LAFAYETTE — Big men made a big difference.

Lanett High School senior forwards Emanuel Littles and Anquaevious Pollard scored 17 points apiece on Friday night to propel the Panthers (7-4) to a 64-55 victory over Class 2A, Area 8 rival LaFayette (11-5).

Littles stands 6-foot-7-inches, while Pollard measures 6-foot-8. The two poured in 28 of their 34 total points in the second half.

“They’re the best bigs in this state,” Lanett head coach Richard Carter said. “I’ll tell you that right now.”

Lanett and LaFayette entered halftime tied 22-22. Then, the Panthers hit their stride. Littles and Pollard overwhelmed an undersized Bulldogs’ lineup and established full control in the post. Lanett opened a 42-34 lead by the end of the third quarter.

“They pose problems for us just because of the matchups,” LaFayette head coach Obadiah Threadgill said.

The Bulldogs, however, never wilted. Twice they cut the Panthers’ advantage to three points in the final frame. But they couldn’t break through.

Lanett counter-punched with Littles, Pollard and guard Terrion Truitt, who finished with 15 points.

“We played how we play, inside out, and we got the job done,” Littles said.

Jordan Wallace led LaFayette with a team-high 16 points.

Girls

The Lanett girls also earned a road triumph. The Lady Panthers (4-3)  erased an 11-point, fourth-quarter deficit to escape LaFayette (7-8) with a 58-53 victory. Alyse Madden had a team-high 16 points.