By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser

The Thorsby Rebels successfully invaded Alton Cobb Gymnasium on Monday night and knocked off the Jemison Panthers varsity girls 50-37 and its varsity boys’ squad 58-57.

Despite a big lead early, the Thorsby’s varsity girls withstood a late-game rally by the Panthers to pick up a hard fought win.

A basket by Adi Argent put the first points of the game on the board, but a three from Karmen Mims gave Jemison a three-point lead.

However, it was the only lead of the night for the Panthers, as Thorsby went on to post a 20-5 first period lead thanks to eight first period points from Argent.

Another three-pointer from Mims to start the second period cut the Rebels’ lead to 12, but Argent answered with another Thorsby basket and pushed its margin back to 14.

The Rebels led by as many as 15 during the period, but late baskets from Taylor Ray and Mims made it 28-17 at the half.

Maria Flores and Mims drew the Panthers to within six to start the third period, but Kerri Robinson pushed it back to eight points with a basket for the Rebels.

With 1:29 to play in the third period, Robinson gave Thorsby a 32-26 lead entering the final quarter.

Cassani Steele cut the lead to two with back-to-back baskets for the Panthers and Mims tied the game at 32-all with a three-pointer.

The teams battled before the Rebels ended the game on a 13-0 run to pick up the victory.

Robinson led the Rebels with 18 points, five rebounds and five steals, while Steele led the Panthers with a double-double of 14 points, 13 rebounds, two steals and five blocks.

In the latter matchup, despite trailing by as many as 15 points, the Rebels’ varsity boys managed to outscore the Panthers 14-5 in the third period and get themselves back in the game.

James Sellers gave the Rebels an early 2-0 lead, but was answered by a three-pointer from Will Johns that started a trend for the Panthers in the first period.

A 50-percent shooting effort (5-for-10) from behind the three-point arc in the first period propelled the Panthers to a 23-11 first period lead.

Mathew Ramsey added one from the free throw line to start the second quarter, but back-to-back baskets from Ryan Thompson extended the Jemison lead to 13.

A free throw from Mason Jones and a basket from Sellers extended that lead even further.

Three-pointers by Fortner and Grayson Bice pulled the Rebels to within nine, but a basket by Thompson in the final minute of the period sent the Panthers to the locker room with a 38-27 halftime lead.

Brock Higgins had a big third period started for the Rebels with a three-point basket that was followed up by a long-range shot from Michael Fortner.

Another basket from Higgins and a two-point basket from Bice and the Rebels had pulled to within one, 38-37.

With one from the free throw line, Calvin Plyler tied the game with the Panthers’ first basket of the period at the 2:42 to mark, while Ramsey put the Panthers back in front by one.

Johns made it a three-point game with one from the charity stripe, but Bice would knot the game at 41 with a shot from behind the arc.

A two-point basket from Mason Jones gave the Panthers a two-point lead and took the game into the fourth period with Jemison leading 43-41.

With 5:13 to play in the game, a three-pointer from Bice tied the game at 45, but baskets from Jones and Leachman put Jemison back in front by four. The Panthers extended its lead to seven before the Rebels chipped away.

With 2:30 to play, Higgins caught fire from behind the arc and knocked down a three to make the Jemison lead four, and with 2:16 to play pulled Thorsby to within one with another shot from downtown.

Higgins was far from done for the evening and with 1:43 to play he played some sweet string music one last time from downtown to give the Rebels the lead for good as Thorsby went on to knock off the Panthers.

Higgins led the Rebels with 21 points including 5-for-9 from three-point range, three rebounds and two steals.

Johns led the Panthers with 11 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.