both had eight, and Moses Oliphant tossed in seven.

    Choctaw Central (3-5) got 21 points from Garrick Stoliby and 11 from Djon John.