Meridian High School’s Arianna Patton sails in with a layup against Forest Hill High School Friday night.

Meridian High School saw its 12-game win streak snapped at home Friday night in front of a filled-to-capacity gymnasium.

The Wildcats (12-1) led by four points at the end of the first half before Forest Hill opened the third quarter with a 7-0 run that dictated the flow of the final half, which resulted in the Patriots earning a 65-53 victory over the Wildcats.

“All credit to Forest Hill,” Wildcats head coach Ron Norman said. “They came in here and took it to us. They came in here and put it to us — all credit goes to them. They are a very formidable 6A opponent, and they’re going to be in the mix when it’s said and done.”

Meridian’s opening quarter frenetic pace matched the crowd’s energy as Tyron Brewer, who tallied six first-quarter points, threw down a slam dunk with 1:42 remaining in the quarter to give the Wildcats an 11-6 lead. David McCoy chipped in with four points, and Ledarrius Brewer ignited the home crowd with a 3-pointer to help keep Meridian ahead 15-6 at the end of the quarter.

Forest Hill’s Kenna Bryant caught fire in the second quarter. Bryant scored the Patriots’ first points of the period with a 3-pointer with 5:49 remaining, which he later followed with a field goal to make the score 19-12. He added another 3-pointer with 2:03 remaining in the quarter to trim Meridian’s lead to six points. Tyron Brewer responded with a trey of his own with just under a minute remaining before intermission, as Meridian took a 26-22 lead to the break.

 Forest Hill opened the third quarter with its 7-0 run to give the Patriots a 29-26 lead with 5:54 remaining in the third, marking their first time with the lead since the first quarter. Ledarrius Brewer broke up Forest Hill’s run with a free throw, but Bryant moved his team’s lead to six points courtesy of a 3-pointer with 5:09 left in the period. Later in the quarter, Keondre Montgomery swiped the basketball and took it coast-to-coast to give the Patriots a 42-32 lead with 1:10 remaining in the third. Forest Hill upped its lead to 44-36 to end the third quarter.

Norman singled out the Patriots’ Ladarius Marshall, who finished with 14 points and is being recruited by several Division I programs, as a disruptive force on the court.

“We never got into a rhythm offensively,” Norman said. “They did a great job, and (Marshall) really disturbed us, and some of the ways we play. When it didn’t go in for us, they made some shots and they went on a run, and that kind of changed the whole complexion of the game.”

Not letting up in the fourth quarter, the Patriots opened with a 9-2 scoring run, en route to the victory.

Norman said Friday’s loss won’t linger with his team.

“We’re going to go right back to work Monday — nothing different,” Norman said. “We’re going to look at the film, we’re going to check our hearts and minds, and go back and get it.” 

Tyron Brewer led the Wildcats in scoring with 16 points.

MHS GIRLS 61

FOREST HILL 38 

The Lady Wildcats (5-7) won their third consecutive contest with a 61-38 home victory over Forest Hill Friday.

“It’s finally coming together, and it’s happening at the right time,” Lady Wildcats head coach Patricia Wilson said. “I’ve told my kids that we’ve had some struggles, but these games are really just practices to prepare us for our after-Christmas play. We’re beginning to jell, and my younger kids are beginning to understand the expectations, so we’re bringing it together.”

Jasmine Brown poured in eight first-quarter points while Tymesha Reed added four points to help push the Lady Wildcats out to a 16-4 lead at the of the period.

Arianna Patton provided a spark for Meridian off the bench as she hit a 3-pointer and two free throws to lead the Lady Wildcats in scoring with five points to give Meridian a 28-14 lead at the break.

Sabrina Boyd added a team-high four points in the third period, and Tymesha Reed chipped in with a team-high eight points in the fourth quarter to lead the Lady Wildcats.

Brown led Meridian in scoring with 17 points while Boyd and Reed scored 13 points apiece.