It is never easy for a visiting school to win on anyone’s senior night, especially when someone like Broome High School is honoring its graduating class.

Such was the case Friday night in Spartanburg as the Centurions swept the evening over Newberry High School as the Bulldog boys are still a win away from garnering the region championship and the top seed in the upcoming upper-state playoffs.

The Broome ladies came into their game undefeated in regional play and after their 49-35 victory Friday over the Lady Bulldogs, a victory tomorrow night in Saluda would give them the region title.

Newberry, who lost to Broome in the Scott Gym last month by 31 points, never let Broome literally “run away” with a substantial lead as the hostesses led by eight points after the first quarter and by 12 at the break.

The Lady Bulldogs won the fourth quarter, 14-8.

Many have not witnessed before what happened with 54.7 seconds left in the game.

The two teams had only gone to the free-throw line prior to this a combined 36 times. They went a total of 63 times in their first meeting.

A slight scuffle after a foul escalated between a couple of players of each team, but by no means one that emptied out the benches from both sides.

Both a foul and a technical foul were called on one of the Lady Bulldogs that was completely innocent of both charges. Another Newberry player was actually guilty of both infractions.

One of the Broome coaches went out to help break up the melee and while the officials were trying to get everything calmed down and settled, he was given a double technical foul and automatic ejection for physically going towards one of the officials.

The atmosphere in the gym never did really get back to one of calmness after this, even after the boys’ game had ended and the fans were gathering their things to leave.

Tyndell Mendenhall had a game-high 19 points as she was the only Lady Bulldog to score in each of the four quarters.

Frances Emanuelli had five points while the trio of Octavia Grandy, Dee Mathis and Mykala Jeter had three points apiece.

Shidedria Maybin’s two points ended Newberry’s scoring as they are now 4-12 on the season and can lock up a playoff berth Tuesday night with a victory at Emerald.

The Bulldog boys went on a 5-0 run to start the game and had a 12-5 advantage when Broome called a time-out with 1:44 left in the opening stanza.

Just 2:52 later, Newberry called a time-out after Broome had gone on a 14-point run.

The Bulldogs went on an 18-10 run for the duration of the half as all but two of Broome’s points in this time frame came from the free-throw line.

Newberry had a one-point advantage at the break, 30-29.

Broome’s 15-14 point third quarter run sent the game deadlocked at 44 points apiece heading into the final stanza.

Trey Miller’s three-pointer with 3:13 left in the game ended an 11-2 run by Broome, as Newberry called a time-out.

With the game deadlocked at 62 points apiece with 42. 7 seconds to go in the game, neither team could get a shot to fall, but a jump ball gave the ball to Broome with 8.2 seconds to go, on their end of the court.

Broome’s jumper fell through with four seconds to go gave them the advantage and then the win after Newberry’s three-pointer wasn’t good at the buzzer.

Jalin Alexander had 17 points while KaheemPraylow also scored in each of the four quarters as he garnered 12 points.

Miller finished with nine points and Notorious Booker contributed eight points.

M.J. Wise saw five points go in, Jaylen Reeder finished with four points, and T.J. Boulware scored two points.

Bennett Wilson and Jeremy Summers each scored one point as the Bulldog boys are now 19-3 and 7-1 in regional play.